The Transits of Venus

In this unique and fascinating history of science, acclaimed popular science writer William Sheehan -- who was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship for Science Writing -- and award-winning geographer John Westfall take us back through the centuries to chronicle the intrepid explorations of scientists and adventurers who studied the transits of Venus in the quest for scientific understanding.

John Westfall is professor of geography at San Francisco State University.

PREFACE

13

(4)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

17

(184)

1. OF TIME AND NUMBER

21

(10)

The Chinese Emperor's Son

21

(2)

The Parallax Principle

23

(2)

A Classic Problem: The Size of the Earth

25

(2)

How Far to the Moon?

27

(1)

The Distances to the Planets

28

(3)

2. PLANET WATCHERS

31

(10)

The Wandering Stars

31

(4)

Celestial Alignments

35

(1)

Some Special Astronomical Alignments

36

(5)

3. VENUSIAN PRELUDES

41

(8)

Venus in Antiquity

42

(3)

Venus in the New World

45

(2)

Astronomic Models in History

47

(2)

4. A MISSED OPPORTUNITY

49

(26)

Planetary Systems

49

(7)

A Realization: The Inferior Planets Can Transit the Sun

56

(1)

Searching the Pretelescopic Archive

57

(2)

Keplerian Calculations

59

(4)

Standing Watch from an Attic in Prague

63

(3)

An Unexpected Disclosure: Sunspots

66

(1)

Kepler's Preview of the Transit of Mercury

67

(3)

The Great Gassendi's Spot-on Observation

70

(2)

Gassendi's Vain Vigil for Venus

72

(3)

5. HOMAGE TO HORROCKS

75

(18)

The Winds of War

76

(1)

"Nothing More Noble"

77

(3)

Horrocks and William Crabtree

80

(1)

Enmeshed in a Net of Calculations

81

(3)

Venus Observed

84

(3)

The Curtain Falls

87

(6)

6. A CELESTIAL MONARCHY

93

(32)

The New Astronomy and Newton

93

(2)

Turbulent Times

95

(1)

Annus Mirabilis, or What Newton Knew When

96

(1)

Newton Plays Hooky until Hooke Comes Along

97

(3)

A Glimpse at Venus in the Telescope

100

(2)

Solar Parallaxes

102

(2)

Longitude

104

(2)

Enter Halley

106

(2)

A Transit at St. Helena

108

(3)

The Principia

111

(7)

The Clockwork Universe

118

(5)

How the Transits Figure

123

(2)

7. "THIS FAMED PHENOMENON"

125

(36)

Halley's Grand Proposal

125

(5)

Hallegan and Cishalleyan Poles

130

(5)

The Man of Vision Lives Not to See

135

(1)

Delisle Takes Over

136

(2)

Bianchini Observes Venus

138

(3)

Anticipation Mounts

141

(6)

Instrumental Interlude

147

(1)

Globetrotters

148

(4)

Day of Fame-or Infamy

152

(2)

Unexpected Phenomena

154

(5)

Back to the Drawing Board

159

(2)

8. COOKS TOUR

161

(24)

Paradise Found

161

(1)

Planning for the Great Event

162

(8)

Endeavoring to See the Transit from Tahiti

170

(3)

Tahiti Looms

173

(2)

Point Venus

175

(5)

What Is So Fair as a Transit Day in June?

180

(5)

9. PURSUING A PLANET

185

(16)

Chasing Results

185

(2)

What the Hell?

187

(1)

The "Barbarous Region" Comes into Its Own

188

(3)

Astronomer Faints during Venus Transit!

191

(4)

Chappe's Tragic Success

195

(2)

More Fortunate in Love than in Astronomy

197

(4)

10. A NOBLE TRIUMPH-SURPASSED

201

(22)

Astronomy by Numbers

201

(4)

Another World Observed

205

(12)

The Grand March of Technology

217

(3)

Eliminating the "Personality of the Eye"

220

(3)

11. FROM ENLIGHTENMENT TO PRECISION

223

(30)

A Parallax Challenged

223

(2)

Laying Plans

225

(10)

The Transit Parties

235

(14)

The "Compleat" Transit Station

249

(4)

12. UPON THE FLAME-CASED SUN

253

(14)

A Century's Wait Ends

253

(10)

The Aftermath of the Transit

263

(4)

13. 1882: THE LAST HURRAH

267

(30)

Eight Eventful Years: 1874-1882

267

(3)

Building on the 1874 Experience

270

(7)

The Last Great Attempt

277

(10)

David Peck Todd and Lick Observatory

287

(6)

The Closing Act of the Transits

293

(4)

14. A "COMPLEAT" GUIDE TO OUR TRANSITS: 2004 AND 2012

297

(30)

The Grail Achieved

297

(3)

Distances to Stars and Galaxies

300

(1)

Venus Revealed

301

(3)

The 2004 Transit Approaches

304

(4)

Observing the Transits

308

(5)

Specialized Equipment

313

(4)

What to Look For

317

(3)

2012 Is Not That Far Away!

320

(7)

EPILOGUE

327

(6)

APPENDICES

333

(22)

A. Transits of Venus, -2970 to +7464

333

(2)

B. Data on Observed Transits, 1639-2012

335

(4)

C. Local Circumstances for the Transit of Venus, June 8, 2004

339

(6)

D. Local Circumstances for the Transit of Venus, June 5-6, 2012

345

(6)

E. June and December Sunshine Probability Maps

351

(4)

NOTES

355

(22)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

377

(16)

INDEX

393

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The Transits of Venus

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials