ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR MAY, 1913.

Otago Witness, Issue 3085, 30 April 1913, Page 23

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR MAY, 1913.

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

THE SUN. The path of the Sun for this month will bo through the constellations of Aries and Taurus r.a. 2.20 to 4.32, declination N. 14.49 to 21.56, or, in longitude, 40 to 69.53. THE MOON. The phases of the Moon will be as follow:

THE PLANETS. Morcury and Mars. —Those two small planets are near each other in the Pisces, and may be looked for in the east before sunrise at the beginning of the month. Mars rises first, its position being r.a. 23.42, dee. S. 3; then Mercury r.a. 0.55, dec. S. 3. The Moon will be near them on the 2nd. Their paths will be northward. Venus, also a morning star, will rise before the Sun about an hour, and will be at its greatest brilliancy at the end of the month. It will be in conjunction with the Moon on the sth, and stationary on the 14th. Jupiter will be the most conspicuous object in the morning sky, reaching the meridian about half-past 4 at the beginning of the month, and about four minutes earlier each morning subsequently, the Moon passing it on the 24th. Saturn reaches the me rid'an about the middle of the day, therefore very little will bo seen of this beautiful planet. Neptune is in Gemini, and may bo looked for about Tideg south of the star Pollux. CULMINATIONS. The following bright stars, as seen from Dunedin, will culminate at the hours named on the Ist of the month, and 3min 56scc earlier daily afterwards: — h. m. s. Altitude.

These times are calculated for the meridian of Port Chalmers, and reduced to New Zealand standard time, llhr 30min fast of Greenwich. For inland places on or about the same latitude one minute should be added for every 12 miles westward. If 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 LION. Leo is now well placed for observation in the northern skv, its principal star, Regulus, coming to the mcricrlan between 7 and 8 o’clock in the evening. This etar is eeen by the telescope to be double, the companion being a small one. At first sight Regulars suggests the handle of a sickle, the blade being represented by five smaller stars northward: but astronomers call them the head, and Regulus the heart, of the Lion. A square of four stars following at a little distance represents the body.

d. h. m New Moon . 6 7 54- p.m. First Quarter, ... . . 13 11 15 a.m. Full Moon . 20 6 48 p.m. Last Quarter ... . .. 28 11 34 a.m. Perigee .. 16 1 6 p.m. Apogee . 28 7 30 p.m.

Beta Ar"us ... 6 45 17 S. 66.28 Alpha Hydrce 6 56 20 S. 52.28 Rogulu's ... .. 7 36 39 N. 31.48 Eta Argus 8 14 23 S. 76.35 Delta Leon is 8 42 13 N. 23.11 Beta Leon is . . 9 17 21 N. 29.8