302 



On the Transit of Venus. 



[Nov. 20, 



progress across the sun's disk I had as satisfactory a view of it as 

 was possible. My son was with me. At 6.56 we noticed the sun- 

 light on the snowy range. Ten minntes and twelve seconds after that 

 we saw the rim of the sun rising above the mountain which intervened 

 between ns and the horizon. We kept an eye on Mnssoorie and 

 Landour, and thought they had but two minutes' advance of us in 

 seeing the sun. Eighteen minutes and ten seconds after our first 

 glimpse of the sunlight, Yenus began nibbling at the rim of the sun. 

 Between this and her entire entrance on to the disk was twenty-seven 

 minutes and ten seconds ; that is, we saw her external contact at 

 7° 14/ 10", and her internal contact at 7° 41/ 20". When she was 

 about half way on, we both noticed a fringe of white light illuminat- 

 ing that rim of the planet which was yet on the dark sky. When she 

 went off, we noticed the same fringe of light, but for a much shorter 

 time, and when only about one-eighth of her had passed the sun's 

 disk. The internal contact for departure took place at 11° 30' 15", 

 and the external at 11° 57' 25", as near as it was possible to say, for 

 there was a sort of flickering, which rendered it difficult to fix on the 

 precise moment of contact. 



" The spots on the sun were but insignificant, in magnitude about 

 the same as yesterday, though in position very different." 



