POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

1874 Transit of Venus; the New South Wales observers

Object No. P3549-1

Shortly after the death of the government astronomer G.M. Smalley, in August 1870, his replacement, H.C. Russell began preparations for the 1874 Transit of Venus. The transit was due to occur on the 9th of December and by the middle of 1874 Russell had prepared three equatorial telescopes for photographic work as well as completed stands, mounts and prefabricated buildings to house the telescopes at the separate locations in New South Wales. The observation stations were situated at Woodford in the Blue Mountains, Eden on the south coast, Goulburn on the tablelands south of Sydney and at the Sydney Observatory itself. The group of observers at these locations were a mixture of government officers, scientists, amateur astronomers, photographers, and builders. A book on the 1874 Transit of Venus published by the Observatory in 1892 included a photograph listing many of those involved in the project. P. F. Adams the Surveyor-General, George Hirst a well known amateur astronomer, Mr. L. A. Vessy of the New South Wales Trigonomical Survey and Mr. Du Faur of the Survey Department who were were stationed at A. Fairfax's property in Woodford. Rev. W. Scott, former New South Wales Government Astronomer, W.J. MacDonnell, J.S. Watkins (it seems incorrectly captioned 'J.L. Watkins' in the composite panel) set up the base at Eden on the New South Wales coast south of Sydney. Captain Hixson, Professor Liversidge, Captain A. Onslow a member of the New South Wales Parliament and the instrument maker A. Tornaghi made up the observing party at Goulburn. H.C. Russell, H.A. Lenehan, E.G. Savage and Dr. H.G.A. Wright were all stationed at Sydney Observatory. While the photographs proved less than successful the observations themselves played an important part in the official report made by Captain Tupman to the British Government. Of the 61 reliable reports of Venus crossing the Sun which were recorded at points around the British Empire 22 were from Australia. This composite photograph is of scientific significance as it is a rare original photographic print of all those who participated in this important historic event in Australia's early scientific history. Interestingly the names on the card mount are or hand written in reverse, presumably for inversion when the negative taken of this composite was used in printing the frontispiece of the 1892 publication referred to below. It also is significant for its relationship to other versions of this composite photograph held in the Powerhouse Museum's collections. These are primarily a glass plate negative of this print but also include carbon prints reproduced in Observations of the Transit of Venus, 9 December, 1874; made at Stations in New South Wales, published in a limited edition in 1892. Geoff Barker, Assistant Curator, Total Asset Management Project, January 2008 References Todd, David, P., Stars and Telescopes, Sampson Low, Marston, and Co., 1900 Airy, G. B, Account of the Observation of the Transit of Venus, 1874, December 8, Made Under the Authority of the British Government and of the reduction of the Observations, Her Majesty's Stationary Office, 1881 Russell, H., C., Observations of the Transit of Venus, 9 December, 1874; made at Stations in New South Wales, Charles Potter, Government Printer, 1892