The Night Sky for February 15th at 8.30 p.m.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 6, 10 February 1909, Page 14

The Night Sky for February 15th at 8.30 p.m.

Specially Drawn for the “ Graphic ’’ by

J. T. Ward,

Hon, Director Wanganui Observatory.

•The stars and planets are shown on the ibove (hart as they may be seen on the 15th of the month at about 8-30 p.m. As the stars shift their places night by night on the sky, rising about four minutes earlier each evening, the observer who "Wishes to observe certain eonsbdlations near their rising or setting, must tune bis observations accordingly. The cross at centre of chart represents the point overhead, and to sop the stars as they appear in the sky, the chart must be held with that point of the compass towards which the observer is looking field downwards.

If this chart is compared with that furnished foi January, it will be seen that several new constellations have made their appearance in the eastern sky, while some then visible in the west are no longer to be seen. (Looking towards the north we see portions of Auriga and Perseus, low down near the. horizon, while on either side of the meridian may be seen Gemini and Taurus. Over there again are Orion and Lepus, with Canis Major and the brilliant .Sirius, the brightest of all the starry hosts as seen from the earth. Cancer lies next to Gemini, and the pretty clus-

ter called “ Prasepi,” or the “ Beehive,” in this constellation will well repay observing with a good field glass. Leo Is just clearing the eastern horizon, while over him may be seen the long trailing form of Hydra—the Water Snake, and the two small constellations, Crater and Cornns towards the south-east. Turning south, the Cross will be seen well out to the east, of the Pole, followed by the Centaur, and Lupus lower down, while the Triangle is on the southern meridian, Hydrus and the Toucan, with Grus low down in the south-west, and Pisces just setting. The two Magnetic Clouds orc now towards the west, and high up in

the south-eastern sky is Argo, and the fire-star Canopus passing over the Pole. Eridamis is now to the west, preparing to descend with Phoenix and Cetus ly* ing between it and the horizon, Pisces is nearing the north-western horizon and Aries is nearing its setting. Saturn id dose to the horizon in Pisces, and Jupiter is just rising in Leo in the northeast. Jupiter is now the most attractive object in our evening »»X any fairly powerful hand telescope will show his four principal satellites, which, with the great planet, form an object of much interest with these means. ThO moon is not visible at this time.