ASTRONOMICAL NOTES

Otago Witness, Issue 3111, 29 October 1913, Page 22

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES

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

FOR NOVEMBER, 1913.

THE SUN. The sun’s path for November will b® through the constellations ;of Libra and Scorpio, in right ascension from 14.22 deg to 16.26dcg and in south declination 14.10 deg to 21.41dcg. Its longitude will be from 218 to 248. THE MOON. The moon's phases will be as follows:

THE PLANETS. Mercury, at the beginning of the month, will cross the meridian about an hour and a-quarter after the sun; therefore, may be looked for in the south-west after sunset, being at its greatest apparent distance from the sun eastward. It will then appear to rcapproach the sun, and become lost to sight, passing the sun (at inferior conjunction) on the 23rd, and the moon four days later. Venus, in Virgo, will pass the meridian about an hour and three-quarters'before the sun, and will therefore be a morning star. It will be near the moon on the 27th. Mars, in Gemini, will also be a morning star. The moon will pass very close to it on the 19th. Jupiter continues well placed for evening observation, in Sagittarius. It will be in conjunction with the moon on the 3rd and 30th. Saturn, in Taurus, appears near the meridian about 2 a.m. It is therefore visible nearly all night. Its declination is N. 21deg. Uranus, in Capricornus, has its path in right ascension 20.26 deg, and declination south 19.50 deg. Neptune,—Right ascension Bdeg, declination N 20deg. May be found near the star Procyon. CULMINATIONS. The following bright stars, as seen from Dunedin, will culminate at the hours named on the let of the month, and 3min 56500 earlier daily afterwards: —

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 bo added for every 12 miles westward. If a compass is used for finding the - meridian, allowance must bo made for its variation. which is given at 16.48 cast of true north.

d. h. m. First quarter ... 6 6 4 a.m. Full moon ... 14 10 41 a.m. Last quarter ... 21 7 26 p.m. New moon ... 28 1 11 p.m. Apogee ... 9 3 24 p.m. Perigee ... "... ... 25 5 6 p.m.

h. m. 8. Altitude. Alpha Gruie . .. 7 29 4 S 88 26 Foma-lhaut .. 8 20 56 N 74 16 Markab ... . .. 8 27 .47 N 29 27 Algenib ... . ., 9 35 24 N 29 29 Acncrnar ... . .. V. 1 28 S 78 9