Transit of Venus, 1882
- When
- 1882–1883
- Where
- Global observation sites; French Academy of Sciences
- Episodes
- 2
The Transit of Venus occurred on 6 December 1882, marking the second and final such event of the 19th century. This astronomical phenomenon prompted numerous scientific expeditions, particularly from European powers and the United States, to observe the transit globally.
Episodes
- Transit Observation
The transit occurred on 6 December 1882, from 13:57 to 20:15 UTC, as the last of the 19th century.
- French Academy Awards
In 1883, the French Academy of Sciences awarded nine Lalande Prizes for transit observations.
Background and detail
Background. The 1882 transit of Venus took place on 6 December 1882, lasting from 13:57 to 20:15 UTC. It was the second transit of the 19th century, following the 1874 event. This occurrence was significant as it was the last transit until 2004, drawing attention from the global scientific community.
Expeditions. Many expeditions were organized by European powers to describe the transit episodes. The United States Congress alone sent eight expeditions. These efforts were crucial for documenting the astronomical event and advancing scientific understanding of planetary transits.
French Contributions. French expeditions played a notable role in observing the transit. In 1883, the French Academy of Sciences awarded nine Lalande Prizes to scientists involved in these observations, recognizing leaders such as Bouquet de La Grye, de Bernardières, and Fleuriais.
People involved
- Jean Jacques Anatole Bouquet de La Grye · Leader of expedition to Puebla, Mexico
- Octave de Bernardières · Leader of expedition to San Bernardo, Chile
- Georges-Ernest Fleuriais · Naval officer, leader of expedition to Patagonia
Sources
- 1882 transit of Venus Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-09
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.