iSyg.] The Transit of Venus in 1874. 807 
all enclosed within the canvas walling of an observatory 
tent only 8 feet square, the top of the tent being removed. 
No sound broke the enforced stillness that prevailed ; the 
sky was brilliantly clear, and all cause for anxiety as to 
clouding over, or the driving of the equatoreal, or on any 
other account, was completely absent ; while the events in 
question were plainly seen to progress so gradually and de- 
liberately that there was not the smallest occasion for hurry 
or confusion of any kind, nor did any occur. Unlike a solar 
eclipse, when every second is of the utmost importance, there 
was plenty of time for every purpose. Under these circum- 
stances it was practically impossible that any blunder in 
recording could be committed. 
Observatory Notes. 
1874. December. 
Chronometer Greenwich 
Time. Time, 
d. h. m. s. d. h. m. s. 
8 19 18 o 
20 o 
20 50 
22 33 
23 o 
8 14 6 35 
8 35 
9 25 
11 8 
11 35 
24 28 
13 
3 
25 10 
13 45 
26 26 
15 
1 
28 34 
17 
9 
Remarks made by Observer at the time. 
Ingress . 
Beautifully clear morning. No haze. 
Eyepiece 125. Two coloured glasses 
giving a neutral or bluish field. Missed 
the first external contact. 
Venus’s edge on sun boils somewhat ; it 
is, however, distinctly visible. 
Venus’s outer edge, i.e., against sky, 
distinctly visible, because of a narrow 
edging, or ring of light, around some 
30° of that part of it farthest from the 
sun. 
The light ring now extends around the 
whole of that part of Venus’s edge 
against the sky, and is some 3" in 
width ; it is brightest where farthest 
from the sun. 
The light ring against sky is well seen, 
and looks undeniably like Venus’s at- 
mosphere ; width some 4” ; definition 
excellent. 
The light ring against the sky can be 
plainly traced in continuation around 
Venus on the sun, where, however, it 
is made visible chiefly by the move- 
ments occurring in it of minute bright 
specks, and also because it boils. The 
entire ring is full of these minute 
bright specks, which appear and dis- 
appear rapidly, dancing about with 
little flashes. Definition excellent. 
Light ring against sky wider. 
,, „ quite distinct. 
,, ,, quite bright. 
Transit of Venus’s dark edge across the 
sun’s limb, i.e., first internal contact. 
