TEAKSIT OP VENUS. 97 



My own report of this phase is as follows, and ib will be 

 observed that the first time given is 4 minutes before contact. 



At 12h. 20m. indications of distortion or bad definition of the 

 limbs in contact appeared, like a mass of black wool laid over the 

 place, rendering it impossible to see distinctly, and making the 

 cusps very hazy. I thought the drop was going to form, and 

 w^atched very closely for it and for apparent contact, but I found 

 it extremely difiicult to make up my mind about the latter, and 

 saw nothing of the former. 12h. 20m. 5s. was noted as a very 

 unsatisfactory apparent contact. The cusps after this appeared 

 to clear up, or improve in definition (the telescope had not been 

 altered), and as they approached each other the sharpness was 

 very remarkable, but the motion so gradual that I could not 

 determine to a fraction of a second when they actually formed 

 the line of light which I saw complete, and took for the moment 

 of internal contact, but the instant I was sure I made the record 

 on the chronograph, and keeping my eye steadily upon it saw it 

 had in fifteen seconds become an unmistakeable band of sunlight. 



Mr. Lenehan says at time of ingress there was an indistinct 

 shading between the supposed edge of the planet and the sun, 

 w^hich for some ten or fifteen seconds before the time I quote 

 later, kept me in a state of uncertainty as to the true time of 

 actual ingress ; the shading did not break abruptly, but seemed 

 to melt awa,y in such a manner as to leave a doubt in my mind 

 of the exact time the planet passed the edge of the sun, but I dis- 

 tinctly saw a clear band of light at 12h. 2im. 48"34s. 



Mr. Savage says : — '" The definition at this point being so very 

 bad between the limits of the sun and planet, and the edges at con- 

 tact so A'ery dark as to defy accuracy, as the planet advanced on 

 the sun a little way this shading still connected the planet wath 

 the sun's edge; but that portion of it nearest to the planet show^ed 

 indications of fading away gradually, until at length it disappeared 

 altogether without any sudden break w^hatever, and at 12h. 23m. 

 43'9s. a streak of light became visible between the planet and 

 the sun's limb." 



Dr. "Wright noted 12h. 24;m. 30s., but was quite sure this 

 was late, probably 16s., making 12h. 24m. 14s., having lost true 

 contact looking for the black drop. These times are : — 



h. m. s. 



12 



24 



7-90 



12 



24 



19-70 



12 



23 



45-07 



12 



23 



59-00 



12 



24 



48-34 



12 



23 



43-93 



