THE NIGHT SKY IN AUGUST.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7, 14 August 1912, Page 60

THE NIGHT SKY IN AUGUST.

THE STAR CHART BELOW IS SPECIALLY PREPARED FOR THE “N.Z. GRAPHIC” BY MR. J. T. WARD, DIRECTOR OF THE WANGANUI OBSERVATORY.

star- and other c«‘lr-4inl bodies arc shown on the above chart .h I tliey may be -pen in the sky at about 8.30 p.m. of the 15th. It will, however, serve for other dates by adding tour minutes per day for any dal.* previous to the 15th, or deducting the same amount for any number of <lajs after; thus the same apjioarancc of the night sky may be seen on the* Ist at 9.30, on the 15th at 8.30. and on the 30th at 7.30 p.m. The chart, as printed. serves for the northern view. It should lx* hold upside down for the* southern, and on either side* for east or west. In all roars the point of compass, shown on rim of chart, should bo

underneath, the cross at centre of chart is t he’ll the* point overhead. In comjeArihg this chart with that drawn for July, it will bp noticed that several constellations then visible* in the west have now disappeared below the horizon, while* others not then to Im* seen have made their appearance in the eastern -ky. Turning to the north wo see that Lyra, and the brilliant star Vega, is just to the right of the meridian and nearest the* horizon, and Hercules irccupies the* same position on the left. Aquila anil Serpius with Ophiuchus are over those again, white Cygnus is now well risen in the northeast. Round by the cast may be seen I‘e‘ga-us, ju>t r being, anel stretching from horizon to cenith are Aquarius,

Capricornus anel Sagittarius in the* order named. Eridanus is emerging in the south-east, the bright Achernar leading —on his right anel left are Hydrus and Phoenix, while above these are Grus anel Toucan, Indus and Pavo. Canopus is at this time nearly due south, and at this low altitude is observed to scintillate very rapidly ami change colour as he* scintillates. Argo, of which he is the leading star, follows to the right. Above Argo is the Cross and the two bright “Pointers/’ Alpha ami Beta Centauri. Virgo is low down in the west with the last of Hydro, the WaterSnake, and Corvus; over these are Libra and Scorpio. In the north-west Bootes, with the brilliant Anturns, is Just Retting, followed by that small constella-

fion, Corona Borealis, the Northern < rown. 'Hie moon has just set, at the hour for which this chart is drawn, in Virgo, in which constellation She may be />cen on the two following nights, after which' she will move into Libra on the 18tb and 19th, Scorpio on the 20th and -Ist, and nearest Antares on the 20th, Sagiti* Larins from the 22nd to the 24th, Capricornus from the 25th to 26th, Aquarius 27th to the 29th, and Pisces till the end of the month. Jupiter is the only one of the bright planets visible at the time given. He will W seen to the left of and below the red star Antares in Scorpio, and la at tills lime a very interesting object in the telescope.