THE NIGHT SKY IN DECEMBER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2856, 9 December 1908, Page 66

THE NIGHT SKY IN DECEMBER.

By Mr J. T. Wabd, Director Wanganui Obeervatoryv

The stare and other celestial bodies are | shown on the above chart as they may be seen on the 15th of the month at ! about 8.30 p.m. As the stars rise about . four minutes earlier each succeeding even- | ing, or one hour :n: n 15 days, the student of the heavens must time his observations accordingly if he desires to see certain I constellations at particulor times. The j observer will note the point at the centre i of chart as that directly overhead ; then the compass points on the chart will correspond with those upon the horizon. If | the chart is compared with that of Novem- j ber it will be seen that several constella- | tions then visible have now set below the | western horizon, while others not then j visible are now to be seen above the j eastern horizon. Looking towards the , north the observer will see Aries, Cetus, ; and part of Taurus, containing the Pleiades and Hyades, Pisces and Andromeda in the north-west, and the remainder of Taurus with Orion and Canis Major towards the north-east. The brilliant Sirius, chief of all the brilliant suns of space, as viewed

from the earth, with Orion and the five zone of stars, and the Milky Way, towards Argo, are the chief objects of interest in the east and south-eastern sky. More to the south the Cross is seen rising from its lower transit, followed by the bright pointers, Alpha and Beta Ceirtauri, all of which the observer will see .never set inthis latitude. Canopus lies between Siriu6 and the Cross in' that very rich region of the Milky Way, near Argo. To the west may be seen the last of Sagittarius, with Capricornus and Aquarius following him dowr to the horizon. The staTs in Orion above the " Belt," forming a line of four groups, should be examined by all those who have telescopes of fair power. In this part lies the beautiful nebula of Orion, one of the finest sights in the universe as viewed from this planet. The region between Sirius and the Cross is thickly studded with fine star clusters and nebul« which are well worth looking at with no better optical aid that a good field glass. Saturn is the only planet visible in Pisces. The moon is below the horizon at this time.