Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-12-07
THE TRANSIT Or-vENUs.
Good Observations Obtained in Some
Places While Others Were Less
Fortunate.
OrAwA. Dec 6.

OTTAWA. Dec 6.
Mr.. Blake. of the observatory here. took
successful observation of the transit of Venus
at the internal ingress this morning.
ALBANY. n. Y, Dec -ll.S0.
The astronomers at the Dudley observa-
tory obtained no observations of the transit
this morning. owing to clouds. 1t is thought
that the latter part of the phenomenon will
be observed, clouds are breaking away.
CINCINNATI Dec 6.
Observers at the Cincinnati observatory
are suffering disappointment because clouds
obsirurt the sun and prevent any satisfactory
observation of the transit. Shortly before IL
o'clock the clouds grew thin and the sun was
yisable. The utmost was done AT the OBJ
servatory at the time, but the result is far
from satisfactory.
ROCHESTER, \. Y, Dec 6.
The transit was not observed here by any
one, except Prof. Robinson at the Univer-
sitv, who saw il just the contact began.
Dense clouds covered the SKY all the morn
ing.
WAsHINGToS Dec 6.
The weather. Wednesday forenoon, was
cloudy, the sun being at times almost OBJ
sclred Consequently the astronomers at
the Naval Observatory labored under great
disadvantage in observing the transit. Three
telescopes were directed upon the sun. Prof.
Harkns was dissatisfied with the atmospheric
condition at the moment of the first contact
and made record of his observations.
Commander Sampson and Prof. Frisbee,
however, were better satisfied, and made
their records perfectly satisfactory. Obser-
walton of the second contact made by all
three Up to 1880 only about dozen phot-
ographs had been obtained.
fi,.. a.:
vations of the times of contact in the transit
of Venus were successfully made with an
equatorial telescope of three inches apera-
ture and magniiying power of IS degrees.
AT ingress the definition was good, but at
egress the air was much disturbed, and clouds
covered the sun at almost the exact instant
of final contact. At ingreSs the ''black drop
was very noticeable. and while only part of
the planet seen before internal contact
Reports from Jacksonville. Elizabeth Prince
ton, Philadelphia, Albany, and many other
points. announce successful observations of
the transit. The obseIvatories at Cincinnati,
Detroit, Charlestown, Nashville, and points
in Canada report unsatisfactory results owing
to cloudy weather.
New YORK. Dec 6.
The observations today of the transit by
French astronomers were a complete sue
cess. Owing to the clouds in the early fore
noon the German astronomers taking the
transit at Trinity College were unable to get
the contact of ingress of the planet upon the
sun. but they have been successful in secur-
ing five full sets of heliometric measurements
They got the contact of egress.
HARTFORD, CT Dec s.
Early this morning the sky was covered
with. clouds and the German astronomers
were unable to make desired observations
bptu he pf tha
Time of ingress also passed before the sun
could be clearly seen. But at about 10 Is
the clouds became so thin that heliometric
observations could be made to determine the
position OF Venus on the solar disc. Work
was done very rapidly and successfully,
though the air was not at any time perfectly
clear, and four halt sets and six full sets of
measurements equivalent to eight full sets
each. including eight double observations
were completed by go p. NJ Accurate
measurements of the apparent diameter of
Venus were then made before time of egress.
Final contacts were somewhat interfered
with by clouds. No traces seen of any sat
elite ~ Venus or an atmosphere surround
ing the planet. Contact at egress was two
minutes later than the computed time, the
allowance of error being hut one minute
The astronomers telegraphed to Germany to-
night to announce their success. Hello
metric measurements, which alone they
think to DE of special value, were in their
judgment eminently successful.
BosToN, Dec 6.
During the transit of Venus all four con-
facts were satisfactorily observed at Harvard
College Observatory. Over 500 measures of
the diameter of Venus were obtained The
observations with spectroscope showed no
principal absorption by the atmosphere of
venus. Pvrome .ical observation showed that
the disc of Venus was darker than the skv
surrounding the sun.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec 6.
The transit of Venus, today both contacts
were successfully observed, and Profs. Snider
and Ritter obtained beautiful results.
HANovoR. n. H., Dec 6.
Clouds prevented view of the transit
LONDON, Dec g.
In consequence of unfayorable weather the
transit was totally invisible from Greenwich
Observatory.
BALTIMORE. Dec g.
party of observers on the grounds Of
Johns Hospital, under the direction of Prof.
Hastings, observed successfully the second.
third and fourth contacts. The first being
lost through the clouds four minutes before
the second contact.
SAN ANTONIO, Dec g.
The observations here were verv success
ful and both the American and Belgian COM
missions express satisfaction at the result.
The Americans succeeded in getting two
hundred and four photographs, all they were
instructed to take. The Belgains made l2O
measurements. From 10 o'clock until the
close OF transit the work went on regularly.
and as each photograph was taken the
chronometer gave the exact Washington and
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