Skip to content

Please be aware that some material may contain words, descriptions or illustrations which will not reflect current scientific understanding and may be considered in today's context inaccurate, unethical, offensive or distressing.

Letter, 'Of the transit of Venus and the aberration of light' from John Winthrop to Benjamin Franklin

Reference number: L&P/5/169

Date: 06 September 1769

Description

Contains small figure.

Subejct: Astronomy

Published in Philosophical Transactions, as 'Extract of a letter from John Winthrop, Esq; F. R. S. Hollisian professor of mathematics and natural philosophy, at Cambridge, N. England; to B. Franklin, LL. D. F. R. S. dated Sept. 6. 1769'

Read 5 April 1770

Reference number
L&P/5/169
Earliest possible date
06 September 1769
Physical description
Ink on paper
Page extent
3 pages
Format
Manuscript

Creator name

John Winthrop

View page for John Winthrop

Use this record

Citation

John Winthrop, Letter, 'Of the transit of Venus and the aberration of light' from John Winthrop to Benjamin Franklin, 06 September 1769, L&P/5/169, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/l-and-p_5_169/letter-of-the-transit-of-venus-and-the-aberration-of-light-from-john-winthrop-to-benjamin-franklin, accessed on 08 March 2026

Link to this record

Embed this record

<iframe src="https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/embed/items/l-and-p_5_169/letter-of-the-transit-of-venus-and-the-aberration-of-light-from-john-winthrop-to-benjamin-franklin" title="Letter, 'Of the transit of Venus and the aberration of light' from John Winthrop to Benjamin Franklin" allow="fullscreen" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="500px"></iframe>

Related Fellows

Explore the collection

  • Letters and Papers

    'Letters and Papers' contains the scientific correspondence sent to the Royal Society through the 18th century, many of which were published in its journal.

    Dates: 1741 - 1806

    View collection