Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1882-12-18
THE TRANSIT OLE VENUS.

THE TRANSIT OLE VENUS.
No more favorable and extended
opportunity, it is safe to say, has
ever occurred for observing the tran
sit of Venus across the suns disc
than that presented on Wednesday
of last week and none equally fav-
orable will occur again within the
next thousand years. There will be,
it is true, transit 122 years hence,
but that will be visible, as the like |
phenomenon was eight years ago,
only on the other side of the earth. |
The exceptional character of the |
event, and the fact that so long an
interval must elapse before another
occurs, gave it great Importance in
the eyes of astronomers all over the
world, and led to the most ample
preparations in order that it might
be successfully observed. Stations
were established throughout the
United States, Europe and South
Africa, the universities polished their
great lenses, prayers were offered in
| the churches for favorable weather,
| and thousands of amateur astrono-
mers provided themselves with field
| glasses or bits of smoked window
pane.
AS it turned out, the weather in
this country at the principal points
| of observation was fair. Clouds had
darkened the sky the night before,
and apprehSpsions were entertained
that a widesb read storm might pre-
vail; but, happily, these were not
realized, and millions of people from
New York to San Francisco had the
opportunity of gazing at the great
planetary spectacle. Every one who
had telescope trained it upon the
sun, while those who had not, salts
fed themselves with their smoked
glass. Seen thus, the phenomenon
presented the appearance of cram
berry upon dinner-plate, OF a target
through which single bullet had
been fired. AT one place in Boston,
by an ingenious arrangement of tele-
scopes and mirrors, an enlarged i'm
age of the transit was reflected upon
a screen, SO that roomful of people
had the opportunity of observing it
at the same time.
While the amateurs were crafty
ing their curiosity, the professional
astronomers were anxiously watching
every second of the planets progress,
+ noting any indications of atmospher-
ic disturbance, photographing the
scene, and, above all, making those
memoranda upon which the astro-
| nomical calculations should ultimate
~ depend. At the Central High
School Observatory in Philadelphia
5 in the first stages of the planets in
! gress, bright flashes of light were
0 noticed surrounding it. Later it was
4 encircled by well-defned ring, pre-
!, senting to the observers unmistaka
e BILE evidences of a planetary atmos
S phere, and possibly of planetary life
o The same phenomenon was observed
f at the John Hopkins University il
Baltimore and elsewhere. At vari
i Gus places, markings, looking lik
# great patches of snow, were seel
S upon the planets face; and Will
e these phenomena are not now oh
5, served for the first time, their exist
IS ton. At Princeton College an ap
is preparation of 81 900 had been mad
l. for special expenses in connectio
< with the photographing, and the al
10 engagements there were of the mos
lie complete character. One hundre
IS and Lightweight photographs wei
taken, of which majority were cles
Id enough to be of service in the Intend
81 Cd oalonlo tiopc
s. These calculations, when the
n shall be made, will determine MOI
or accurately than has yet been know
as the distanceof the sun from the cart
1t is the determination of this gre
astronomical fact, indeed, wni(
: makes the transit of Venus a matt
re- of such commanding importanc
in and awakens so much profession
,es enthusiasm. In scientific languag
TX. it is the parallax of the sun which
he thus sought to be ascertained;
ng speak popularity, it IS the appare
lg. change of place of the planet Ven
nd upon the suns disc, in consequen
of of being viewed from different poir
INV upon the earth S surface. 1t is gu
will obvious that if small body be vie
ced ed in relation to a larger body, it "
the seem to occupy different place {
eed cording to the observers point
on, view; and SO the planet, when {
ear served from different points at
of same time, seems to one observer