Thank you to Dr Rebekah Higgitt of NMS for this fascinating historical talk. The links to Edinburgh added even more local interest.

We had an introduction by our Honary President Prof. Andy Lawrence too. You can watch the video again or if you missed it. Definitely worth seeing.

Here’s a link to the digitised lists of all the equipment and stores taken to all the UK expeditions to see the transit. It turns out that Rebekah was the one who actually digitised it all so was delighted we found it. It’s a fascinating insight into how such expeditions were planned and the level of detail is incredible.

As well as all the instruments, accessories and tools, it also lists huts, food stores, Faber HB pencils, 8 dozen black laces, drawing pins – small, tape – red, string – stout, envelopes, small hammers, nails, clock oil, table, chairs, stools, wash-stands, blankets, star charts, Admiralty charts, Astronomer Royal’s instructions….

A very long list but worth a look as it really brings it all to life. When you’re off to the other side of the world for a rare astronomical event you’ve got to get it right!

https://cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/view/MS-RGO-00059-00058/1

We had a look for objects in it that might have helped answer some of our questions about solar filters, diagonals, photographic equipment etc. Some of the items listed include:

  • photoheliograph with plates and chemicals – so they were clearly planning to photograph the transit
  • speculum diagonals – a mirror diagonal
  • dark heads or shades – presumably solar filters

Dr Rebekah Higgitt is a historian of science and Principal Curator of Science, National Museums Scotland.

“The name John Walter Nichol enters the history of astronomy for his participation as an observer in one of the British expeditions to observe the transit of Venus in 1874. He was said to have been an assistant at the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, but little else has been added; he was just one of the small army of observers mobilised that year. He is, however, brought to life in the caricatures that another member of his expeditionary team produced to record their ‘Life and Adventures’ on expedition. These prompted me to find out more: what brought this Edinburgh native to astronomy and to Hawai’i, and where did he go next?” Historian of science, Principal Curator of Science, National Museums Scotland “The name John Walter Nichol enters the history of astronomy for his participation as an observer in one of the British expeditions to observe the transit of Venus in 1874. He was said to have been an assistant at the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, but little else has been added; he was just one of the small army of observers mobilised that year. He is, however, brought to life in the caricatures that another member of his expeditionary team produced to record their ‘Life and Adventures’ on expedition. These prompted me to find out more: what brought this Edinburgh native to astronomy and to Hawai’i, and where did he go next?”