ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR DECEMBER.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIX, Issue 283, 30 November 1915, Page 6

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR DECEMBER.

THE SUN is in the constellation Scorpio till the 19 th, when he enters Sagittarius. . His decimation south Mill-increase till the morning of the 23rd, ' when at 9hrs. 46mins. his greatest southern declination is achieved," and this is, therefore, the longest day, or tho day on which tiie. .Sun■ makes his longest arc in our soutliern skies. Sunspots have been in evidence during November/but no forge displays, are chronicled. "At the time of writing, a group in. southern latitude is closing up into one largo centre of about 15,000 miles diameter, and this may form the nucleus of a

large disturbance in the next month or so.

T.HE MOON, in hor monthly circuit of the heavens, conieb into the vicinity of t!v planets' and some of the brighter stars, nnd serves as a con\oiuent pointer lo them. She will be' nopr Mercury on the evening of the SLh; Venus "on the evening of the °-lh, and towards tho north; Jupiter on tho evenings of the 13th and 14th, to the south; Saturn on the morning oi' the 23rd; Mars on tho morning of tho 27th, towards the north. , Her path amongst the constellations visible in our early evening skies will be as follows:—As a crescent, in Oapricprnus, in our westerii skies, on' the jOth and ,11th; in Aquarius on the 12th and 13th; Pisces on the 14th, 15th,■ "sund l6th; Aries on the 17th .md 18th; Taurus c»n the 19th, 20th, and 21st, and nearest the bright star Aldebaran on the evenings of the 19th-and. 20th^-Gemini on the 22nd ami 23rd, and netvrest the bright stars Castor'and .Pollux on the latter date. PHASES OF THE MOON in New Zealand' meaai time: —

MERCURY is a' morning star at the beginning of the month in the constellation Scorpio. He is in superior conjunction (on the opposite side of the Sun) on the 16th, after which h© becomes an evening star. Pie will be in lunar conjunction on tho evening of the 6t>h, and at his greatest 'distanoe from the Sun on the evening of the 13th. VENUS is an evening star during the- month/in Sagittarius, setting shortly after the Sun. She will be in lunsir'conjunction on the evening of the Bth. and at her greatest distance from the Sun on the 10th.

MARS is an evening star »in the constellation Leo, near the bright star • -R-egulus, at the middle of the month, and rising shortly after eleven o'clock. He will be in lunar conjunction on the morning of the 27th. JUPITER is the bright star of our pvening skies. He is in the constellation Pisces, with a ■ southern declination of about 5' degrees, and rides -high in his passage ■•/across the heavens. In the telescope he is very interesting: at this time, a great- deal o p detail being visible^ during this opposition, in the large telescope of the observatory. He will be situated at an angular distance of 90deg.. from the Sun on the i3th, a.nd -will be in conjunction with the Moon on the 14tli. The more interesting phenomena of the four larger moons may be seen in the telescope on the evenings of the 2nd, sth, 7th, Bth, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 18th, 20th, 23rd, 27th. 29th, and 30th. SATURN vis an evening star in the constellation Gemini, rising at the middle oi the month shortly after 9 p.m. His ring system is now well opened, and offers a fine-spectacle.to the observer when using a telescope of fair power. He Avill be in conjunefcion with the Moon on the morning of the 23rd, and will bo seen o^se to our satellite on the previous evening.

it lowest point under the Pole, and is a fain riwri!;' in the east,' followed l.y tltc !»ri.i!;lit Pointers, Alpha and ]<eti;t Ceutauri, and the Triangle. Tho Magellanic Clouds are to the east and over the Pole, with Hydrus and' Toucan, while Paro, Indus, and Km. are to the west of the centre ot motion. Sagittarius is setting in the ■sonth-wost, with Capricoi-uus and Aqua-i'ius over the western sector, Grus and Pisces being higher. lhe Great Square of Pegasus is turning over in the north-west, and Equileus is near the horizon in the same direc-

THE WESTERN GLOW has been very noticeable during the last month, lasting well on to midmght and working round-by the south. It has extended as high as 60 degrees from the horizon, and on several occasions .'(synchonising-- with electrical disturbances) has been very brilliant. A LUNAR RAINBOW of great brilliance was seen here on the eveniHg °f THE HON. DIRECTOR, Wanganui Observatory. • Nov. 30th,-1.915. . _ -

N Teiv Moon ... 7d. 5h. 34m. &:m First Quarter ... 13d. llh. 8m. p.ra Full Moon... ... 22d. 12h. 22m. su.m Last Quarter ... 30d. 12h. 2m. a.m Perigee ... ... 7dri2h. 48m. p.m dVoo^e© ... ... 21d. 12h. 6m. p.ni