ASTRONOMICAL NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 21582, 30 November 1933, Page 14

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES

THE SKIES IN DECEMBER [Written by A. G. C. Ciu:st, M.Sc., for the ‘ Evening Star.’j POSITIONS OF THE STARS Local sidereal time 4 hours, latitude '46tleg S. ' The following star positions hold good locally four minutes earlier each evening, as at the following epochs;—Midnight, December 2-3, 11 p.m. on December 17, and 10 p.m. on January 1. Aehornar is now situated S.W. Gtideg.; Eomalhaut lies IV. by S., 30deg; Ahleharun is N. by F., 27deg; Rigcl, N.N.S., bddeg; and Betdgensc N.E. by N., 32deg. It is probable that colour observations of this interesting variable star will be rather neglected this season, as the star colour section is engaged in observing the southern variables Beta Dorados and 1 Canine. An intensive programme of observation of those two Cepheid variables has been initiated by tbe observatories at Loinbang, Java, and Rivorview (New Smith Wales), with the help of amateur astronomers throughout the Southern Hemisphere. It is interesting to note that the variation of Beta Dorados was discovered ■ only a few years ago by a lady amateur in Australia. The brilliant Sirius is now situated N.E. by E., 4Gdcg, while Proeyon is in the same direction, but 2Gdog lower, and Pollux lias just risen, E. by N. Canopus, surpassed in apparent brightness by Sirius only, shares with Aehernar the distinction of being the highest bright, star, its position being S.F. by E., GGdog. Alpha Crucis is S.S.E., 27 deg., and Alpha Centauri S. by E., 18(1 eg. The Moon will be full on the afternoon of December 2, and will pass lOdeg north of Aldebaran. liy midnight she will be N. by E.,.lCdeg. On the morning of the Gtbsbc will pass 4deg south of Pollux,- and last-quarter will occur on the afternoon of the JOfcli. The Moon will- pass the planets Jupiter ami Mercury on the 13th ami Kith respectively. New Moon will occur on the afternoon- of the 17th, and the M.oou will pass the planet Mars on the forenoon of the • 19th. On tbe evening of

the 20tli our satellite will be close to two bright planets—Venus and Saturn —passing only O.Tdcg north of Venus, and o.3deg north of Saturn. This pretty phenomenon should not bo missed. The evening of the 22ud will lind the Moon 2odeg north of Eomalhaut, her position at 1t).40 p.m. (4 hours S.T.) being W. by N., 12dcg. First quarter falls on tlie forenoon of December 2-1, tho Moon will he placed N.N.W., 21deg, at 10.20 р. on the 27th, and will bo found JOdeg north of Aldebaran on the evening of tbe 29th. Summer begins at 7 p.m. on December 22, when tlie Sun readies the Tropic of Capricorn. The planet Mercury will be at greatest elongation West, in the morning sky, 21(lcg, west of tlie Sun, on December G. The planet Venus continues to bo the most conspicuous object in the early evening sky, though she now sets too early to be included in our position lor 4 hours S.l’. She will pass Idcg south of Theta Capricorn! about December 20, and on tlie evening of the 21st will pass o.3dcg south of Saturn. On December 27 she will pass O.Sdeg north ot lota Capriconii, and will reach her greatest brilliancy at the end of the mouth. Mars is still visible in the early evening sky, but does not pass very dose to any conspicuous stars, while Jupiter is still in the morning sky. Tlie planet Saturn, at 4 hours S.T., is situated W.S.AV., 2dog to 4deg, during the month. His satellite Titan will be at west elongation on the afternoon of December 1. From the Queen’s Gardens, Dunedin, at 4 hours S.T., Aldebaran will lie seen rather low over the line of Cumberland street (running northwards), while Sirius will be moderately high and Broс. rather low in tlie direction taken ,by Lower High street. The Moon will be below Aldebaran at midnight, Decemher 2-3, low over Rattray street (inland) at 10.40 p.m. on the 22nd, and rather low over Burlington street at 10.20 p.m. on the 27th. CONSTELLATIONS OF THE EQUATORIAL ZONE XV.—EUIDANFS, THE RIVER. This' important constellation is an asterism of great antiquity, the name Fridanns referring to the large river of Northern Italy, now known as the River 80, but probably the same constellation represented the Nile among