"Greg Hennessy" writes:

I'm not sure what it says at metaresearch.org, but since the black
drop effect was seen when Mercury transited the sun as observed by a
spacecraft, the black drop effect cannot be due to either the earth's
atmosphere or the atmosphere of the planet in transit.

I saw my first transit of Mercury and first black drop
effect in 1960. It has always been obvious that the atmosphere of the
transiting planet has nothing to do with the black drop effect because
Mercury has no atmosphere.

But think about what you are saying. Earth does have an
atmosphere, and the light from the transit must pass through it. Our
atmosphere slightly distorts all light passing through it. Why should
transits be an exception?

Lunar occultations prove that the apparent enlargement of
the Sun's and Moon's disks caused by irradiation does not occur in
space. So it must happen in Earth's atmosphere. And stellar "seeing"
disks show that it does happen here, caused by variable refraction in
moving air cells.

At the Meta Research site you will find the evidence and
details. See
http://metaresearch.org/home/viewpoint/blackdrop.asp.
Be sure not to be one of those people who can't unlearn things once
learned wrongly. Look at the evidence and draw your own conclusions
anew, without the influence of the bias of having previously held a
contrary position. -|Tom|-


Tom Van Flandern - Washington, DC - see our web site on replacement
astronomy research at http://metaresearch.org