98 



TEA>'SIT OF VENUS. 



3h. 54m. 30-Ols. 

 3h. 54m. 22-37s. 

 3li. 54m. 27-70S. 

 3h. 54m. 45'41s. 



31i. 54m. 39-66s. 



But I think it is evident that only Mr. Scott, Mr. Ves.sey, and 

 myself have taken exactly the same phase here, and the mean of 

 the three results is 12h. 23m. 57"32s.; the differences amongst 

 all the times are too great to give a satisfactory mean ; but if 

 taken it is 12h. 24m. 732s. Perhaps some of the differences 

 may be attributed to differences of temperament. 



Por the third and really most important phase we had all 

 fortunately learned to disbelieve in hlach drojjs, and during the 

 photographic work had time to think and talk over Avhat had been 

 seen at ingress, and we went to our telescopes much better 

 prepared for the work before us ; still the difficulties were by 

 no means gone, and the motion of the planet was so exceedingly 

 slow that a few seconds variation is, I think, a necessity. 



It was unfortunately cloudy at Eden, but the G-oulburn 

 observations now make up for it. 



Captain Hixson saw internal contact 



Professor Liversidge ., 



Mr. Tornaghi ,, 



At Woodford, Mr. Yessey says at ... 



" The circles of sun and planet tangential 

 and the ring of light about its own thickness 

 outside the limb of the sun." 



My own time for this phase is 



After a period of bad definition my report 

 says : — " The limbs recovered their perfect 

 definition, and were clearly and steadily 

 separated by a line of light which at 

 3h. 54m. 26'3s. could not have been more than 

 half a second of arc in thickness, and then 

 the same marvellous definition continuing just 

 when it was wanted ; the line gradually con- 

 tracted to a scarcely visible thread, and the 

 limbs made contact. There was no sudden 

 break, nothing but the perfectly gradual motion 

 of the one disc over the other, both beaufifully 

 defined, and I saw one overtake the other." 



Mr. Lenehan says : — " The first apparent con- 

 tact was at 3h. 54m. 21'61s., a little jumping; 

 afterwards, saw a band or faint and narrow 

 streak of light between the limbs of planet and 

 sun, which clearly showed me that the time above 

 given was too soon. I then waited until I was 

 absolutely certain contact was complete, at ... 



" I feel confident this time is from 7s. to 10s. 

 after true time." 



Mr. Wright makes time of contact 



Mr. Allerdinar makes time of contract 



3h. 54m. 46-61S. 



3h. 54m. 39-59S. 

 3h. 54m. 35-OOs. 



