Astronomical Observations During Willem Barents's Third Voyage to the North (1596-97)

Abstract

ABSTRACT. During Willem Barents's third voyage to the North and the wintering on Novaya Zemlya (1596 -97), many astronomical observations were made. Solar declinations quoted in the diary of Gerrit de Veer indicate that the journal dates are correct within three days and that the Gregorian calendar was used throughout. The much-debated premature return of the sun on 24 January 1597, when it was geometrically below the horizon, fits many, but not all, of the characteristics of the arctic mirage that is now known as the Novaya Zemlya effect. This same effect might also explain the controversial report of a conjunction of Jupiter and the moon on 25 January 1597, when Jupiter would normally not have been visible. It is shown, however, that the occurrence of the conjunction during that night could have been concluded from following the positions of the moon and Jupiter for several hours. An analysis of latitude determinations made at the expedition's wintering place, Het Behouden Huys, indicates that typical measurements had an accuracy of 15' -20'. In the Novaya Zemlya region, the variation of the earth's magnetic field was about 30˚W 400 years ago, and about 23˚E in 1871, and it is about 32˚E today. During the return voyage in two open boats, Barents died on 20 June 1597. A reconstruction of that part of the route is presented. A Dutch-Russian expedition searched for Barents's grave in August 1995; however, it appears most likely that he was buried at sea.

Gerrit de Veer’s true and perfect description of the Novaya Zemlya effect, 24–27 January 1597

“…20 Conversion from the Julian to the Gregorian day counting has been done in all these cases as shown by Van der Werf. 21 We add here another, more direct argument: Occasionally De Veer mentions that a certain date is a Sunday, for example, on the journal dates 11 August, 1 September, and 15 September 1596. On the Gregorian calendar this is correct; on the Julian calendar these would have been Wednesdays.…”

Search for Barents: Evaluation of Possible Burial Sites on North Novaya Zemlya, Russia

“…To assess the accuracy of De Veer's latitudinal observations and assist our surveys on Novaya Zemlya, Van der Werf (1998) simulated the positions of the sun, stars, and planets and compared those with actual measurements recorded by Barents and De Veer. These measurements are accurate within 15' to 20'-as accurate as the instrumentation would allow.…”

“…Barents had been ill during the last months of the wintering and died on 20 June, probably from the effects of scurvy. He may have been buried on the coast of northern Novaya Zemlya, although it is commonly assumed that his body was disposed of at sea (Hacquebord, 1995;Van der Werf, 1998). Dutch Arctic exploration was economically motivated, but it also served to satisfy a scientific curiosity.…”