ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR THE MONTH.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 4617, 1 December 1875, Page 2

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR THE MONTH.

Last month was very unfavourable for observa- • -ion on account of the unsettled state of the weather, otherwise the aspect of the heavens, when a glimpse could be got about two hours after sunset, was beautiful, and will continue so during the ■present month. We have Venus in the West after sunset; Jupiter still in the glare of the sun, but may be seen,perhaps,before the end of the month in the East as a morning star. Mara and Saturn are Loth verging Westward, the former on the meridian 5Jb p.m., and the latter at nearly 5h p.m. The sun is in the sign Sagittarius, and will he until the 22nd, 4h p.m., when he enters Capricorn. The length of day on the Ist will be about 14h 56m: and on the 15th about 15h 10m. The sun will attain his greatest Southern declination on the 22ud. The phases of the moon will be—First quarter, Sd Ih 27m p.m.; full moon, 13d 7h 10m p.m. ; last quarter, 20d 2h S6m a m.; new moon, 28d 6h 35m a.m. The moon will be nearest to the earth 13d 3h a.m., and at greatest distance 26d 9h a.m. Mercury—9d 8h p,m,—will he in descending node; on the 19d, about midnight, will be in Aphelion ; on the 20d 8b p.m. will be in superior conjunction with the sun, and on the 28d 8h a m, will be "in coniuncftiou with the moon —Mercury, 3min 4seo North. Venus—l4d 2h a.m. at greatest distance from the nun, and on the 30d 9h a.m. will be in conjunction with the moon. Venus, 2deg 52m North. Mars is an evening star setting about live hours after the sun, and will be in conjunction with the moon 5d 8h a.m. Mars, Ideg 56m North. Jupiter will be in conjunction with the moon Ltd 5h p.m. Jupiter, 4deg 54m North, Saturn is an evening star, setting nearly the same time as Mars, and will he in conjunction with the moon 4d 4h p.m. Saturn, 2deg 25miu North. Uranus will he on the meridian about 5h a.m. Declination, North. Neptune will be on the meridian about 9h p.m., having lOdeg North declination.