Transit of Venus

Human knowledge of the universe depends a great deal on the ability to determine distances. Until recently, the distance between Earth and the Sun could be measured only by a careful observation of the transit of Venus. Formatted much like a coffee-table book, this volume is not only eye-catching but also extremely informative, making the history of observing the transit accessible and relevant to general readers. Each transit since the invention of the telescope is given its own chapter, in which Lomb (former curator, astronomy, Sydney Observatory; "Australian Sky Guide" series) includes historical context ranging from international politics to the arts. He also makes mention of scientists like Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, who worked on the transit of Venus, but who are famous as the cartographers after whom the Mason-Dixon line is named.