Astronomical Notes for the Month.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXIV, Issue 4279, 16 November 1901, Page 2

Astronomical Notes for the Month.

The Sun enters Sagittarius on the 23rd of the month. Full Moon on the 26th of the month. Mercury is a morning star, rising some considerable time, for this planet, before the Sun. Venus is an evening star* setting about two hours after the sun. Mars is an evening star, setting almost at the same time as Venus. Jupiter and Saturn, which have been gradually nearing each other during the month, set soon after 10 p.m. Simultaneously with the setting of these planets in the west, the constellation Orion with its attendant Sirius rises in the east. A line from Sirius running through the Belt of Orion will strike the ruddy star Aldebaran (first magnitude), the brightest of the Hyades group, while a little further north are the Pleiades. The meteoric showers expected on the 15th of the month can hardly be viewed in our latitude, as the constellation Leo does not rise until after sunrise. The remarkable configuration of the principal planets will be an interesting sight near the end of the month. The blazing Venus with Jupiter and Saturn will form a temporary oonstellation in the south-west heavens, in brilliancy surpassing the majestic Orion and Canis Major, which will be then seen almost opposite in the north-east sky.