ECLIPSE OF JUPITER.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 39, 15 February 1929, Page 5

ECLIPSE OF JUPITER.

MAY BE SEEK BY AUCKLAND.

AN INTERESTING SIGHT,

■ Very eight will be visible m the north-western sky to-night, if the sky is clear—the occultation of the «rea,t planet Jupiter by the moan. Fortunately this rare event could not very well occur at a more euitable time for convenient observation, for Jupiter will disappear behind the moon soon after 8.15, and will appear again on the other side about an hour later. Not only is the hour convenient, but, as the moon will be only five days old, more than half of its area will be dark, and Jupiter will disappear behind the dark part, on the right or eastern side of the moon. On the other hand the side where the planet appears again, the left or western side, is brilliantly illuminated, so it will require very careful watching to detect the reappearance of Jupiter, after being hidden for about an hour.

The moon is apparently travelling in an easterly direction, in relation to the other heavenly bodies, thus passing over Jupiter in about an hour, but those who watch this sight to-night will be interested to view it again to-morrow, when many will observe for the first time the exact distance in the sky which the moon appears to travel daily. That distance, of course, will be the distance at which the moon will be to the eastward of Jupiter by to-morrow evening. Another reminder is given that Venus is still quite easily visible to the naked eye in broad daylight. It is not necessary to go into a shady place to see it, for yesterday it was visible during the most brilliant sunshine. What made it so conspicuous was its close proximity to the moon during the day, for except when the moon is in its vicinity.it is very difficult to locate even our most brilliant planet. Those who carefully study its position in relation to the moon to-night should have no difficulty in finding it in daylight to-morrow, but after to-morrow it will be too far away from the moon to locate during the day except by astronomical calculations.