# Observation of the Late Transit of Mercury Over the Sun, Observed by Edward Pigott, Esq. at Louvain in the Netherlands; Communicated by Him in a Letter to Nevil Maskelyne, D. D. F. R. S. and Astronomer Royal **Author(s):** Edward Pigott **Year:** 1786 **Journal:** Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London **Volume:** 76 **Pages:** 2 pages **Identifier:** jstor-106633 **JSTOR URL:** --- XXI. Observation of the late Transit of Mercury over the Sun, observed by Edward Pigott, Esq. at Louvain in the Netherlands; communicated by him in a Letter to Nevil Maskelyne, D. D. F. R. S. and Astronomer Royal. Read June 15, 1786. SIR, WE have been fortunate here in seeing Mercury's egress. I observed it thus: Apparent time, May 3. H. M. S. 20 45 25 Mercury's limb in contact with the sun's limb; uncertain. 20 45 37 ditto ditto; certain. 20 47 17 Mercury bisected by the sun's limb. 20 49 22 Mercury quite out; clouds for a short interval, which renders the observation rather doubtful. Though the air was not perfectly free from thin clouds, nevertheless the limbs were well defined. At 20 h. 45' 25", when I first judged Mercury's limb in contact with the sun's, his form, I think, became rather oval. These observations were made with Ramsden's two-feet achromatic, magnifying about 70 times. The above times disagreeing so considerably with the tables will, I imagine, not a little surprise M. de La Lande. I remain, Sir, with great regard, &c. EDW. PIGOTT. Eee 2