NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: transit of venus 1769
From: George Huxtable
Date: 2006 May 29, 10:13 -0500
Coralline Algae wrote-
"The reference for the role of james short in the analysis
of the transit of venus data.
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3789/is_200312/ai_n9303510
or search on teets and transit of venus"
Which presented a bit of a puzzle! The web page provided was the home
of a search page (though overlaid with an infuriating popup
advertisement), and a more specific reference to a relevant page about
James Short's role in the analysis of the transit of Venus
observations would be useful. Perhaps he was brought in because of his
expertise on telescopes and their defects. Cook's expedition carried
at least one of Short's telescopes. I would like to learn a bit more
about Short's part in those proceedings, if Coralline can help me get
there.
Hornsby, rather than Hadley, seems the right name for the other party
in the analysis. He was Professor of Astronomy at the Radcliffe
Observatory, at the University here in Oxford.
As for Lomonosov, Coralline Algae is quite right that he correctly
deduced that Venus had an atmosphere, from his observations of the
transit of 1761. That was not from the appearance of any "black drop",
but from his view of a "halo" around the outside edge of the planet,
as the inside edge started to bite into the Sun. That was a real
observable effect of the planet's atmosphere, whereas the "black drop"
was not. There's a short letter on the subject in the journal "The
Observatory", vol. 121, No. 1162, pp. 176 - 178, June 2001, on "Venus
and refraction", Andrew T Young, of the Astronomy Depertment, San
Diego State University. Andy Young is a recognised authority (perhaps
THE recognised authority) on optical effects in the Earth's
atmosphere, and his work on refraction has informed several past
discussions on Nav-l.
These effects are discussed in more detail in F. Link, "Eclipse
phenomena in astronomy", 1969, pp 205-216.
That mid-18th century period was one of great interest in the history
of astronomy and navigation, and of science and human curiosity in
general, which was finally escaping from the bounds imposed by
religion and classical tradition. Even when so many wars were going
on, scientists were collaborating in an international effort. Good to
see that it's caught the interest of Coralline Algae.
George.
contact George Huxtable at george@huxtable.u-net.com
or at +44 1865 820222 (from UK, 01865 820222)
or at 1 Sandy Lane, Southmoor, Abingdon, Oxon OX13 5HX, UK.
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
To post to this group, send email to NavList@fer3.com
To , send email to NavList-@fer3.com
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
From: George Huxtable
Date: 2006 May 29, 10:13 -0500
Coralline Algae wrote-
"The reference for the role of james short in the analysis
of the transit of venus data.
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3789/is_200312/ai_n9303510
or search on teets and transit of venus"
Which presented a bit of a puzzle! The web page provided was the home
of a search page (though overlaid with an infuriating popup
advertisement), and a more specific reference to a relevant page about
James Short's role in the analysis of the transit of Venus
observations would be useful. Perhaps he was brought in because of his
expertise on telescopes and their defects. Cook's expedition carried
at least one of Short's telescopes. I would like to learn a bit more
about Short's part in those proceedings, if Coralline can help me get
there.
Hornsby, rather than Hadley, seems the right name for the other party
in the analysis. He was Professor of Astronomy at the Radcliffe
Observatory, at the University here in Oxford.
As for Lomonosov, Coralline Algae is quite right that he correctly
deduced that Venus had an atmosphere, from his observations of the
transit of 1761. That was not from the appearance of any "black drop",
but from his view of a "halo" around the outside edge of the planet,
as the inside edge started to bite into the Sun. That was a real
observable effect of the planet's atmosphere, whereas the "black drop"
was not. There's a short letter on the subject in the journal "The
Observatory", vol. 121, No. 1162, pp. 176 - 178, June 2001, on "Venus
and refraction", Andrew T Young, of the Astronomy Depertment, San
Diego State University. Andy Young is a recognised authority (perhaps
THE recognised authority) on optical effects in the Earth's
atmosphere, and his work on refraction has informed several past
discussions on Nav-l.
These effects are discussed in more detail in F. Link, "Eclipse
phenomena in astronomy", 1969, pp 205-216.
That mid-18th century period was one of great interest in the history
of astronomy and navigation, and of science and human curiosity in
general, which was finally escaping from the bounds imposed by
religion and classical tradition. Even when so many wars were going
on, scientists were collaborating in an international effort. Good to
see that it's caught the interest of Coralline Algae.
George.
contact George Huxtable at george@huxtable.u-net.com
or at +44 1865 820222 (from UK, 01865 820222)
or at 1 Sandy Lane, Southmoor, Abingdon, Oxon OX13 5HX, UK.
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
To post to this group, send email to NavList@fer3.com
To , send email to NavList-@fer3.com
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
