Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-01-28
Ghildrem's department.
THE BOY ASTRONOMER.

The first transit of Venus ever seen by a
human eve was predicted by boy, and was
observed by that boy just as he reached the
age of manhood. His name was Jeremiah
Horrox. We have a somewhat wonderful
story to tell you about this boy:
He lived in an obscure village near Liver
pool, England. He was lover of books of
science, and before he had reached the age of
eighteen he had mastered the astronomical
knowledge of the day. He studied the prob
lens of Kepler, and he made the discovery
that the tables of Kepler, indicated the near
approach of the period of the transit of Venus,
across the suns centre. This was about the
year 1886.
Often on midsummer nights the boy, Hor-
rox, might have been seen in the fields watch
ing the planet Venus. The desire sprung up
within him to see this transit of the beautiful
planet across the disc of the sun, for it was
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 an astron-
omer. So the boy began to examine the as:
Economical tables of Kepler, and by their aid
endeavored to demonstrate at what time the
next transit would occur He found an error
in the tables, and then he, being the first Of
all astronomers to make the precise calcula-
ton, discovered the exact date when the next
transit would take place.
He told his secret to one intimate friend,
boy who, like himself, loved science. The
young astronomer then awaited the event
which he had predicted for number of years,
never seeing the loved planet in the shaded
evening sky without dreaming of the day
when the transit should fulfil the beautiful
vision he carried continually in his mind.
The memorable year came at last-1S39.
The predicted day of the transit came, too, at
the end of the year. 1t was Sunday. 1t found
Horrox, the boy astronomer, now just past
twenty years of age, intently watching sheet
of paper in private room, on which lay the
suns reflected image. Over this reflection Of
the suns disc on the paper he expected, mo-
ment by moment, to see the planet pass a
moving spot or shadow.
Suddenly, the church-bells rang. He was
a very religious youth, and was accustomed
to hear the church-bells as a call from Heaven.
The paper still was spotless no shadow broke
the outer edge of the suns luminous circle.
Still the church bells rang Should he 60?
A cloud might hide the sun before his return,
and the expected disclosure be lost for GEN.
tury.
But Horrox said to himself: II must not
neglect the worship of the Creator, to see the
wonderful things the Creator has made"
So he left the reflected image of the sun on
the paper, and went to the sanctuary.
When he returned from the service, he hur.
ried to the room. The sun was still shining,
and there, like a shadow on the bright center,
was the expected spot. Then the boy astrono-
mer knew that the great problems of astrono'
my were correct, and the thought filled his
pure heart with religious joy.
Horrox died at the age of twenty-five.
Nearly one hundred and thirty years after
ward, Venus was again seen crossing the sun.
The whole astronomical world was then in.
terested in the event, and expeditions of OBJ
servation were fitted out by the principal Eu.
ropean governments. 1t was observed in this
country by David Rittenhouse, who tainted
when he saw the vision.-&. Nicholas for De-
cember.