[ 163 ]
As to the instant of the exterior contact, I send only two observations made by me with certainty, because of the intervening clouds: the first shews the time wherein I distinctly saw through the clouds the certain emersion of Venus, 112 part of the diameter of Venus, as nearly as I could judge, excavating the limb of the Sun; the other wherein, from the unlucky clouds, I could no more observe the least vestige either of the emersion, or exterior contact, or of Venus.
| True time. | |||
| h | , | ,, | |
| The first outer contact—— | 21 | 9 | 4 |
| The other time of the certain emersion — | 24 | 17 | 27 |
The time which I use, and to which I am still attentive, was obtained by a great number of corresponding altitudes of the Sun, both before and after the day of the transit. But in order to the rendering my calculation perfect one thing is to be desired, that the longitude and latitude of the observatory at Schwezinga might be precisely determined, if possible, in the space of a few months.
The Serene Elector, although he was not well the day before, yet from his great love for astronomy was not only present himself, which other kings and princes usually are; but being of an excellent and ready genius, he instituted several observations with the astronomical quadrant two hours before the egress, having marked the appulses of the four limbs of the Sun and Venus at each immovable wire, in
