Astronomical .\\)rEs. 2H9 



f^ood \ icw of it (Ml the JOth. The evening- being; favourable, 

 and the sk\- abo\ e the horizon free from clouds, I picked it 

 up first with the lield glass, but could see it quite plainly with 

 the naked eye. It is always interesting when one knows that 

 Mercury is in a favourable position to look for it and find it. 

 I have never seen any markings on its surface with any 

 telescope that I have had. When it is visible, it is never 

 far above the horizon at sunset, and there is often a haze 

 near the horizon which prexents good seeing. 



Transit of Mercury. 

 On the /th of November I was again privileged to see 

 this very interesting and comparatively rare phenomenon. I 

 saw it on its last occurrence on November 12th, 1907. I 

 understand the next will be on May 7th, 1924. The morning 

 was nice and clear ; the moon was seen till the beginning of 

 the transit at a high altitude in the north-west, with a few 

 fleecy clouds near. When the predicted time drew near I 

 was at the telescope anxiously watching, and saw the planet 

 just as it touched the periphery of the sun. (Knowing the 

 spot where contact would take place, I looked very carefully 

 for the planet before ingress, but could see no trace of it.) 

 In a very short time the whole of the planet was within the 

 circumference of the sun's disc, the air was calm and clear, 

 and it appeared as a sharply defined small black spot on the 

 face of the sun during the time of transit. Several times 

 the sun was obscured by clouds, but they passed over in a 

 short time. It was very interesting to note the progress of 

 the planet across the sun's disc, and also at egress, when 

 it looked like a small lump on the edge of the sun, and after 

 the moment of parting no trace of Mercury could be seen. 

 The colour of the planet was extremely dark. Two sun spots 

 were visible at the time, the umbra of which was lighter than 

 it. I have read of Mercury during transit being surrounded 

 by a luminous ring and having one or more bright spots on 

 its disc, but I saw nothing of these. To my eye, the edge 

 was very sharp, having no appearance of any ring of 

 refracted light such as would appear through atmosphere. 

 External contact at ingress took place about 9.57 a.m. ; 



