tailieunhanh - IELTS Academic Reading Sample 53 - Venus in Transit

Hi vọng IELTS Academic Reading Sample 53 - Venus in Transit sẽ cung cấp những kiến thức bổ ích cho các bạn trong quá trình ôn tập nâng cao kiến thức trước khi bước vào kì thi của mình. Mời các bạn cùng tham khảo. | Venus in Transit June 2004 saw the first passage. known as a transit of the planet Venus across the face of the Sun in 122 years. Transits have helped shape our view of the whole Universe as Heather Cooper and Nigel Henbest explain A He was thwarted by the fact that the British were besieging his observation site at Pondicherry in India. On 8 June 2004 more than half the population of the Fleeing on a French warship crossing the Indian world were treated to a rare astronomical event. For Ocean Le Gentil saw a wonderful transit - but the over six hours the planet Venus steadily inched its ship s pitching and rolling ruled out any attempt at way over the surface of the Sun. This transit of making accurate observations. Undaunted he Venus was the first since 6 December l882. On that remained south of the equator keeping himself busy occasion the American astronomer Professor Simon by studying the islands of Mauritius and Madagascar Newcomb led a party to South Africa to observe the before setting off to observe the next transit in the event. They were based at a girls school where - if Philippines. Ironically after travelling nearly 50 000 is alleged the combined forces of three kilometres his view was clouded out at the last schoolmistresses outperformed the professionals moment a very dispiriting experience. with the accuracy of their observations. E B For centuries transits of Venus have drawn While the early transit timings were as precise as explorers and astronomers alike to the four corners instruments would allow the measurements were of the globe. And you can put it all down to the dogged by the black drop effect. When Venus extraordinary polymath Edmond Halley. In begins to cross the Sun s disc it looks smeared not November 1677 Halley observed a transit of the circular - which makes it difficult to establish timings. innermost planet Mercury from the desolate island This is due to diffraction of light. The second problem of St Helena in the South Pacific.