559 - The Transit of Venus part 2: Back in the Habit
Summary
Hosts Matt Stewart, Jess Perkins, and Dave Warnicky announce new live shows in Canada and Matt’s 200th episode of *Who Knew It? The main segment continues their deep dive into the 1761 Transit of Venus, focusing on astronomer Alexandre Guy Pingré. They detail Pingré’s disastrous journey to Rodriguez Island, plagued by war, overpacking disputes, and poor weather, before introducing the next subject, Jean-Baptiste Chappe.
Topics discussed
Intro, guests, and Christmas special setup
Edmond Halley and the quest to measure the solar system
Nicolas Louis de Lacaille's disastrous journey to observe the transit
Charles Messier's perilous trek across Siberia
The Black Drop effect and the 1769 transit observations
James Cook's voyage and the scientific results
Listener mail, book recommendations, and outro
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