The Transit of Venus.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 266, 15 December 1874, Page 6

The Transit of Venus.

Apparently in New Zealand the only successful observation has been made at Queenstown. From the Mail, we learn that Professor Peters is well satisfied with the result of his! observations, although they are not all that could have been wished. The instruments and appliances worked admirably, and everything passed off well. The number of photographs struck off during the transit were 193, we are informed. The ingress of Venus M r as successfully noted, and a great many measurements were taken, but unfortunately at the time of egress the sun was obscured. Major Palmer, chief of the English expedition stationed at Burnham, near Christchurch, reports as follows :—" Here the observation of the ingress of Venus on the sun's disc was spoiled by clouds, which prevented any measure with a double-image micrometer being made prior to the internal contact, and they entirely hid the planet from view for some seconds before the contact itself. Photographs near the contact itself were impossible; but, about fourteen minutes after contact, the sun showed a little more brightly at intervals. A few photographs, most of them indifferent, were also secured, and, at three o'clock, the sun became entirely hidden ; heavy rain set in at 3.30, and lasted till 4.30 p.m., when a clearing set in, and looks of the sky to windward gave hopes that observation of the egress—of immensely greater value than that of ingressmight yet be secured ; but the clouds again gained the mastery, and the sun was not seen from half-past three until Eome ten minutes after the end of the transit, when it shone brightly until near sunset. The substations at Grahamstown, Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin met with bad fortune both at ingress and egress."