June 8, 2004--Venus in Transit [ILLUSTRATED] (Hardcover)

by Eli Maor (Author) "IN 1627 JOHANNES KEPLER, mathematician, astronomer, astrologer and mystic, published his last major work, the Rudolphine Tables..." (more)
Key Phrases: black drop effect, upcoming transit, entire transit, New York, Simon Newcomb, Astronomer Royal (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
Venus will orbit across the face of the sun on 8 June_ 2004. This transit across the solar plexus has not been seen since 1884, ancient history in astronomical terms. Professor Eli Maor, mathematician and amateur astronomer, looks back at the history of Venus' solar transits. Very few transits have been recorded by Western astronomers; the first was in 1639 by an obscure astronomer named Jeremy Horrocks. Many astronomers have become obsessed by the transit, sometimes even falsifying information when weather prohibited them from clearly observing the transits. Data regarding the transit of Venus were considered to be extremely important and thus the subject of international intrigue, treaties, and cooperation (even during times of war). Early astronomers were sent all over the world to record the transits, and such voyages contributed to the discoveries of Australia, the Cook Islands, and Antarctica. Maor brings science history vividly alive in a manner reminiscent of Eco, with tales of eccentric astronomers, political corruption, and conspiracy. A delight to anyone interested in astronomy or the history of science. Michael Spinella

Review
"A small gem of a book. . . . Maor explains with grace, clarity and wit why this event is so rare. . . ." -- Jeffrey Marsh, The Washington Times

"The book gathers much historical information not readily available, on a topic not frequently treated . . . an entertaining book, readily understandable to a general audience." -- Jack Zirker, author of Total Eclipses of the Sun

"This is a very well-written book, providing a wealth of historical facts." -- Joe Rao, Hayden Planetarium

June 8, 2004: Venus in Transit is short and entertaining. This book is an engaging retelling of the story for a popular audience. -- Review

A well written and documented account of previous transits, giving a real flavor of the characters involved. -- Astronomy Now

Brimming with historical anecdote and up-to-date information.... [It] will please the history aficionado and the ardent amateur astronomer. -- William Schomaker, Astronomy

This book will fascinate those interested in chasing rare astronomical events. -- Choice

This book will fascinate those interested in chasing rare astronomical events. Highly recommended for general readers. -- Choice

[A] charming guide. . . . Maor weaves his tale with clarity and historical precision. -- Owen Gingerich, Times Literary Supplement

[A] snappy, enjoyable, and eminently readable historical account. . . . -- David W. Hughes, The Observatory

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Princeton University Press; 1 edition (February 28, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0691048746
• ISBN-13: 978-0691048741
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,334,931 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From Unobserved to Key Measurements to Celestial Joy, December 15, 2000

By	Professor Donald Mitchell "Jesus Makes Me a P... (Boston) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)

Whether you are interested in astronomy or not, you will find this book to be a rewarding expansion of your understanding of that important, awe-inspiring part of the scientific pantheon.

The phrase, transit of Venus, describes the process whereby Venus appears to cross the Sun during daylight hours from earth. For most of recorded history, few probably paid attention. And for good reason. You would have been blinded by looking directly into the sun except very near sunrise and sunset. And you had to know when and where to be looking because transits of Venus are rare. Besides, you could see Venus on most nights anyway.

In this delightful background preparation for the next transit of Venus on June 8, 2004, Professor Maor provides all the background you could hope for to help you understand how celestial events (especially this one) are forecast so accurately, their scientific implications, and how to enjoy them yourself.

Many famous astronomers were encouraged to enter the field by first observing an eclipse. The ability to accurately predict the timing and the nature of the event left them with awe. Perhaps this transit of Venus will be our most productive ever for generating scholars for the 21st century. Oh, by the way, if you miss this one, there's another one coming along 8 years later in 2012.

Although ostensibly focused on a type of celestial event, the book has a broader theme: How humankind can use reason to deduce new understanding of the physical world.

The book begins with the origins of modern astronomy, by describing the observations of Galileo, the conclusions about the solar system by Copernicus, careful measurements of Brahe, Kepler's deductions from those observations, and Newton's application of these lessons into his Principia. All of that work made it possible to predict transits of Venus.

Since we all can see Venus with the unaided eye (unless blind or very near-sighted), why did anyone care? The main reason was that astronomers wanted to establish the distance between the earth and the Sun. They obviously could not pace it off. How could Venus help? By measuring the duration of the transit from far apart locations of known distance, one could construct a triangle and use standard trigonometry to calculate the distance to the Sun. This point is clearly and simply described in the book. The illustrations are wonderfully done to help.

