On the magnitude of the solar system

Harkness, William

doi:10.2475/ajs.s3-48.285.230

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Instead, William Harkness proceeded to publish a value of 8".842 ± 0.0118 based on US photof.,'Taphs obtained during the 1882 transit (Annual Report, ] 889: 424-425), and he and Newcomb were only able to improve on tlllS in the 1890s by re-analysing earlier data on the understanding that the solar parallax was intricately linked to such parameters as tlle lunar parallax, the constants of precession and nutation, the parallactic inequality of the Moon, the masses of Earth and Moon, and the velocity of light. Their values of 8".809 ± 0.0059 and 8">800 ± 0.0038 (Harkness, 1894;Newcomb, 1895) are remarkably close to the currentlyaccepted value of 8".794148 ± 0.000007, which was ratified by the lAU in 1976.…”

Section: Setting Up Thesupporting

confidence: 63%

'The Grange', Tasmania: survival of a unique suite of 1874 transit of Venus relics

Orchiston¹,

Buchanan²

2004

J. Astron. Hist. Herit.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

One of the two US expeditions in Australia for the 1874 transit of Venus was based in Campbell Town, Tasmania.While the transit was observed from this site and some of the photographs taken were used in the subsequent investigation of the solar parallax, its main claim to fame is the physical vestiges of the transit programme that have sUlvived there through to the present day. These comprise foundations for instruments, two piers associated with the photographic telescope, and one of the prefabricated observatory buildings. In addition, a copy of a photograph of the transit is preserved in the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery in nearby Launceston. Collectively these form a unique suite of 1874 transit of Venus relics, and arc of international importance.

show abstract

Section: Setting Up Thesupporting

confidence: 63%