THE TRANSIT OF VENUS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1914, 9 December 1874, Page 2

THE TRANSIT OF VENUS.

This important astronomical event— i which astronomers have prepared for and speculated about for msny, years-takes place to-day, and will, be observed from almost every spot on the earth s surface < from which it can be seen. All . nations are,co-operating, and parties are stationed' ' from Desolation Island and New Zealand :<' to China, Japan, and Northern Siberia. Our prospects locally are, we are sorry to say, very bad, and if to-day Mr Severn , lias not clearer weather than prevailed * yesterday we may throw up the sponge. We are sorry to observe, from our' tele- ' graphic, reports, that unfavourable weather prevails over the colony. Venus seems disposed to make her transit of the sun's disc behind enshrouding cloud?. . Perhaps the rainjnay clear away. Every. ' thing is ready. Chronometers to mark the time, photographic. apparatus to tale : features of the. transit, while the electric ;' telegraph flashes instantaneous messages from the other stations in New Zealand, Mr c». J. Lambert, F.R.A.S., referring to the timos of the different phases of the transit of Venus, which takes place today, says

First external coutact, 111 15m, p>tu,'; alti- ; - tude of Sua's centre, 66deg; angle of Sun from vertex, towards east, 279Jeg; first internal. contact, Hi 44m; altitude of Sun's centre, 61deg; angle of Sua from vertex, towards east, , 278deg; middle of trausit, 31) 3lm; altitude of, Sun's centre, 39deg; least distance of centres, 13m sls of arc; last internal contact, 5h 18ni; altitude of Sun's centre, 18deg; angle of Sun. from vertex, towards east, 224deg; last external coutact, 5h 43m, p.m.'; altitude of Bun's centre, 13deg; angle of Sun from vertex, towards cast, 216deg. Venus will., appear to strike the Sun a little lower, thau tho ea-st point, and travel gradually downwards towards the lower limb, leaving the Sun a little to the east of that point. This is the direct motion, or that visible through smoked or coloured glass, or through those telescopes which give images erect, Through the astronomical telescope the planet will appear to transit the Suu from a point near the west, towards the upper limb,.or just the reverse of the former. Venus will appear in transit as a black spot, whose diameter will be a little less than one-thirtieth that of the Sun. Those, who have telescopes , or opera glasses may make use of them by smoking tho glass next the eye with a piece of, kauri gum. Those who do not possess them may serve-a piece of clear glass in the same way, or u?e coloured glass sufficiently d«Q39 fop the purpose, ... ,