New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-01-31
The Transit of Venus

| Inc special correspondent OF the London
Times, who accompanied the expedition to
witness the transit of Venus at Cairo, writes
as fOilOws: The site chosen at Cairo and
and Thebes were ON the east OF the Nile,
| and inundated ground, so as to keep the
| probable mists as much as possible from in
| terfering with tho observation of the
phenomena at sunrise on the ninth of De-
| cember. The Mokattam heights had also
the advantage of being above the plain,
but not far removed from supplies. The
| mountain. however, had d road
labor of carrying stone piers and huts to
| the top was considerable. The summit
Is magnificent position, without difference
to astronomy. To the southwest, Gin the far
| side of the Nile, lie the Sakharah % yramids,
then the Geezeh pyramids. with The great
pyramid and Sphinx-the- latter svisible to
the telescopes only, while Immediately be-
meath the feet, tor the cliffs are nearly per-
pendicular, rises the citadel, with the old
walls Of Saladin and it's modern mosque
To the left Of it are the tOmbs of the Name
lukes, and to the right the mosques and
tOmbs Of the caliphs, behind these the en-
tire city OF Cairo, extending up to the banks
OF the river. For four days previous to the
transit morning the weather was bad. On
three Of them there was q dense mist every
where, and on the other day mist was in
the plain in which the Mokattam Lills
stood like islands. During the night pre-
ceding the transit there were occasional
breaks in the clouds, and in the morning it
was plain that they were opening, but it
was question if they would do so soon
enough to show the suns disc plainly before
Venus has crossed it. Apparently some
English visitors thought the chance worth a |
considerable effort, for among the shadows
OF the Mokattam hills might be seen parties |
ON rIv,rp q <nvn
by sunrise were seen the various observers /
with their telescopes pointed to the eastern
horizon, which was covered with banks of |
cloud.
A small break in the clouds showed We
nus distinctly to most OF the observers,
though it was mere glimpse. The strict.
est orders had been given not to speak for
fear OF interfering with the counting time of
he observers. Another longer break ena-
all the telescopes and micromertic
measures to be commenced. Alter
lately hid in cloud and visible for
short period Venus continued her
curse. The sky was now clear all over
he west up to the zenith, and it was oh.
lous that 1t was race as to whether the I
lOuds or Venus should first be clear of the | +
I'm. Happily. after one long. anxious /
eriod OF obscurity, the sun was seen to be Z
assing into the clear sky, and there was Z
till distinct, unbroken thread Of light be- 3
ween Venus and the SUMS limb, and the :
ritIcal phase of contact was observed. The
lstant when the black drop assumed the B
lme depth of blackness as the BODY of the B
anet had been the phase adopted as most 3
uly showing that the limbs of Venus and 2
10 sun conceded. The times regularly re. s
'rded when reduced lay within about three B
c0nds Of each other. In the largest tele- =
ope, the Lee, as might be expected, con- r.
ct was seen the latest. As none of the | 3
servers spoke at the time to each other. B
I'd as the times, written down by different b
ocks or chrOnometers, had'to be brought b
the same terms for comparison, there b
uld have been no unconscious influence b
ercised By one observer over another, and Z,
9 agreements within three seconds of r.
rge and small telescopes must be cons;d. b
ed good. The general appearance of the b
ases is reported nearly the same as that o.
the Greenwich model. The black drop B.
ls considered less long and distinct but Bi
. very close resemblance made the oh. B,
'vers feel at home with the work, and r.
evented nervousness. The approximate Be
ne Of contact was nearly that predicted. b
the exact time the observers9will not b
mint themselves till the stars of the same r.
y are worked out, and the clock errors b
lde certain. Be