ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR AUGUST, 1913.

Otago Witness, Issue 3098, 30 July 1913, Page 12

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR AUGUST, 1913.

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

THE SUX. The Sun’s path for August will be through the constellations of Cancer and Loo, from r.a. Bdcg 46min t-o lOdcg 38rnin, and in north declination from 18deg 15min to Bdeg 35min; in longitude from 128 deg to 158 deg. On the 31st it wll be partially eclipsed, but the phenomenon will not be visible in the Southern Hemisphere. THE MOON. The Moon’s phases will occur as follows:

THE PLANETS. Mercury will be in conjunction with the Moon on ihe 2nd, and in inferior conjunction with the Sun on the 4th; thence travelling in a westerly direction it will attain its greatest apparent distance from the Sun on the 22nd, and be near the Moon on the 31st. \ ('inis will be travelling through Genrni nearly all the month, attaining the meridian about 9 a.in. It will he in conjunction with the Moon on the 29rh, and with Neptune about two hours later. -Mars is in Taurus, its journey for the month being a short path a few degrees north of (he Ilyades, at present vsible nil the evening. It will l>e in conjunction with Hat urn in the early morning of the 25th, and with the Moon on the evening of the following day. Jupiter.—This beautiful planet, which has been so conspicuous for some tine past, will continue up an evening star in Hagittarius, and will be in conjunction with the Moon on th<‘ I3th. Saturn is in Taurus, near the Evades. L rat ms. Right ascension 20deg Sbin’ii, declination south 19dog 4min, is in Capricorn us, attaining the meridian about an hour before midnight. Neptune is invisible to us at the present) time. I following planets will be passed by the Moon in the order and at the distance named below :—■

Ihe following bright stars, as soon from Dunedin, will enlmnate at tin 1 hours named on the Ist of the month, and 3min 56sec earlier daily afterwards: — Altitude.

These times are calculated for the meridian of Port, Chalmers, and reduced to New Zealand standard t : nie, llhr 30min fast of Greenwich. tor 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 moridian, allowance must be made for its variation. which is given at 16dcg 48min east of true north.

d. h. in. New Moon 2 12 28 p.m. First Quarter 9 3 53 p.m. Fnil Moon 17 7 57 a. in. Last Quarter 25 11 48 a.in. Perigee 4 10 42 a.ra, Apogee 19 7 36 p.m.

Jupiter ... d. Moon, flopr. min, 15 SI. 4 52 Uranus 15 S. 3 23 Saturn ... 26 N. 6 53 Mars 26 N. 5 43 (, :ULM I NATIONS.

h. in. fi. d. m. Alpha Contami ...649 S. 75 20 Until feibrtE ... 6 42 40 X. 55 15 .Alit arcs ... 7 54 14 X. 70 26 I/unhdu Sc-oi'pii ... 8 57 42 X. 81 14 Alrair ... 11 16 9 X. 35 33