ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR JUNE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8153, 1 June 1906, Page 7

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR JUNE.

The SUN is in the constellation Taurus till the Ist, when he enters Gemini. He will reach his greatest northern declination on the 22nd, wbioh marks the beginning of winter and the shortest day of the year. His declination increasing north till the above date, depresses the sun in these latitudes by 1.5 deg. at noon, after which he begins to rise again, slowly, each day, towards his more genial summer altitude. Sun spots of j considerable magnitude made tueir appearance towards the end of May. On the 25th two fine groups were visible forming a stream of activity reaching one-quarter of the solar diameter. Brilliant faoulae were also present on the incoming limb at the same time.

The MOON, in her monthly oircuit of the heavens, comes into the •vioinity of the Planets and some of the brighter stars, and serves as a convenient pointer to them,. She will be near Uranus on the beginning of the Bth, Saturn on the evening of the 13th, Jupiter on the evening cf the 21st, Mars on. the morning of the 23rd , Nentune on the morning of the 23rd, Mercury on the same date, evening; Venus on the evening of the 25th above the planet as she sets in the West, an attractive speotaole. She will pass through the following constellations on the following evenings in the order stated I —ln Leo, just past the first quarter, on the let; Virgo on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4tb, and near the bright star Spica on the latter date; in Libra on the sth and 6th, and near Beta on the sth; in Opbinicus on the 7th; Saggitarius on the Bth and 9th, and Capricornus on the 10th and lltb. la Leo again, first quarter, on the 26th and 27th, near the bright star Regulus on the latter evening; Virgo on the 28th, 29tb, and 30th. Phases of the Moon in the New Zealand mean (oivil) time:—

MERCURY is an evening star during the middle of the month, drawing away from the Sun towards the ond of the same. He will be in his ascending node on the afternoon of the 4tb, in Pelihelion on the early morning of the 9th, in superior conjunction a little later on the same day; in conjunction with Jupiter on the early morning of the lOtb, with Mara on the afternoon of the 16ib, in greatest heliocentric lattitude north on the 19th, and in conjunction with Neptune on the evening of the same daie, again in conjunction with tba Moon on the evening of the 23rd, being 41 deg to the north, quite a considerable programme for our small neighbour, but one of which we shall see little owing to his close proximity to the Sun.

VENUS is now the evenig star, her brilliant and steady light attracting ljotipe, soon after sunset in the north-west. She will be in conjunction with Neptune on the 3rd, being 2.4 deg north, in greatest heliocentric latitude north on the evening of the 19th, in conjunction with the Moon on the evening of the 23rd, the planet being z.sdeg to the north of the Moon, or separated by about five diameters of the Moon from that body, as seen from the earth.

MARS is etill slightly east of the Sun, moving forward in the constellation Gemini throughout the month. He will be in conjunction with the Moofl on tne morning of the 23rd, and 3.9deg to the north of oar satellite, and again in conjunction with our leisurely Neptune on the 27tb. shortly after midnight. JUPITER has now moved into the glare of the sunset, where he will be lost to view for some weeks He will bejin conjunction with our luminary on the 11th, and with the Moon on the evening of the 21st,* when Jupiter will be 6.6deg to the north. SATURN is now an evening star, rising shortly before midnight in the constellation Aquarius, and moving forward amongst the stars. The telescopist must now rise before the Sun if he would view this planet near bis greatest culmination at this time. He will be in quadrature, or 90deg of celestial aro to the west of the Sun, on the 21st; in conjunction with the Moon on the 13fb, being separated by not quite two diameters of the Moon, in angular measurement, at the time; and he becomes stationary amongst tha stars on the 28th.

URANUS is an evening star moving forward in Saggittarius till the middle of the month after wbich his motion appears backward again amongst the stars.He will be in conjunction, and 3.3deg to the south of the Moon, on the evening of the Bth, and will be in opposition with the Sun on the 29th, when he crosses the meridian at midnight. NEPTUNE is an,evening star in Gemini, with a forward motion amongst the stars of that constellation. He draws in towards the Hun as the month closes. He will be in conjunction with the Moon on the 23rd, being then I.9deg to the north of oar satellite.

METEORS may be looked' for from the Scorpion about the 22nd and 23rd of the month, not far from the bright star Antares, or about 2deg north-east|of that object. These meteors are desoribed as slowly moving fireballs, with a fine display in 1878. A watch should be kebfc in case we cat the stream at a rioh section near its focus. The CONSTELLATIONS for the middle of the month atj about 8 o'clock are as follows >-North, Bootes, with the floe star Aroturus above is Vigo and the brilliant Spica just past the meridian. In the Zenith is the Centaur with the fine stars Alpha and Beta, the Pointers slightly to the south. East may be seen the Northern Crown, to the right of Bootes, with Hercules to the east just getting above the]; horizon. Above Hercules is Ophinohus, the Serpent Bearer, end higher to the west Libra, while following closely is the Scorpion containing the fine red star Achernar of Eridanus, and east and west of the southern meridian, under the pole, may be seen Indus, Pavo, The Toucan, Hydrus, Dorado, and Argo in the order named. Those fine nebulous looking objects, the Magellanio Clouds, are well 'lown now in the south. The Southern Cross ■ rides high, at this time,: above the southern polar

point, a line through its longest diameter carrying the observer towards that spot in the heavens, beneath the Cross may be seen the richest porton of the Milky Way containing some of the finest clusters and nebulae in either hemisphere. In the west may be seen part of Argo setting, and the flue star (janopus preparing to pass under the pole when lie skims the southerc horizon. The long trailing form of the Water Snake is di awing Corvus and Crat«r towards the weft where Loo is now nearly set cloaely followed by Virgo. THE HON. DIRECTOR, Wanganui Observatory. May 31st, 1906.

D. H. M, Fall Moon 7 8 41 Last Quarter 14 7 4 New Moon 22 10 35 First Quarter 30 1 48