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Ultima Thule (Episode 8) - To The Ends of the Earth (Parts 1 & 2)
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Today, we take what we know about the sky for granted but for most of humanity it was a mysterious black abyss. Just like an eclipse a new object appearing in the sky became associated with all sorts of good and bad omens. So when was it that we collectively began to understand the heavens? In her amazing book, Chasing Venus, Andrea Wulf makes a case that it truly began in the 1760s when scientists from all over the world came together to work together, even between warring nations, so that they could answer an age-old question - how far away is the Sun from the Earth? And the only theorized way to do this was to have eyes ready and waiting all over the planet to glimpse Venus crossing the face of the Sun. They traveled as far as Siberia, St. Helena, South Africa, California, and even Tahiti. Wulf brought this nearly forgotten story back from obscurity and I add some further insight that I found researching these historic figures. This episode is proof that astronomers can and do have an adventurous side. (8/29)
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