1769 Transit of Venus observed from Tahiti search for the alleged southern continent. HMS Bark "Endeavour" was chosen to take the astronomers and other scientists to Tahiti. James Cook was commissioned as Lieutenant and appointed to command the vessel. Cook was the obvious choice as he was an outstanding seaman with navigational qualifications, a capable astronomer and had observed a 1766 annular eclipse in Newfoundland that was communicated to the Royal Society by John Bevis. Once the "Endeavour" arrived on the island, Cook decided to set up the Venus transit observatory on shore. He required a completely stable platform which the ship could not provide and plenty
Tahiti monarch Tahiti monarch The Tahiti monarch or Tahiti flycatcher ("Pomarea nigra") is a rare species of bird in the monarch flycatcher family. It is endemic to Tahiti in French Polynesia. There are fewer than 50 individuals remaining. The Tahiti monarch was originally described in the genus "Muscicapa". Formerly, the Maupiti monarch was considered as a subspecies of the Tahiti monarch until re-classified as separate species in 2012. This bird is 15 centimeters long and black in color with a pale blue bill. The juvenile is reddish brown. The call sounds like "tick-tick-tick" and the song is "flute-like". This bird is found