VOL. LIX.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 655 



XLIV. An Account of the late Transit of Venus, observed at Hawhhill, near 

 Edinburgh. By James Lind, M.D., at Edinburgh, p. 33Q. 

 James Hay observed in the house, on the ground-floor, in the room with the 

 house clock, with the S-f feet achromatic telescope with triple object glass; 

 Lord Alemoor observed on the floor above, with the 1 8 inch reflector, and a 

 watch that showed seconds, set a few minutes before the transit began, and com- 

 pared after each contact ; Dr. Lind was in the observatory with a 2 feet achro- 

 matic telescope, a mathematical instrument maker counting seconds from the 

 clock. The following is the account of all their observations: 



Ext. cont. j Int. cont. 



Lord Alemoor 

 James Hay 

 Dr. Lind 



Mean time. 

 6" 57" 33' j 7" 14" 32' 

 6" 57 30 I 7 14 35 

 6 57 41 7 14 37 



1 8 inch reflector. 



34-f- achromatic, mag. 1 50. 



2t'. achromatic, magn. 100. 



In the internal contact they all observed the black ligament or protuberance, 

 which was not broken for some seconds after the regular circumference of Venus 

 seemed to be within the sun ; and the observation set down was, as near as 

 could be judged, about the time this protuberance was going to break. Lord 

 Alemoor also, and he only, observed the regular circumferences of the sun and 

 Venus in contact, at 7*" 14"" 10', mean time. 



The morning promised ill, yet they got Q very good altitudes of the sun near 

 the prime vertical. About noon the day was terrible, with thick clouds, and like 

 settled rain. About 2 o'clock the wind began to change from the south to the 

 westward ; about 3 o'clock it was west, and the clouds breaking ; so that they got 

 5 very gootl corresponding altitudes. There was, about 4 o'clock, a very hard 

 thunder shower, and calm, after which the wind began to blow briskly from the 

 north-west ; the clouds blown away, and those near the horizon depressed and 

 held down, the sun shone clearer than ever he saw it, and not a cloud was to be 

 seen in that quarter. It remained so till after both contacts ; when, not half a 

 minute after, small flying clouds passed over the sun. The night continued 

 clear and serene, as did the next morning, till after the eclipse ; half an hour 

 after which it began to overcast, and put on the same cloudy appearance it has 

 wore for some months past. Though the morning was so favourable, they lost 

 the beginning of the eclipse, from being too long in getting to their posts ; 

 however they obser\'ed the contact with the different spots on the sun's disk, and 

 the end of the eclipse, which was at 20'' 17" 30'. 



Remarks by the Astronomer Royal 



Hawkhill is said by Dr. Lind to be about !■{■ miles n. e. of Edinburgh. It is 

 the seat of Lord Alemoor, one of their judges, who is fond of astronomy, and 

 has built a small observatory there with a moveable roof, on Mr. Smeaton's 



