XLIII. Observations of the transit of Venus over the sun, contained in a letter to the Reverend Nevil Maskelyne, Astronomer Royal, from Dr. Alexander Wilson, Professor of Astronomy in the University of Glasgow

Abstract

Sir, I send you now the particulars of my observation of the transit of Venus, together with the observations of those who acted in concert with me. I chose for the place of my observations a house at some distance form our observatory, but in sight of it, and more free from the smoke of the town; where I had two gentlemen to attend the clock, and mark the times.I carried with me two reflectors of Mr. Short's, which are described below. Three other instruments were made us of at the observatory; the first was an achromatic tube of Dollond's, 29 inch focus, by which an image of the sun was formed, of about six inches diameter, on a board covered with paper. The telescope being mounted upon a frame, by which it could be turned about as the sun moved, and the room properly darkened.