VENUS IX DAYLIGHT — CAMERON. 355 



foi' granted that it would be quite useless. But it happened to 

 come about that I did try and with the following result : — 



"July 9th, 1892—1.50 to 2 p. m.— Venus in A ! First found 

 her while standing on verandah with sun shut off by verandah 

 roof and library L. Venus then among some light clouds, and 

 glass not steady of course [as I was standing up]. Didn't feel at 

 all sceptical, but did feel much surprised. To be quite sure, got 

 a chair and straddled it, using its back for a rest for my arms — 

 found Venus again and easily — (first finding was easy too) — at 

 first among thin cloud-stufi^, then out into pure blue, and so easy 

 that thought could see her with eye — tried, but didn't. Still, 

 think a good eye could have done it if properly pointed and 

 focussed ; got N. but couldn't find V. again with A. This was 

 about 2.20, and sky seemed whiter than before. 2.50 to 3 found 

 V. again several times with A. Seemed so easy that tried eye 

 again, but no good ; no good for N. also, but she is ticklish about 

 her focus and I hadn't it fixed. 3.20 to 3.30 picked up again 

 four times with A. Thought once I glimpsed it with eye, but 

 probably not. 



3.50 to 4.20, picked up again four times in A. ; got it also in 

 A\ at 4.10, a mere white point there. 



4.50 again in A., but clouding up again. See her easily thro' 

 the clouds. 7, tried again w^ith A. but no good ; sky not good." 



The hour of conjunction was 2.30 p. m The elongation during 

 the day was 4i'-', the brilliancy 2 3. At the next inferior con- 

 junction, in February, 1894, the elongation wnll be nearly twice 

 as much as this, and the naked eye should be able to see Venus 

 If it does, there will be nothing to prevent its owner from saying 

 — and saying truly — that he could see Venus wdth his naked eye 

 in daylight on every clear day from the beginning of June, 1893, 

 to the end of October, 1S94, a clear run of 17 months. 



I have already mentioned my best opera-glass observation near 

 superior conjunction. It was on May 11th, 1893. Venus had 

 been in conjunction 91 days before, and she was, at the time of 

 observing, 2^' east of the sun's limb. I had tried her on the 6th 

 and the 7th with my field-glass (A.), but ray notes say " no good." 



