Rare Book Week: Charting the Heavens – The Transit of Venus, James Cook and Astronomy

Found in the archives of State Library Victoria’s collections is a tiny, portable celestial globe. Once owned by Captain James Cook, it is an extraordinary artefact that reminds us of the Endeavour’s initial purpose: the pursuit of scientific discovery.

In this special Rare Book Week talk, hear from historian and author Shane Carmody about the voyage of the Endeavour. Learn more about how astronomical books and tools were used on the voyage, and the role they played in the international effort to chart the Transit of Venus and establish accurate longitude.  

You’ll also get the chance to see rare astronomical books and artefacts from the State Collection.  

About Shane Carmody 

Shane Carmody is a historian with a great love of archives and libraries. He has published extensively on the history of the book and collections and leads an annual tour to the great libraries of England for Australians studying abroad.

About Melbourne Rare Book Week 

Rare Book Week is an annual, Melbourne-wide program of free talks and events that celebrate the importance of books, literacy and literature in our lives. It has become a key event in literary Melbourne’s calendar since 2012.