ASTRONOMICAL NOTES

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 30, Issue 19, 8 March 1918, Page 6

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES

FOB MARCH, 1918,

The SUN will bo in tho constellation Aquarius till the 11th, when he enters Pisces. His southern declination decreases during the month, vanishing on tho evening of the 21st, when ho is on the equator. Sunspots have been fairly plentiful during February, one lino stream of eruptions measuring about 100,000 miles in longitude, while at the same time other separate disturbances were visible on the surface.

The MOON, in her monthly circuit of the heavens, comes into the vicinity of the planets and some of the brighter stars, and serves as a convenient pointer to them. She will be nearest Venus on the evening of the 10th; Mercury on tho 13th; Jupiter on the 18th; Saturn on tho 22nd and 23rd; and Mars on the evening of the 2Gth. Her path through the constellations visible in our evening skies is as follows: —In Aries on the 16th as a crescent, and moving into Taurus on tho 17th, in which constellation she will remain till tho 19th, being nearest the fine red star Aldebaran on tho 18th; in Gemini on the 20th, and passing the Twins, Castor and Pollux, on the 21st; Cancer on the 22nd and 23rd, Leo on the 24th, 25th and 26th, and nearest to Kcgulus on the 25th; in Virgo from tho 27th to the 30th, and nearest the fine star Spica, on tho 29th. She ends the month in Libra.

MERCURY comes in as a morning star, approaching the Sun’s place, into whoso rays he vanishes on tho 9th, after which he becomes an evening star. He is at his greatest southern latitude as from the Sun’s centre, on the sth; in lunar conjunction on the afternoon of the 13th; in superior conjunction on the same data.

'V ISNOS is a morning star throughout the month She will appear stationary amongst the stars on the 2nd; in conjunction with the Moon on the evening of the 10th ; the planet being co tho north; .-b■« is at her greatest brilliancy, vs a 111 Ung star, on the 17th. about vhich tin 1 " she may be seen during the daytime by those whose eyesight is good. At that time she will bo about the meridian at 9.30 a.m., at an altitude of about 00 degrees MARS is an evening star, during tho month, rising in the north-cast shortly before 7 p.m., at the middle of tho month, in Virgo. He will be on the meridian at midnight of the 15th, at which time he is said to be in “ opposition. ” He is in lunar conjunction on the 27th, and will appear close to the Moon on that and the preceding evening. JUPITER is an evening star throughout the month. Ho must be observed early in the evening, as being in northern declination his altitude is poor, and his definition suffers. Very fine views have been had this opposition, and since, of the varied appearances of his “Belts,’ ’ they being very dark this apparition. Ho will be in lunar conjunction on tho 18th, and the planet will appear to east and west of the Moon on that and tho preceding evening. The phenomena of the four larger moons may be best scon, under favourable conditions, on the following evenings;—2nd, 4th, Bth, 9th, 11th, 13th, 16th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 24th, 25th, 26th, 29th. SATURN is an evening star during: the month, being visible at nightfall in. tho constellation Leo over the northeast. He is in an interesting phase at the present time, his ring-system being well opened. The Moon will appear on cither side of him on the evenings of tho 22nd and 23rd, conjunction occurring on the latter date in morning hours. URANUS is a morning star during; tho month; he is in lunar conjunction; on the evening of the 11th. NEPTUNE is an evening star, iru March, being in tho constellation Cancer., He is in lunar conjunction on tho 23rd.

The CONSTELLATIONS visible' m our evening skies, during tlic middle of tlio month, arc placed as follows: Gemini, with the bright stars Castor and Pollux —the Twins—about due and Leo towards the cast, with Virgo well risen and about due cast. The' Water Snake, Hydra, is high up, and across from north to south-east, and below it the small constellations of the Cup and the Crow, Tho Ship, Argo, is in the zenith, the fine star Canopus rather to the west of the southern meridian. Tho Cross and the Pointers are now well up ■ tho south-east. Pavo is low down, and due south with Triangulum higher and to the left, Toucan, Hydrus, and Clouds arc well up in the south-west. Cetus is settling in the west, Eridanus being over the Sea-Monster, and extending right from the north-west point to a position near the south Taurus is approaching the horizon over the northwest, with Orion and Canis Major overhead and in the order stated, the latter with the grand star Sirius, being now near the zenith on the western side. THE HON. DIRECTOR, Wanganui Observatory. < February 28th, 19IR. i