The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1874-12-24
THE BOY ASTRONOMER.
Jeremiah HOror-The First Observation of
The Transit Of Venus.

WV A'N''"N " 'etUos
The first transit of Venus ever seen by
II human eye was predicted by boy, and
was observed by that boy just as he reach
ed the age of manhood. His name was
jeremiah Horrox. We have somewhat
wonderful story to tell you about this
boy.
He lived in an obscure village near
Liverpool, England He was lover of
books of science, and before he had
reached the age of eighteen he had mas
tered the astronomical knowledge of
the day. He studied the problems of
Kepler, and made the discovery that the
tables of Kepler indicated the near APP
proach of the transit of Venus across
the suns center. This was about the
year 1885.
Often on midsummer nights the boy
llorrox might have been seen in the
fields watching the planet Venus. The
desire sprung up within him to see the
transit of the beautiful planet across the
disc of the sun, for it was Il sight that no
eye had ever seen, and one that would
tend to solve some Of the greatest prob
lens ever presented to the mind of the
astronomer. So the boy began to ex-
anime the astronomical tables IF Kepler,
and by their aid endeavored to demon
Strate at what time the next transit would
occur lie 'Ound an error in the tables,
and then he being the first of all astrOn-
omers to make the precise calculation,
discovered the exact date when the next
transit would take place.
lie told his secret to an intimate friend,
boy, wao, like himself, loved SCIENCE
The young astronomer then awaited lie
event which he had predicted fora num-
ber of years. never seeing the loved plan
ct in the shaded evening sky without
dreaming of The dny when the transit
should fulfill the beautiful vision he had
carried in his mind.
The memorable year came at last
1889. The predicted day of the transit
came, too, at the end of the year. 1t was
Sunday. 1t found Horrox, the young as
trOnomer, now just past twenty years of
age, intently watching sheet of paper
in a private room, on which lay the suns
reflected image. Oyer this reflection of
the suns disc on the paper he expected
moment by moment to see the planet
pass like moving spot or a shadow.
Suddenly the church bells rang. He
was very religious youth, and was aC-
custOmed to heed the church bells as a
call from heaven. The paper still was
spotless. no shadow broke the edge of
the suns luminous circle.
Still the church bells rang Should he
go? A cloud might hide the sun before
his return, and the expected disclosure
be lost for century.
But HOrrox said to himself: Il must
not neglect the wor hip of the Creator 10
see the wonderful things the Creator has
made"
So he left the reflected image of the
sun on the paper, and went to the sane
tuaTy.
When he returned from the service he
hurried to the room, The sun was still
shining, and there, Ikea shadow on the
bright circle ofthe paper, was the image
Of The planet Venus 1t crept slowly
along the bright center, like the finger o
thriuviSlble. rhen the boy as.ronome
knew that th1 great problems of astrOno-
my were correct, and the thought file,
his pure heart with religious Joy.
HOrrox died at the aye of twenty-five
Nearly one hundred and thirty yWrs a.
terward Venus wasseen crossing the sul
The whole astronomical world was the
interested in the event, and expedition
ofObservatiOn were fitted out by the pril
cipal European Governments. 1t ".
observes in this country by David Ri
tenhOuse, who tainted when he saw H.
great yision.-,N Nicholas.