The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-04
THE TRANSIT OF VENUS.


FRENCH OBSERVATIONS IN JAPAN-THE UNEx-
PECTED FEATURES OF THE GREAT PHENoM-
ENoN
n. Jansen, the distinguished French astrono-
mer, who observed the total eclipses OF 1s6s-70-7l
In India and Algiers. has made his official report
OF his observations OF Venus In japan. In select.
ing the stations named above he examined with
care all the meteorological records Of the Japanese
government. as well as those kept by European
residents and natives. These decided him against
Yokohama. The vicinity OF NagasaKl and OF Kobe.
several hundred miles back on the Inland Sea
near HiOgO were considered by all to have the best
promise OF lair weather The French naval CON-
mander M. Lespes. conveyed party OF observers
under Delacroix, midshipman OF the French
Navy, to Kobe, while Jansen took up his station
at Kompira- Yama, for the equipments and person.
mel Of the French were sufficient to divide the
party and give twolold chance OF success.
THE LOCATION OF THE OBSERVERS.
Janssen's Station, on the elevated hill Kompira,
the name Of the Japanese god OF the Typhons,
overlooked the harbor and was out OF the reach
OF the smoky atmosphere OF Nagasaki. Some idea
may be formed or tile outlay by the French gov
erDment on these transit expeditions from the
fact that 2o0 porters transported the 500 chests
ana more than hundred carpenters and laborers
were busted in erecting the observing huts on this
hill
STORM AT THE OUTSET.
No sooner had the observat0ries been erected
than Jansen was threatened with a misfortune
similar to that which, in 1870, demolished his
equipments in Algeria. A sudden and violent gust
upturned the equatorial, destroying the telescope
and its thermometer But as the party had taken
out with them slX-inch telescope Also which was
used in the solar ecipses in India in 1855, and as
they had with them the tools OF complete work
shop they speedily repaired their loss.
AIDED BY THE JAPANESE.
Jansen makes special acknowledgements to the
Japanese for their cordial assistance In many
things and especially for the free use OF the tee
graph, the extension OF which, in connecting
these two distant observatories, the government
Itself undertook.
OBSERVATIONS ON THE 9TH.
With MS eIght-inch equatorial he got the first
contact. Venus showing herself very round and
larion to tne solar disk was made without any ap-
pearance OF the ligament or black drop.
NEW OBSERVATION
To the eye OF the astronomer long interval took
place between the moment when the disk OF Venus
appeared On ner interior contact and the moment
OF the appearance o the luminous thread; this he
considered an anomaly due 10 the presence of the
atmosphere OF the planet. He TOOK photograph
at the instant when the contact appeared TO be
automatically complete, and 1t showed no con-
tact. HIS assistant also got plate OF lorty-seven
showed the same thing. Jansen considers this
an important matter Tor discussion.
THE SECOND CONTACT AT NAGASAKL
At this Anstant the sun came out clear, and the
two astronomers observed with precision the rup-
ture OF darkness between the rims OF Venus and
the sun at the moment OF their first internal con.
tact.
SUCCESS AT KOBE.
All the contacts were scrutinized at Kooe with
singular success. excepting doubtful estimate OF
the instant at which Venus vanished into space
alter ner transit. The victory OF the astronomers
there was source OF great and general Quotation.
There were fifteen good photographs obtained
there.
ANOTHER REMARKABLE PHENOMENON.
Jansen calls special attention 10 the TACT that
he saw Venus just before she touched the sun.
With glass OF very excellent, pure blue-violer
color Ee saw her distinctly separated as small,
very pale circular spot, Just as sue was about to
touch the SUM- Then when she commenced to
1ndent the suns disk this spot completed the
black circle on his lace. Jansen says this was q
partial eclipse oil the cOrOnal atmosphere ana he
believes that 1t gave HIM conclusive proof Of this
luminous atmosphere and OF the accuracy OF his
observations OF 1T IN the solar eclipse OIL 1871. On
tine 9tn.ut. he saw Venus at a distance OF t-o to
three minutes OF arc from the SUMS limb.
He Is making up his iu report Tor the Imperial
Academy, out goes forward from Japan to India
to observe the next solar eclipse, which Will be
Visible under slnguarly favorable circumstances.