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The Transit of Venus Lectures

Voyages in Time and Space

A series of lectures from 2004 covering the broad themes related to the Transit of Venus

12:00 1 - How The Land Got Here by Dr. Hamish Campbell

The split from Gondwanaland and the development of our unique flora and fauna. Introduction by poet Chris Orsman of Wellington. (46′49″)

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12:01 2 - The Ancients And The Stars by Richard Hall

How the ancients, from Babylonians to Polynesians, interpreted and used the stars. Stonehenge in Britain and the construction of Stonehenge Aotearoa in the Wairarapa. Introduction by Dr. Grant Christie. (51′24″)

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12:02 3 - Pacific Voyaging and Navigation by Dr. Peter Adds

Pacific Voyaging and Navigation by Dr. Peter Adds - Maori studies, Victoria University of Wellington. Introduction by Dr. John Stenhouse. (48′50″)

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12:03 4 - Science In Cook's Time by Dr. Duncan Steel

Science in the age of enlightenment, the quest to find the distance to the Sun. longitude. Introduction by John Hisco, President of the Astronomical Society of South Australia. (50′43″)

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12:04 5 - Cook's First Voyage by Dame Anne Salmond

First encounters between Maori and Europeans. Introduction by Prof. David Mackay, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Victoria University of Wellington. (50′06″)

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12:05 6 - Voyages in Time and Space by Professor Paul Callaghan

with Professor Alan MacDiarmid - What are the challenges now? The search for dark matter, other life and other universes. (50′59″)

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Information

Transit of Venus

The Transit of Venus on June 8th 2004 saw the planet Venus moving across the face of the Sun. Lasting about six hours, the entire transit was visible from Europe, the Middle East , most of Africa and Asia however it was not visible in NZ as it began after 5 pm and ended about 11.30pm

This a very rare planetary alignment, the last being some 121 years ago. To note the event in 2004, the Royal Society of New Zealand, in association with Radio New Zealand , presented a series of six lectures covering the broad themes related to the Transit of Venus.

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