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Transits of Venus, 1874 & 1882
Image: Melbourne Observatory
Source: Museum Victoria
Transits of planets across the face of the Sun were highly important astronomical events, because they could provide data that would assist in calculating the distance between the Sun and Earth, and hence the distances of all the planets from the Sun. These matters were of fundamental scientific importance, because they provided data for analysing the subtleties of the solar system and the gravitational interactions of the planets and the Sun; they also had practical consequences for navigation.
However transits could only be observed from a narrow band on the Earth's surface. Transits of Venus were also exceedingly rare, occurring in pairs only every century or more. The primary purpose of Captain James Cook's first voyage to the Pacific in 1768-1771 had been to make observations of the Transit of Venus on behalf of the Royal Society.
Melbourne Observatory took full advantage of the two Transits of Venus that occurred in 1874 and 1882. The Victorian Parliament provided additional funds to purchase an 8 inch equatorial telescope and a photoheliograph (a specially designed telescope to take photos of the Sun). Two field observatories were also established, to reduce the chance that cloud would spoil the observations. Government Astronomer Robert Ellery and his assistants aided American and German expeditions to Tasmania and New Zealand, by making measurements of stars that would help them locate the precise longitude of their temporary observatories.
The Melbourne astronomers made observations of the 1875 transit at the Observatory, Bendigo, Mornington and Glenrowan. In 1882 observations were made by the Melbourne astronomers from Hobart and Sale. Both sets of results were sent to the Greenwich Observatory in Britain to be added to the observations made from other expeditionary parties.
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Technical Report - Count Von Zeppelin's Dirigible Air Ship, 1901
A summary technical report on the first rigid airship built at Lake Constance by Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin. It is an extract from the Smithsonian Report for 1899, pp563-565. This cop ...
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Technical Report - Major B. Baden-Powell, Progress With Air Ships, 1904
A short summary of work on airship design up to 1903 by Major Baden F.S. Baden-Powell (1860-1937) of the Scots Guards. This copy was originally received by the Melbourne Observatory and ...
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Technical Report - S.P. Langley, Stories of Experiments in Mechanical Flight, 1898
A short summary of work on the design of heavier than air flying machines up to 1897 by Samuel Pierpont Langley. This copy was originally received by the Melbourne Observatory and held ...
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Technical Report - The Langley Aerodrome, 1901
A summary of work on the design of the Aerodrome, a heavier than air flying machine built by Samuel Pierpont Langley. This copy was originally received by the Melbourne Observatory and ...
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Technical Paper - E.C. Huffaker & S.P. Langley, On Soaring Flight, 1898
Summary of experiments in non-powered flight by E.C Huffaker with an introduction by Samuel Pierpont Langley. This copy was originally received by the Melbourne Observatory and held as ...
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Technical Report - Graham Bell's Tetrahedral Kites, 1904
Summary report with four photographic illustrations of Alexander Graham Bell's experimental kites. It is an extract from the Smithsonian Report for 1903, pp183-185. The copy was origina ...
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Plan - Transit Room, Melbourne Observatory, 1861
Plan from the Melbourne Observatory drawn on off-white paper in black ink showing the West Elevation of the First Transit Room, completed in 1863.
From: South Yarra, Australia Images: 1 -
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Anemograph Record - Melbourne Observatory, 31 December 1911
Original Anemometer observations from Melbourne Observatory, of 9:44am 31 December 1911 to 9:43am 1 January 1912. Anemographs measure wind speed and velocity. These measurements were, ...
From: South Yarra, Australia Images: 0 -
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Anemograph Record - Melbourne Observatory, 28 May 1912
Original Anemometer observations from Melbourne Observatory, of 9:46am 28 May 1912 to 9:40am 19 May 1912. Anemographs measure wind speed and velocity. These measurements were, and rem ...
From: South Yarra, Australia Images: 0 -
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Anemograph Record - Melbourne Observatory, 29 May 1912
Original Anemometer observations from Melbourne Observatory, of 9:42am 29 May 1912 to 9:45am 30 May 1912. Anemographs measure wind speed and velocity. These measurements were, and rem ...
From: South Yarra, Australia Images: 0 -
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Anemograph Record - Melbourne Observatory, 30 May 1912
Original Anemometer observations from Melbourne Observatory, of 9:48am 30 May 1912 to 9:41am 31 May 1912. Anemographs measure wind speed and velocity. These measurements were, and rem ...
From: South Yarra, Australia Images: 0 -
No Image Available
Anemograph Results - Melbourne Observatory, 1875-1892
3 bundles of monthly statistics of Anemograph Results, unbound. Dates 1/1875 - 12/1879; 1/1885 - 2/1889; 1/1890 - 6/1892. From Melbourne Observatory. Anemographs measure wind speed a ...
From: South Yarra, Australia Images: 0 -
Plan - Transit Room, Melbourne Observatory, 1861
One of a set of drawings for the construction of the Melbourne Observatory at South Yarra. The plans are dated 1861 and construction of the main buildings at the Observatory was complet ...
From: South Yarra, Australia Images: 1 -
Plan - Transit Telescope, Troughton & Simms, 5 inch, 1861
One of a set of drawings for the construction of the Melbourne Observatory at South Yarra. The plans are dated 1861 and construction of the main buildings at the Observatory was complet ...
From: London, United Kingdom Images: 1 -
Plan - Transit Room Shutters, Melbourne Observatory, 1861
One of a set of drawings for the construction of the Melbourne Observatory at South Yarra. The plans are dated 1861 and construction of the main buildings at the Observatory was complet ...
From: South Yarra, Australia Images: 1 -
Plan - Transit Telescope, Troughton & Simms, 5 inch, 1861
One of a set of drawings for the construction of the Melbourne Observatory at South Yarra. The plans are dated 1861 and construction of the main buildings at the Observatory was complet ...
From: London, United Kingdom Images: 1 -
Star Catalogue - Epoch 1890, Melbourne Observatory, 1917
Third Melbourne General Catalogue of Stars, for the Epoch 1880, Melbourne Observatory, 1917. The published catalogue of 3068 stars is based on observations primarily undertaken by Edwa ...
From: South Yarra, Australia Images: 2 -
Star Catalogue - Epoch 1870, Melbourne Observatory, 1874
First Melbourne General Catalogue of Stars, for the Epoch 1870, Melbourne Observatory, 1874. The published catalogue of 1227 stars is based on observations primarily undertaken by Edwa ...
From: South Yarra, Australia Images: 2 -
Star Catalogue - Epoch 1880, Melbourne Observatory, 1889
Second Melbourne General Catalogue of Stars, for the Epoch 1880, Melbourne Observatory, 1889. The published catalogue of 1211 stars is based on observations primarily undertaken by Edw ...
From: South Yarra, Australia Images: 2
