ASTRONOMICAL NOTES.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15782, 2 April 1919, Page 8

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES.

FOR APRIL 1919. THE SDN is in the constellation Pisces ill the 19th, when he enters Aries. His passing of the equator on the morning of the 23rd March implies a northerl ydeclination., increasing during the month. Sunspots have been quite active, and plentiful, during tire past month, as many as eight largo centres of activity being visible on the disc at the same time during the middle of the month, -with much brilliant faeulate a.t the limbs. 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 near Mars on the morning of the 2nd, and Mercury, a little after Mars on the same date; Venus on the evening of the 3rd, Jupiter on the evening of the 6th, and 7th; Slauum on the evening: of the 10th; Mercury on the morniug of the 29th, and Mars on the 30th. Her path through the constellations, visible in our evening sktes, during the month is as follows; —In Taurus on the 4th, and sth, and nearest the brilliant Alderbaran on the evening of the 6th; Gemini on the 6th, Vth and Sth, and nearest the bright stars of the Twins, Castor and Pollux; Cancer on. the' 9th; Leo on the 10th, 11th, and 13th, and nearest the bright Eegulus on the 11th; Virgo on the 13 th to the 16th, and nearest the blight star Spica on the evening of the 15th; Lra ibon the 17th, and 18th; Scorpio on the 19th, and. nearest the fine red star Antares on the same date.

The PHASES OF THE MOON in New Zealand mean time: D. H. M. New Moon 1 8 35 a.m, First Quarter ...... 8 0 9 a.m. Full Moon ■ „ 15 7 55 p.m. Last Quarter . 23 10 51 p.m. New Moon . 30 5 G p.m. Perigree ...... 3 8 30 a.m. Apogee 17 8 0 a.m. Perigree 30 6 48 p.m.

MERCURY is an evening star until the evening of the Sth, when he is in inferior conjunction, after which he will become a morning star. He will be in lunar conjunction on the 2nd, and again on the 29th of the month; will become stationary amongst the stare on the 21st, and will be in aphelion on the 28th. VENUS is an evening star during the month, and may be seen on any clear evening near the western horizon shortly after sunset. She will soon appear to draw away from, the Sun, and will, as the days shorten, become a more conspicuous object in our evening skies. She will bo in lunar conjunction on the 3rd, when the crescent Moon will be about three of its diameters to the south of the planet at sunset, and the two objects will present an interesting spectacle, at this time, in our evening sky. She will be in Perihelion on the 29th. MARS is an evening star during April, but is too near the Sun for observation. He will be in lunar conjunction on the 2nd and again on the 30th. JUPITER is an evening star during April, and quite the most prominent object, nest to the Moon, in our evening skies. He is now past the meridian, in the early evenings, but is fairly well placed for telescopic observation. He is in conjunction with the Moon on the 7th. His satellite phenomena, such as transits, eclipses, and occultations, may be be observed on the following nights; 3rd, Sth, 6th, Bth, 9th, 13th. 15th, 16th, 17th, 20th, 22nd, 28th, 29th. SATURN is an evening star during April, and quite a prominent object near the bright star Regains, in Leo. He will be in lunar conjunction on the evening of the 10th, and will become stationary amongst the stars on the evening of the 34-th. His ring system is still fairly well open, and presents a most interesting view, to the telescopic observer, in a telescope of fair power. URANUS is a morning, star in Aquarius. He will be in lunar conjunction on the morning of the 26th. NEPTUNE is an evening star in Cancer, retrograding amongst the stars. He will be in lunar conjunction on the evening -of the 9th; stationary amongst the stars on the 18th; in quadrature on the 25th. The CONSTELLATIONS visblo in our evening skies are situated as follow, being rather more to the east in the early part, and more to the west at the latter part of the month;— Leo, and the Sickle, with its fine star Regains, are over the northern meridian. Above Leo, and to the east, are the Constellations of Hydra, Crater, and Corvus. Virgo and its bright star Spica arc in the north-east, with the brilliant Arcturus, the gem of Bootes, and one of the giants of our stellar system. Libra and the’ Scropion are now rising in the east and south-east, while the Southern Cross and the Centaur more to the south, and still higher, have become tire more prominent objects of onr autumn skies. Pavo and the Toucan are on either side of the southern meridian, at this time, with the Triangle and Hydrus over them. Argo is high up in the souh-west and Eridanus low down in the same quarter. Orion is getting down towards the horizon, in fne west, and Can is Major, and the brilliant Sirius follows him down. In the north-west is Gemini and the two fine stars Castor and Pollux, with Ganis Minor above them, and Cancer—the Crab—to the right. THE HON. DIRECTOR, „ Wanganui Observatory. March 30th, 1919.