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Chapter 11: Problem 83

Just as Mercury can pass in front of the Sun as seen from Earth (see Question 45), so can Venus. Transits of Venus are quite rare. The dates of the only transits in the twenty-first century are June 8,2004 , and June 6,2012 ; the next ones will occur in 2117 and 2125 , A number of European astronomers traveled to Asia and the Pacific islands to observe the transits of Venus in 1761 and 1769 . Search the World Wide Web for information about these expeditions. Why were these events of such interest to astronomers? How definitive were the results of these observations?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The transits of Venus in 1761 and 1769 were of keen interest to astronomers because they presented a rare opportunity to more accurately measure the astronomical unit (AU). The results, while more precise than previous measurements, were not as definitive as current measurements due to the limitations of 18th century observational tools and methods.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Transit of Venus

Firstly, it is necessary to understand what a Transit of Venus is. A Transit of Venus is a phenomenon in which Venus passes directly between the Sun and a superior planet, becoming visible against the solar disk. During a transit, Venus can be seen from Earth as a small black disc moving across the face of the Sun.
02

Research

As the second part of the exercise mentions historical events, theoretically going online and conducting a web search on the transits of Venus in 1761 and 1769 should be performed. Search specifically for the purpose of those expeditions and the results they achieved.
03

Understanding the Goal

The main interest of these observations was that astronomers believed they could use the data from the Transits of Venus to calculate the distance from the Earth to the Sun, known as the astronomical unit (AU), with a higher degree of accuracy.
04

Evaluating the Results

The observations made in the 18th-century expeditions were definitive in the sense that they provided more accurate measurements of the astronomical unit than previously available. However, they were not as accurate as today's measurements due to limitations in the observational tools and methods of the time.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

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