ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR JUNE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIV, Issue 125, 3 June 1910, Page 6

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR JUNE.

The SUN is in the constellation /Taurus till the 20th, when he enters Ctemini. His declination increases mbrthwards till mid-day of the 22nd, ,when he stands at his lowest elevation on the meridian at apparent noon of that day. This marks our shortest 'day. Sun spots were fairly prominent during the month, several fairly large centres of activity being visible on the teolar surface. The fine group of spots, containing one large umbral region at the centre, on the 24th, and being very nearly in the radial corresponidence of the two bodies, was probably responsible for the magnetic disturbance of the same date. . The MOON, in her monthly circuit of the heavens, comes into the vicinity of the planets and some of the •brighter stars, and serves as a convenient pointer to them. She will be tnear the planet Venus on the morning of the sth; Saturn on the same morning but approaching him two hours ■after Venus; Mercury on the evening of the 10th.; Jupiter on the evenings of the 15th and 16th; and Uranus on the morning of the 25th. She will be /passing through the following constellations during the early evening on the given dates :r-0n the 10th as a crescent in Gemini; in Cancer on ,the 11th; in Leo on the 12th to the 14th; in Virgo from the 15th to the 18th; in Libra from the 19th to the 20th; in Scorpio on the 21st and 22nd; in Sagittarius on the 23rd ft> the 25th; after which slie rises.late in the evening. Phaess of the Moon in New Zealand mean time:—

NMERCURY is a morning star during the month, in the constellation Taurus, slightly west of Aldebaran at the beginning of the month, and moving east amongst the stars. He will be in conjunction with the Moon on the 6th, in greatest helicocentric latitude South on the 20th, and at, greatest elongation west on the morn- ! ing of the 20th, when he will be separated from the Sun's centre by nearly 23deg. of angular measurement to,;the west. : \ VENUS is a morning star throughout the month in the constellation Aries, and moving forward amongst the stars of that region. She will be in conjunction with the Moon on the early morning of the sth, and will be in conjunction with Saturn on the 6th at lhr. l4mins. a.m., when the two bodies will be almost in the line of sight, but will not be visible at ■New Zealand stations, being not yet •risen. By the time they rise their distance will have somewhat increased, but will present a very interesting view to the telescopist, and even to the naked-eye star-gazer from about 3 a.m. and on for an hour or two, when the two bodies may be seen in a telescope of low power at the same time. MARS is still keeping ahead of the Sun, although cutting a very insignificant figure at this time, owing to his great distance. He may be found in Cancer, and moving slowly towards the east throughout the month. He will be in conjunction with the Moon on the evening of the 10th, and in greatest heliocentric latitude north on the 18th. He may be identified easily on the evening of the 10th, when >he will be seen about six diameters of the Moon away from, that body towards the south. JUPITER is now the most attractive of the planets, and is well seen throughout every clear evening m the constellation Virgo. He will be stationary amongst the stars on the /nd, after which he will again appear to ■move towards the east. His surface is extremely interesting at this time, 'tis "belts" being very, prominent this season. He will be in conjunction with the Moon on the early morning of the 16th, and ™H appear near to the south of her on this and.the preceding evening. Interesting views ,of .eclipses, occupations, and transits of his four principal, satellites may foe seen on any evening during the %&<&£s&%&s'& 27th -and 30th. . ' !„„•,», ' SAfURN is a morning star, during the month, gradually drawing away from the Sun. He will be in conjunction with the Moon on the morning ot the sth^at 2hr. lOmin., and will be close to that body' when she rises later. He will be in conjunction witn Venus, as shown above, on the early morning of the 6th,. and .will afford an interesting view on rising a little later and before sunrise. URANUS and NEPTUNE.-These are both evening stars at this time, i The first is in conjunction with the Moon on the 25th and the latter on the 10th .of the month. . METEORS' may be looked for from Scorpio from the 21st to the 25th. The CONSTELLATIONS for the middle of the month, at about 8 p.m. are as follows:—To the north, Bootes, with the fine star Arcturus; Virgo, and the bright Spico just past the meridian. In the zenith may be seen the Centaur,, the two bright etars, Alpha and Beta, being now slightly towards the south. The .Cross now rides high in the southern heavens throughout the evening, and Conopus is seen declining towards the south-west. Under the Pole the smaller constellations of Indus, Pavo, : Toucan, Hydrus, and others may be eeen, while the rich region of Argo is now towards the west of south. fThe Northern Crown, with Hercules and Ophiuchus, and Serpens may be seen in the north-east, and Scorpio in the south-east. Leo is now drawing down towards his setting in the west. HALLEY'S COMET has made the greatest appearance seen by man during the last half-dozen times it has ire-visited this earth. Many, unfortunately, despite frequent warnings in" these notes, waited to see it in the1 evening skies after its transit,, and were greatly disappointed. Those who saw it on the morning of the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th, carry in their memory a something well worth recalling. A great white riband of light, stretching from the north-east-ern horizon right up into the zenith, and still more below the horizon, is a greater manifestation of this interesting visitant than 'any of us had reaeon to expect. Nevertheless, Halley's IGJomet has been a disappointment to the average sightseer in the telescope, its comparative faintness standing very little magnifying, excepting on the evenings of the 24th and 25th, when a sudden rise in activity and -brilliance in the nucleus, owing to the extrusion of a great jet of gas towards the Sun, .and its gradual folding back into the tail, broke the normal appearance of a dull nebulosity. Still when we view it, even now, at the last of «the month, and its distance from the earth has increased to.

something near forty millions of miles, we must confess to being favoured by a fine sight. Its length was between 30 and 40 degrees on the 29th (Sunday), when on a beautifully clear sky it made a fine appearance. And we have it on record that more than one noted astronomer was dubious as to whether we should see it at all, owing to the poor appearance it made in 1835, and the^uncertainty as to the behavious of these bOdieS> THE HON. DIRECTOR, Wanganui Observatory. May 31st, 1910.

few Moon ... 'irst Quarter 'ull Moon ... iast Quarter Days ... 8 ... 15 ... 23 ... 30 s ±1] 0 3 7 4 .rs s lVLins. 46 a.m. 49 a.m. 47 a.m. 9 p.m.