Trans. N. Y. Ac. Sci. 52 Dec. ii. 



The observation of the first contact was interfered with by the 

 clouds. Between the first contact and the second contact the light 

 shining through Venus' atmosphere was a fine sight. I should say that 

 it first appeared to my eye when the planet was a little more than 

 halfway on the sun, and disappeared about a minute before the planet 

 reached second contact. 



The line of light, marking out the portion of Venus' disk not on 

 the sun, changed its appearance considerably while my attention was 

 fixed upon it. I first saw a faint curved line of light off of the sun, 

 and apparently marking out the pari of Venus' disk not on the sun, 

 this curved line being entirely disconnected from the sun. A little later 

 this arc of light was lengthened to a semi-circular thread and touched 

 the edge of the sun, marking out the complete outlme of the part of 

 Venus' disk not on the sun. The semi-circular gold thread seemed to 

 be an exact continuation of the dark rim of the planet. Finally this 

 line broadened at the point where it touched the sun's rim, or edge, 

 and the summit of the arch disappeared. The wings of light thus 

 formed were, at their base, not in the exact continuation of the dark 

 outline of the planet. I watched for the repetition of these appearances 

 between the third and fourth contacts, but failed to see anything. The 

 sky between the first and second contacts was much clearer of haze 

 than between the third and fourth contacts. 



At second contact I saw no indication of the black drop. The tan- 

 gency of Venus' and the sun's disks was well seen. During the pas- 

 sage of Venus ever the sun's face I observed her disk with magnifying 

 powers of 48, 95, 165 and 345, but saw no indications of an atmosphere. 

 The d sk of Venus did not appear to be uniform in blackness, but to 

 be spotted with grayish or whitish matter, reminding one of patches 

 of snow. This was seen under the different magnifying powers used. 



When Venus neared the third contact, a very peculiar phenomenon 

 was noticed. The preceding edge of Venus was seen to be darker than 

 the central portion. Later the edge of the planet became of a bluish 

 black color, and this extended around to the following edge. The 

 phenomena connected with this were very distinct. When the planet 

 was near third contact, these appearances were not seen longer. Just 

 before third contact, a faint black drop was observed for a short time. 

 It disappeared very quickly and third contact was finely seen. 



The fourth contact was interfered with by the haze and clouds and 

 was probably called too early. 