Then the author gets down to the reality of executing on that simple concept. Many problems occur. At first, not enough observers are involved. Bad weather at the time of the transit can always obscure observations. The combination of our atmosphere and that of Venus also combine to create a black dot effect that makes it uncertain when the transit begins and ends. Some observers are accused of making mistakes. Other observers notice things that are not planetary transits. Thus, the realities and challenges of experimental science are well documented.

Astronomers have better ways to measure the distance to the Sun now. As a result, the transit of Venus takes on for us a combined role of aesthetic experience and honoring of the astronomical history associated with it. Professor Maor makes a nice transition in making this point clear.

He provides many tips for watching, including where to go, and how to watch safely. He describes a potential viewing from Jerusalem. That could be combined with a very nice religious pilgrimage, if you are so inclined, for those who have not been to Jerusalem before.

I especially liked his commentaries about seeing Earth transits from Mars, and transits of the inner planets from the outer ones as our ability to pursue space travel improves.

I think the most important question that this book raises is who to have with you when you observe the transit. A young person somewhere between the ages of 6 and 16 would probably be ideal. You could probably change a life with the experience that this event provides. I suggest that you provide that young person with a copy of this book (if old enough to appreciate it on their own) or read it to them and explain its meaning (if they are not advanced enough to appreciate it unaided). Then make a date to see the following transit 8 years later with the same person.

Acquire inspiration from the heavens . . . and closeness with a young person you care about!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful little book, September 9, 2000

By	John Rummel (Madison, WI) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A delightful short book about an astronomical event both dynamic and rare, and one that has an important place in the history of science. Venus is the closest planet to earth, and having an inferior orbit (closer to the sun than us), can occasionally be seen to cross the face of the sun - a transit. Such events can be observed with the naked eye (appropriately filtered) but are relatively rare, occurring in pairs separated by about 8 years, 100 years apart. Only five times in recorded history have Venus transits been observed, and Maor tells the story of each encounter painted in lively narrative against the historical backdrop of the times. From theorist Kepler, whose accurate calculations of the orbits of the planets first permitted accurate prediction, to observers Gassendi and Horrocks in the 17th century, Maor intersperses the story with well written nontechnical explanations of the celestial mechanics that lie behind the transit phenomenon, including the best explanation I have ever read of the reason behind the curious pairing of two transits just 8 years apart, with each pair separated by 100 years or more.

The historical importance comes due to the fact that as astronomers were slowly unraveling the mysteries of the solar system, the absolute distance scale remained elusive. Kepler's 3rd law allowed scientists to compute the relative distances of the planets from the sun, but absolute distances couldn't be obtained unless one knew the exact distance from the sun to the earth. In 1677, Edmund Halley observed a transit of Mercury, and realized that a transit event could serve as an excellent opportunity to obtain measurements of the transiting planet's parallax, from which could be calculated the distance of the transiting body. Then, using Kepler's 3rd law, the distances of all other planets - including the earth - could be calculated. Halley worked on the problem for almost 40 years, and in 1716 published a detailed plan for using the next transit of Venus to determine the size of the solar system. Already 60 when he published his plan, Halley knew he would be long dead before the next transit in 1761, but his scientific stature and eloquent appeal was all that was necessary - when the time came, the scientific world was ready (Halley's posthumous reputation was further enhanced when the periodic comet that now bears his name reappeared in 1758, just as he had predicted).

Alas, Venus transits proved not to be the answer to the scale of the solar system (exact timing of transit events proved unreliable due to Venus's thick atmosphere), but the stories of the explorers who traveled to the corners of the earth in 1761, 1769, 1874 and 1882 are worth the price of the book. Maor concludes by pointing out that the upcoming event in June of 2004 will the only the sixth opportunity in recorded history to observe such an event, and while scientists are no longer watching for the same reasons as two centuries ago, the event will have enormous popular appeal.

Maor's book is wonderfully written, and will be of interest to amateur astronomers as well as those with an interest in the history of science.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Maor does it again!, July 25, 2000

By	Helmer Aslaksen (Singapore) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Even if all you know about Venus is that "Men are from Mars, women are from Venus", you will still enjoy this book. Maor is a both a great writer and a mathematician, and he combines clear explanations with great narrative. But anybody who's read any of his other books knows this already!