CELESTIAL DAY OBSERVATIONS. 
JI7 
aod 4®. 4/^ in Longitude west of the sun. Their difference of Observations 
declination being 2®. 18'. 1 found a diminution of aperture 
p.irticularly useful, when viewing the planet at the time, even 
when the higher jxjwers were with the sun, which happened 
on May 25, at yh. 30'. A. M, Her geocentric latitude at that 
time, being about iG' S, She must have passed almost close by 
the sun’s southern limb. Cloudy weather for nearly a month 
after the last observation, uniformly prevented any further 
observations, when the planet was in that part of the heavens 
which was within the range of the instrument. The first day 
which proved favourable for observation after she had passed her 
conjunction was the 5th of June. The following is the 
memorarrdum of the observation then takai. 
June 5th, gh. A. M. Adjusted the equatorial telescope for 
viewing the planet Venus, but she could not be perceived on 
account of the direct rays of the sun entering into the tube of 
the telescope. I contrived an apparatus for screening Iris rays, 
but could not get it conveniently to move along with the 
telescope ; and, therefore, determined to wait till past eleven, 
when the top of the window of the place of observation w'ould 
intercept the solar rays- At llh.20'. A. M. Just as the sun 
had passed the line of sight from the eye to the top of the 
window, and his body was eclipsed by it, I was gratified with 
la tolerable distinct view of the planet w ith a power of 60 ; the 
aperture being contracted to g-lOths of an inch. The distinct- 
ness increased as the sun retired, till, in tw’o or three minutes 
she appeared perfectly w'ell defined. Saw Iier immediately 
afterwards, with a power of 30 j the aperture contracted as 
before. Saw her also quite distinct with a pow’er of 15, but she 
could not be perceived with this power when the contracted 
aperture was removed. At this time Venus was just 3'’ in 
longitude, or about 13 in time of R. A. east of the sun's centre, 
and of course, only about 2 ^’ from his eastern limb. The 
difference of their declination being about 27 ', and the planet s 
latitude about 1 1" north. 
As I considered this observation of some importance in 
ilctenniniog tfie object I had in view ; and as it might possibly, 
br 
