ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR OCTOBER, 1923

Evening Star, Issue 18394, 1 October 1923, Page 9

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR OCTOBER, 1923

[By the llon. Director Wanganui ' Observatory.]

-The Sun—is in Virgo until tho latter part of the month, passing into Libra at its ending. His declination being now south of the Equator, and increasing day by day, makes for greater altitude, and greater warmth is now perceptible on all clear days. Sun spots aro now beginning to make their appearance in high solar latitudes, one being present at lime of writing of fair dimensions, due to reach tho central meridian on tho last of September.

—The Moon—will be nearest the planet Neptune on the evening of tho 6th, Mars on the morning of the 9th, Mercury on the afternoon of the same date, Saturn on tho morning of the 11th, Venus on the same day a little later, Jupiter on the night of the 12th, Uranus on the morning of the 21st, Mercury again on tho 30th. Her path through the constellations visible in our early evening slues is as follows:—In Scorpio as a crescent in our western skies on tho 15th, Ophiuohus on the 14th, Sagittarius on the 15th, 16, and 17th, Capncornus on the 18th and 19th, Aquarius on the 20th and 21st, Pisces on tho 22nd, 23rd, and 24th, Aries on tho 25th and 26th, Taurus on tho 27th, after which her rising is late. —Phases of the Moon in New Zealand Mean Time.—

—Mercury—is a morning star during the month, moving forward in Virgo. Ho will ho stationary amongst the stars on the Bth, in lunar conjunction on tho afternoon of the 9th, in perihelion on*tho evening of the 11th, at greatest elongation (from the Run) on the morning of the 15th towards the west, in conjunction with the planet Saturn on tho 30th, Mercury towards the south. —Venue—is an evening star during tho month, hut too close to the Sun’s place to be observable at this time. She is in conjunction with tho planet Saturn on the evening of tho 9th, Venus towards the south. On tho morning of the 11th she will bo in lunar conjunction, Venus south of the Moon.

—Mars—is a morning star during the month, moving forward in the constellation Virgo. He will bo In lunar conjunction and occulted on the morning of the 9th, but too near the Sun for observing this interesting phenomenon, and for tho same reason ho may ha considered invisible during tho month. —Jupiter.— is an evening star during the month, moving forward in Libra. Ho will bo in lunar conjunction on the evening of tho 12th, Jupiter towards tho .south. His satellite phenomena may ho observed to advantage on tho following evenings, weather being favorable :—4th. 7th, Bill, 15th, 20th, 22nd, 25th, 29th. —Saturn- - is an evening star close to the Sun at the beginning of tho month, passes into solar conjunction on the evening of the 17th, after which ho becomes a morning star. Ho will be in conjunction with Venus on the evening of tho 9th, in lunar conjunction on tho morning of the 11th, in conjunction with Mercury on the morning of the 30th, Mercury towards tho south.

—Uranus—■ is an evening star during the month In the constellation Aquarius, moving retrograde at this time. He will he in lunar conjunction on tho morning of the 21st.

—Neptune—is a morning star in tho constellation Loo during tho month. He is in lunar conjunction on the evening of the 6th.

—The Constellations—are placed in our evening skies for the beginning of the month at 9 o’clock, for the 15th at 3, and for the 50th at 7, as given below The great square of Pegasus nearly due north low down, with Andromeda towards the east, Cygnus on the western side of the meridian, with Albireo, the beautifu twin sun (colors, golden yellow and blue), poised over Lara, remarkable for its brilliant Vega. Just under Vega is what one might take for a single star. If this is examined with a pair of field glasses it will be seen as a pair of stars; if it is examined again with a medium-sized telescope each of the stars is again made into a pair. Aquarius and Capricornua are over Pegasus, and Aquila and the Dolphin over CvgmiE. Cetus is well risen in the cast, with Eridanus and the bright Achemar towards the south. Argo and its fine star Canopus are now well over towards the east of the font-horn meridian, with Dorado, Hydras, Toucan,and the two Clouds of Magellan over these. The Southern Gross Is now getting well down in the south-west, followed by the pointers Alpha and Beta, of the Centaur, and the Southern Triangle. In the western sky tho Scorpion is approaching the horizon, preceded by Ophiuchns and followed by Sagittarius and Capricormis. The Milky Way lies on the western side of tho heavens at this time.

D. n. M. Lost quarter ... ... 3 4 59 p.m. New moon ... ... 10 5 36 p.m. First quarter ... 17 8 24 n.m. Full moon ... 25 5 56 a.m. Porigea ... 11 3 12 p.m. Apogee ... 26 2 6 p.m.