ASTRONOMICAL NOTES OF SEPTEMBER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8227, 3 September 1906, Page 7

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES OF SEPTEMBER.

(Special to Age).

The SUN is in the constellation Leo till the 19th, when he enters Virgo. He crosses the equator from the northern into the southern hemisphere, on the morning of the 24th, when spring commences on this side of the world, tils altitude «t uoou increases during the month by 11.4, being on the 15tb, for Wanganui, 53 deg. The solar surface has not displayed suoh activity during the past mouth as was so noticeable during June and July, Beveral spots and groups of minor importance only, and a general return to a more quiescent condition, being the general order of things on our laminary. The MOON, in her monthly oirouit 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 near Saturn on the evening of the 3rd, to the south; the minor planet Ceres on the lltb, to the north; Jupiter on the 13th, to the f south ; Neptune on the same datg to the south; Mars on the 17th, to the north; Mercury on the 18tb, to the north; Venus oa the 21st and 22nd, ' to the north; Uranus on the 26tb, north; and Saturn again on the 30tb, to the south. She will pass through the following constellations on the evenings mentioned, and in the following orderCaDricornus on the Ist, Aquarius on the 2ud and 3rd, Pisces on the 4th and sth, Aries on the 6th, "/th, and Bth, Taurus on the 9th, 10th, and 11th, Libra on the 22nd, Scorpio on the 23rd and 24th, Sagittarius on the 25th, 26fcb, and 27th, Caprioornus on the 28th and 29th, and Aquarius ua the 30th. THE LUNAR ECLIPSE of the 4th and sth ultimo was seen to advantage in these parts, stormy ..weather giving way at the right time to a fine clear evening. A few points of special interest were noted, viz., that the shadow, when first entered, appeared of a dusky black tinge until well past half immersion, when the usual coppery hue made its appearance. The adt vanoing limb of the paoon appeared \ very bright throughout the eolipse, also portions to the north-east of Plato. When fully in the shadow the moon's surfece shone remarkably bright, which brilliance (like burnished copper) waned as it passed to the centre of the shadow cone. There also appeared a well-defined tbiokenina to the advancing edge of the shadow up to the time of the first half immersion. Phases of the Moon in New Zealand (mean civil time):—Full moon, 3 days llbr 6min a.m.; last quarter, 11 days Bhr 23min a.m.; new nJoon, 19 days Ohr 3miu p.m.; first quarter, 25 days shr 41min p.m. MER'JURY is a morning star in „ the constellation Leo at the beginning of the month; he is in perihelion on the sth, in conjunction with the planet Mars on the sth, about noon, beias at time of closest approach separated by only 10 ueconds of t angular measurement to the south. He is at greatest heliocentric latitude . north on the 15th, and in conjuno tion with the moon on the 18th, to the South. «• VENUS at this time is the glcry of the western sky. She is now drawing towards her greatest angular separation from the sun, attaining that position the 21st, at which time she]is removed by 46.5 degrees of celestial measurement from our luminary, when she appears in the telescope liue the moon at the first quarter. She is in aphelion on the IBtb, and is in conjunction with the moon on the morning of the 22nd, appearing [olose to our satellite on tbiß and the previous evening, making a most attractive [setting in the western skyvon these oocasions, fine weather prevailing. MARS is a morning star in the constellation of the Lion, not far from the fcriliant Reguluß, truly a warlike combination. His path is a ?forward one throughout the month. He attains his greatset northern latitude as from the solar centre on the 13th, is in conjunction with the moon on the morning of the 17th, being removed o.7deg. of angular measurement from ber oentre at closest approaoK JUPITER is still a morning star in the constellation Gemini, with a forward movement, passing the meridian in front of the sun by about 4H hours. He may be well observed in the telescope an hour.or two before sunrise. He will be in conjunction with the moon beween 1 and 2 boars after midnight of the 32th. Most interesting olianges are now taking place in the region of the Great Red Spot on the South Equatorial Belt, and the coming of tne great planet into workable quarters will be weloomed by many of our most assidious observers of the Jovian disc. Refleotors over , five, and refractors over four inches diameter may do useful work on this planet from now on to opposition, and beyond it. SATURN is now an evening star in the constellation Aquarius, having at this time a retrograde move meat. His ring system, though much less inclined in the line of sight, still presents a most attractive spectacle, and one that should not be neglected by owners or users of good telescopes. The present time also affords a better opportunity for seeing more of the movements of his fainter satellites now that much -of the glare from the ring is directed away from us. He will be in conjunction with the moon on the afternoon of the 3rd and closa to that body on the same evening. Opposition with the Sun will take place on the sth, between 2 and 3 fiours after midday, at which time the centre of Saturn, Earth anl Sun are nearly in line. He will again come into conjunction with the moon on 30tb, between 6 and 7 hours (evening), at which time he ' will be removed by less that the moons' diameter from that budy, as seen from tne earth. Beth objeots should be well seen together in a low-power field of any telescope at that time, an opportunity that should be taken advantage of by all lovers of interesting astroncmioal phenomena. UKANUS is an evening star in Sagittarius, having a retroagrade motion till the middle of the month, when he again moves forward amongst the stars. His stationary point is on the 14th,

and be is in <ionjuiiction with the moon shortly before midnight of the 25tb. The CONSTELLATIONS for the middle of the month and at about 8 p.m. are «s follows:—North and on either side of the meridian may be seen Cygnus and Lyra, Aqaila and part of Sagittarius being above them. Over the zenith are Pavo and Telescopium; to the east are the Dolphin and Pegasus; higher again may be seen Aquarius. Capriuornue, and tin Southern Fishes, with the bright Fomalhant nearly due east; south the Crane, with Fridau'Jß and the bright Aohernar, while frorr the southern horizon emerges the brilliant Canopus, the Luoida of the Ship now coasting the southern main; west are Hernules and the Serpent Bearer and higher the Scorpion may be seen moving down to his setting in the west, peroeded by Libra, an indioa • tjon that Orion will soon be rising and ushering in our southern spring. The Cross declines in the south, followed by the bright stars, Alpha and Beta of the Centaur. The ZODIUAL LIGHT is shorn of some of its pearly lustre at this time by the great brilliance of Venus. It should be looked for on all deaf evenings devoid of moonlight. Light clouds, moie especiully stratus-of the lighter variety, when just lying aoroßS the greater axis of the light and obsouring Venus, will reveal the intensity of this interesting phenomena to perfection. Its true cause still forms -natter for thought and investigation, the elucidation of which will most probably com« through the agency of the spectrosoope and much patient observing. ' THE HON DIRECTOR, Wanganui Observatory. August 31st, 1906.