Hokuloa: The British 1874 Transit of Venus Expedition to Hawai'I

by Michael Chauvin

Spanning several centuries and connecting two distant (and very different) island nations, The British 1874 Transit of Venus Expedition to Hawaii confronts political and military maneuvering, death and disappointment, descends into madness, and rises to heroism—all in pursuit of what was considered the most important astronomical observation of the 19th century—a transit of Venus that would yield the calculation of the elusive astronomical unit (AU). Exactly how far was the sun from the Earth? And could an eclipse-like "transit" of the sun by Venus reveal the answer that could yield humankind's first accurate dimensions of the universe? Superbly crafted and authoritative in every detail, Hokuloa is thoroughly documented and includes more than seventy illustrations and archival photographs. An amazing story that delivers all the timeless excitement of a true adventure, Hokuloa is a fascinating examination of Hawaii and Britain's bond in astronomical research history.

262 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2003