With all the excitement over the transit of Mercury last week, a fascinating book I am currently reading reminds me of a really famous transit - namely that observed by good old Lieutenant James Cook. What a bit of luck, he was ordered to go to that island paradise, Tahiti, and set up for the transit of Venus on June 3rd, 1769
Does anybody know what they used to view Venus. There was no Baader solar film, no Thousand oak filters. so what did they use on their objective lens? soot from a candle?
mud
banana leaves
And what was that "quadrant" that they had stolen for a while. It was an important bit of their kit apparently. Cook did have a chronometer of sorts, so I guess he could have timed the transit. Interested for any information
