494 TRANSIT OF VENUS, 1874. NEW ZEALAND. BUKNHAM. 



Besides the loss of the already faint light, which rendered the images 

 scarcely discernible, before adjustment for position and equal brightness of 

 images could be made the Sun was gone from view. This happened at each 

 re-appearance ; there was never time (generally the -appearances lasted but 

 four or five seconds) to adjust for an accurate measure in the middle of the 

 field, even had such measures been possible with the imperfect light still 

 less to make a measure. I am certain, moreover, that even had the light 

 remained steady at its maximum brightness, it was too dim, and the clouds 

 were moving too quickly and confusingly across the Sun, for any measures 

 of value to have been secured. I was quite cool, and prepared to make the 

 most of every opportunity. 



The whole time before internal contact 1 never used a coloured glass, and had 

 difficulty in snaking out the Sun without one. 



At 18 h . 49 m . 2P-26 sidereal the cusps subtended about 95. at planet's 

 center, as estimated in a passing glimpse. 



At 18 h . 53 m . 6 S> 26 sidereal another glimpse showed cusps about three-fifths 

 of a diameter apart pretty sharp. An ordinary eye-piece was now inserted. 

 In glimpses 



h m s 



At 1 8. 55. 46-27, cusps about half a diameter apart. 

 At 18. S/. 16-27, one-third 



At 18 h . 58. 46 S> 27 the Sun showed again, when the cusps were about one- 

 twentieth of a diameter apart, and connected by a dimly marked ligament, 

 not nearly so sharp as the " black-drop " of the model in full sunlight. 



At 18 U . 58 m . 50 S- 07, as far as could be judged, the ligament seemed to 

 undergo a change in depth of colour, but clouds prevented me from seeing 

 whether any streak of light Connecting cusps played across it. This is spoken 

 of in the little table which follows as " the first light on ligament." 



My last sight of the planet was at 18 h . 58 m . 53 s- 27, at which moment I 

 thought I saw a very slight wavering streak of light, though the cusps (now 

 very close) had not fairly met. 



I judged that it wanted about five seconds to complete separation of limbs. 

 I counted the clock-ticks for five seconds, and gave a signal for an estimated 

 contact at 18 h . 58 m . 58 8 '27. 



The Sun did not appear again until about 19 h . 13 m ., by which time the 

 planet appeared to be about half its own diameter within the limb. I again 



