Year: 1875

From St. Nicholas.


The first transit of Venus ever seen by a
human eye was predicted by boy, and
was observed by that boy just as he reached
the age of manhood. His name was Jere.
miah Horrox. We have somewhat won-
derful 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 reached the age of
eighteen he had mastered the astronomical
knowledge of the day. He studied the
problems of Kepler, and he made the dis
covery that the tables of Kepler indicated
the near approach Of the transit of Venus
across the suns center. This was about
the year 1886.


Often on midsummer nights the boy
Horrox might have been seen in the fields
watching the planet Venus. The desire
sprung up within him to see the transit Of
the beautiful planet across the disc of the
sun, for it was a sight that no eye had ever
seen, and one that would tend to solve
some of the greatest problems ever presented
to the mind Of an astronomer. So the boy
began to examine the astronomical 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 as
tronomers to make the precise calculation,
discovered too the exact date when the next
transit would take place.


He told his secret to an intimate friend, a
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 fulfill the
beautiful vision he carried in his mind.


The memorable year came at last-1639.
The predicted day of the transit came, too,
at the end of the year. It was Sunday. 1t
found Horrox, the boy astronomer, now
just passed twenty years of age, intently
watching sheet of paper in a private
room, on which lay the SUMS reflected
image. Over this reflection Of the suns
disc ON the paper be expected moment by
moment to see the planet pass like moving
spot or shadow.


Suddenly the church bells rang. He was
a very religious youth, and was accustomed
to heed the church bells as a call from
heaven. The paper still was spotless; no
shadow broke the outer edge of the SUMS
luminous circle.


Still the church-bells rang. Should he
go? A cloud might hide the sun before
his return. and the expected disclosure be
lost for a century.


But Horrox said to himself: 81 must
not neglect the worship of the Creator, to
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
hurried to the room. The sun was still
shining, and there, like a shadow on the
bright circle on the paper, was the image
of the planet Venus! 1t crept slowly along
the bright center, like tho finger of the
invisible. Then the boy astronomer knew
that the great problems of astronomy were
correct, and the thought filled his pure
heart with religious joy.


Horrox died at the age of twenty-five.
Nearly 130 years afterward Venus was seen
crossing the sun. The whole astronomical
world was then interested in the event. and
expeditions Of observation Were fitted out
by the principal European governments.
1t was observed in this country by David
Rittenhouse, who tainted when he saw the
great vision.