LECTURE ON THE TRANSIT.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2710, 14 December 1882, Page 3

LECTURE ON THE TRANSIT.

[I'EESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.] WELLINGTON, December 13.

Archdeacon Stock delivered a lecture on. the *' Transit of Venus." The lecturer, after a few preparatory remarks, said that books alone were of no avail in making people cemprehendeverything in astronomy, and if they wished to thoroughly understand the subject they must study" for themselves. He then referred to the study of astronomy by the ancients, mentioning: as a remarkable statement that the distance between the sun and the earth was said to be embodied in the mathematical propositions in the pyramids. Referring to the beautiful phenomenon of last week, the lecturer gave a description of what he had seen on the morning of the 7th, stating that he and Mr Kinghad succeeded in getting the instant just when Venus left the sun's disc. He illustrated how the velocity of light was registered and counted, and said that the observations here in connection with the transit were of more value than in Melbourne, as the sun vas far higher in the horizon in Wellington at the time. The rev. gentleman spoke at some length on thesun and the distances apart of tb a celestial bodies, and concluded by impressing on all present the advantages of possessing a. knowledge of the study of astronomy. A, vote of thanks was passed to the lecturer.