The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-12-13

HOW IT WAS DISCOVERED ny Professor
IANELEN.


LANGLEY.
A Pit,sburg correspondent OF the New
York Times tclegrapbs: Professor :. 7.
Langley, whose discovery during the re-
cent transit OF Venus OF q remarkable and
heretofore unobscryed spot on the body OF
chat planet has awakened such general I'M
tcrcst i'm scientific circles, was interviewed
FRIDAY night. IIayeyou completed your
calculations upon the results achieved in
the observations OF the transit" inquired
the writer.
no. sir. we have not" replied the
Professor. "Many months will elapse be-
fore that work can be accomplished. The
full result, OF the recent transit vii! not
be known definitely for years"
"What achievements were especially an
ticipated by scientists in their observations
on Che recent transit?"
"Quite a number. One was 10 correct
the total error Of previous observations rs
to the distance OF the sun. This task was
about equal TO placing an average human
hair at a distance OF $50 wards and trying
to measure its thickness. That about re-
presents the angular amount that j. in the
question. The whole thing turns on 4
certain angle called the solar parallaX."
About this spot on The body of the
planet Venus, had you anticipated any
thing OF the kindg"
"No, sir, in previous observations a rim
OF light has been noticed circling The edge
OF the planet before it, entrance upon the
disk Of the sun. | determined to pay
special attention 10 this feature OF the tran.
sit, and instructed my assistants 10 thc
same effect. II was owing to our attention
being concentrated upon this feature OF The
transit that the discovery OF the spot was
made. other observers directed their az
! forts to the obseryances Of the first con-
tact. the formation OF the black drop, and
other points Of equal interest"
Drawing diagram in order 10 cnlightcu
/ your correspondent the Professor cons
tinued: The line Of light on Che edge OF
the planet was plainly defined. but in adj
dilion 10 it ! observed "A spot extending
inward one-f0urth the radius Of the planet
and along the edge, approximately one.
| twelfth Of the whole circumference.
observed il closely, and rs the planet On.
/ tered the sun the spot wiGencd, apparcnt-
/ ", stretching out along the edge, and dis.
! dllichiiiiE hf"ii. Nh'u f'hhN VIZ ipit'
! upon the disk OF the sun
What theory have you for the appear.
ancc OF this phenomenon?
- have mono at all. II is wholly mex.
plicahlc. Owing TO the wagering edge
could not be positive that the spot wa,
wholly upon the body u the planet. II
might have been a protuberancc. I'm thai
case. | am also unable TO account for it
From its appearance, however. l judge
that il covered 1000 miles or more Of the
planet. 1t might be due i'm some way &c
refraction, caused by an extraordinary pro
tuberance OF the atmosphere CT. Venus
though why such protuberancc should
exist We are at loss TO say"
Professor Langley at this point retired
and his assistant, Mr.. Keclcr, remarked
aside from the observation to determine
the distance Of the sun, we consider a.
probably next in importance the spectre
scopic observations OF Professor Young
OF Princeton, afording, a. be says, I'm
mistakabIe evidence Of the presence o
water upon Venus. The presence o
water upon the planet Venus suggests thr
probability OF inhabitants. No astronO
mer would care 20 say that Venus is no
Inhabited replied the gentleman with
laugh. The presence OF water render
this more probable.