The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-09-13

Give he as rppousr III d.stan e Of tn
sun, and os II by encuautment lie e." com
pute u sphere II STR whose ''HEI-ter l.
IuobU0u 81 years, ~ L@tt Travels with mar
velous nitet,, aaI 60, tuiid symmetrical
$ stem, n CUvier cons ruc'ed huge animal
trooa single bole. For centuries it has been
establ shed that Mercury and Venus revolve
around the sun and new recede from it.
beyond certain tii,-lts, aud in addition mod
ern science LAS disclosed the important fact
that on exceptional occ .>ions they pass be-
tween the sol I il,c ana the earth, making
miniature ecGpses. and appear as round
opaque spots
The transi of Mercury is not Of transendent
importance. ii being 50 small and rarely wis.,
bic. but 1t suggested to TX tllay that the transit
OF Venus might settle the question re5arlin,
the sun ) distance. Nt'Nn proved true an
has been adopted - tho on y possible iutt T.
probation of tHe eiIsInt 1t Is simple i'll its
natlre; consisting IN fiuhng how much Venu,
/ Is displaced on tn. III '"t The sun by gong Il
certain distance az. ne earth. which will show
how mue. tA-'ul i df~p'cs1 q the sky by
. the aan,e change % i,'ac one displacement
IS to the oth'r - i!c distance of Venus rom
the sun is 10 ler distance rom the earth.
he tr.nsi, invariably takes place in .|nne or
Dec mber. and "ccrrS int wee in II century.
years The transit Of 1929 was the first OBJ
served, though smother rad been previously
predicted. and it WI. ..o:, as it has been
stated. tn the scov,rv OF HALEY. that they
were regarded III sclentic value. Vast pre-.
partitions wer. institute. tor observing the
next transit IN l76l. alt. though 81; meant
deductl"'s Were draw a., 20 the suns ptril-
lax. adverse. Circumstance rendered it futile
III ct bllHhihS 'Ae .!:, point the precise
dloll Ice .n' "i Ntu.t. OIL She SIMS dis. The
tiurI observed n iisIt N 1863 is HE most
meln"rahle. an'i 'ii'. "hse ryatlons mad. upon
Ii have been 'he most potent III advancing ac.
cIr'te hnnW.t'c" ie9."c'lnC the solar ~.
n"inem. EHr"p+an governments disp ..rhed
scientific expeditions To ii ertnt portlni, of
the globe. with .v.ry Known appliance. md
the EXTREMIST accuracy was assiduonsly
sought. d Il rentals yer directed. and .lu.
heiiIns weighed. a's .3!. rtsut waS seconds
o7-l0O l"r the iara,ti,A. making the mai b. lis.
lance 30, 2JS 2fi mies. but, unf,runat "
there WAS /. 'isae reement in the obsery;.
tons OF one se,ond. and consequently it
can only be considered a close approximation
to scientific truth. The transit of 1874 is.
therefore. reSar'se! by astronomers with III. /
tense concern, as liktlv to settle the contro.
epoch III astronomical seience. As in 1869. !
so IN 1871. our sci; htisis. at the behest Of |
States and governments, attended win enor.
nous expenditure OF money, are seeNing Aus
traila. Japan. China. the Pacific Ocean, and
the Southern seas, to determine, to speak
with precision. VIII. Tier TIE parallel OF the
sun Is $. $40 or 3. $40. If the first BE- cor
rect. then t e distance from the earth to the
sun Is ~. oO0.opU Of miles, and if the second
be the true paralhx, 1t is II 0OO, 600 OF miles
The complete transit will be visible only in
e>tern Asia, Australia. and the Souther seas,
md will occur agaia .n the 9th of Decen lLer,
oS2. and will no. be visible in all . .rs Of
europe, and viii not BE succeeded by another
i'll 1904. --kocaestsr Democrat.