ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR JUNE, 1911.

Otago Witness, Issue 2985, 31 May 1911, Page 58

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR JUNE, 1911.

By J. Grigo, F.R.A.S.

THE SUN. Tho Sun’s path during' the month will bo in r.a. from 4 30 50 to 6 35. Its declination on the Ist will be north 21, on the 23rd it will he at the Solstice north 23 27, when it will enter the Sign Cancer; this day will 'therefore - be the shortest in the Southern Hemisphere, after which the Sun will return southward. THE MOON. The Moon’s phases will be as follows: —

THE PLANETS. Mercury will be a morning star all the month, coming to the meridian lhr 40min before the Sun on the Ist, and gradually approaching perihelion, which it will reach on the 30th. Therefore it will become invisible. Venus will continue as an evening star all the month, setting about three hours after the Sun, its north declination gradually reducing from. 24 to 15 degrees. It will be near the Moon on the 29th. Mars is in the constellation of Pisces, rising about 3 a.m. It will be near the Moon on the 21st.

Jupiter (near Lambda Virginis) continues to be a conspicuous object in the evening sky. On the Bth) it will be occulted by the Moon.

Saturn rises from two to three and ahalf hours before the Sun, its declination being about 14 north. It will be near the Moon on the 23rd.

Uranus, r.a. 20 dec. south 21, attains the meridian about 2 a.m., and will be near the Moon on the 15thl.

Neptune, whose declination is about the same as that of the Sun, at the beginning of the month will be an evening star, gradually approaching the Sun. CULMINATIONS; The following bright stars, as seen from LYmedin, will culminate at the hours named on the Ist of the month, and 3min 56sec

These times are calculated for the meridian of Port Chalmers, and, reduced to New Zealand standard time, llhr 30min fast of Greenwich. Tor inland places on or about the same latitude one minute should be added for every 12 miles westward. _ K a compass is used for finding the meridian, allowance must be made for its variation, which is given at 16.48 east of true north. THE PASSAGE OP HALLEY’S COMET. It is stated by northern observers that during the recent approach of Halley’s Comet to the Earth, its tail, when on the 3rd of May was estimated at 17 degrees in length, had increased to 50 on the 17th, and on tho following day to 107, when it resembled a searchlight. There was also a diffused light to the south. It is supposed by' some that tho Earth actually passed thirci’ugh the comet s...tail on the 19th. On that date a prismatic halo around the IVXoon, about 22 degrees in diameter, was observed from the Yerkes Observatory, also a bar of brilliant colours in the south. Luminous fringes to clouds were also noted by others. Many observers (including the writer) carefully watched the Sun on tho 19th and 20th, and the sky in the evenings, but saw nothing of the comet till the 22nd, after which it was observed here in the evenings till August 8, when it was a very faint_ patch of hght. An unfavourable change in the weather prevented further work. It was subsequently followed bv_ very large telescopes for a considerable time.

d. h. m. First quarter ... .... ... 4 9 34 a.m. Full moon 12 9 21 a.m. Last quarter ... 20 8 21 a.m. New moon 27 0 50 a.m. Apogee 12 10 12 a.m, Perigee 26 2 36 p.m.

earlier daily afterwards: h. m. Altitude. Beta. Argus .... ....... 4 45 S 66 28 Alpha Hydros ... ... 4 56 N 52 27 Regains 5 37 N 31 47 Delta Leonis -■ 6 42 N 23 10 Beta Leonis 7 17 . 6 29 7 Delta Centauri .... .;. 7 36 S 85 35