Was the Astronomer Royal involved in mystery?

Captain Cook’s voyage observations of a transit of Venus from Tahiti and a transit of Mercury from the Coromandel Peninsula in 1769 will be the topic of discussion this evening.

Professor Wayne Orchiston and his wife and research assistant Darunee Lingling Orchiston, from Thailand, will be giving a lecture on Cook and his observations of the 1769 Transits of Venus and of Mercury, called The Mystery of the Missing Records, at Astro Tours in Patutahi.

The lecture will explore the mysterious disappearance of all of the associated astronomical records (originals and copies), and mysteries surrounding the write-up of the Venus transit, and asks “Was there a cover-up, and if so why, and was the Astronomer Royal involved?”

Prof Orchiston was the director of the Gisborne Museum and Arts Centre (now Tairāwhiti Museum) in the 1990s and the director of Wellington’s Carter Observatory after that. He is now employed by the University of Science and Technology of China.

“He is internationally regarded for his historical research and publications on a plethora of astronomical topics,” Astro Tours owner John Drummond said.

The talk will be at 7pm at Gisborne Astro Tours (Patutahi).

“If it’s clear, we will do telescope viewing afterwards,” Mr Drummond said.

“Please bring a plate for supper and a small koha — plus a deck chair as I only have 25 chairs.

“It will be an excellent and informative talk.”