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Venus 1882 and Jean‐Charles Houzeau
Author(s) -
Sterken C.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
astronomische nachrichten
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.394
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1521-3994
pISSN - 0004-6337
DOI - 10.1002/asna.200911221
Subject(s) - venus , astronomer , transit (satellite) , telescope , physics , astrobiology , art history , solar system , astronomy , art , political science , law , public transport
This paper focuses on one particular type of telescope – the heliometer – designed for solving one specific basic problem in astronomy: the scale factor of the solar system. One very special instrument of this type was the “heliometer with unequal focal lengths” designed by the Belgian astronomer Jean‐Charles Houzeau for the 1882 transit of Venus. We also draw attention to the most interesting personality of Houzeau, and to his social engagement that went much beyond his work as a scientist (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)