Astronomical Notes for March.

Progress, Volume VI, Issue 5, 1 March 1911, Page 566

Astronomical Notes for March.

(By Hon. Director of Wanganui Observatory.)

The Sun is in the constellation Aquarius till the 11th, when he enters Pisces. His declination is now rapidly changing, and he will cross the Equator on the morning of the 22nd, which marks the autumnal equinox for the Southern Hemisphere. The surface of the sun has been 'almost entirely free from spots during the past month or so, thus pointing to a period well down the curve towards quiescence. The long-sustained activity which made itself apparent in the fine displays of last year has at last given way to the reverse, and the sudden drop is in keeping with previous experience. The Moon, in her monthly circuit of the heavens, comes into the vicinity of the planets and some' of the brighter stars, ard serves as a convenient pointer to them. She will be near Venus on the morning of the 3rd, and will be seen in the vicinity of the planet on this and the preceding evening. She will be near Saturn on the sth, Jupiter on the 19th, to the south of our satellite. Her path through the constellations visible in our evening skies at about 8 p.m. is as follows:As a circuit in Pisces on the 4th, Aries on the sth and 6th, Taurus on the 7th and Bth, and near the bright star Aldebaran on the 7th, Geminin on the Bth, 9th and 10th, and nearest the two bright stars Castor and Pollax on the evening of the 10th, Cancer on the 11th and 12th, Leo on the 13th, 14th and 15th, and nearest the bright star Regulus on the 13th, Virgo on the 16th to the 19th, and nearest the brilliant Spica on the 17th, after which she rises late in the evening. Phases of the Moon in N.Z. mean times: New Moon \ day 0 hrs. 1 min. p.m. First Quarter 8 days 10 hrs. 31 min. a.m. Full Moon 15 days 11 hrs. 28 min. a.m. Last Quarter 23 days 11 hrs. 56 min. a.m. New Moon 30 days 12 hrs. 8 min, a.m. Mercury is a morning star during March, in the constellation Capricornus, rising shortly before the sun at the beginning of the month, in superior conjunction on the 21st, and after that as an evening star 'close to the sun's place. He will be in greatest heliocentric latitude south on the 10th, in his ascending node on the 29th, and in conjunction with the moon on the last day of the month. Venus is an evening star in Pisces moving rapidly to the east amongst the stars. It may now be seen, shortly after sunset, in the western sky. Viewed in the telescope its appearance will be nearly circular, as it emerges from behind the Sun's place. She will be in conjunction with the Moon on the 3rd, in her ascending node on the 28th, and in conjunction with the planet Saturn on the following day. Mars is a morning star in Sagittarius, and is moving to the east amongst the stars of this constellation. He comes into conjunction with the planet Uranus on the 11th of the month, when the two planets will appear to pass one another at a distance of about two-thirds the Moon's diameter. Early risers should be on the look-out for this, which will take place on the evening of the 11th, at 9hrs. lOmin. . Jupiter is now an evening star in the constellation Virgo, and close to the border of Libra. He may be found in the; southeast at the beginning of the month, rising shortly after 10 p.m., to the north of the

bright star Alpha; in Libra. His "belts" are full of interesting detail, the. southern hemisphere being particularly * active at time of writing, many dark spots being seen with a mass of fine detail, in the large telescope. He is in conjunction with the Moon on the 19th, and will appear close to the Moon on the evening of that date. Saturn is getting close to the western horizon, and must be looked for soon after sunset. Many fine views have been had of this beautiful object during the present opposition. His fine ring system being well inclined to the line of vision, has made this opposition of much greater interest than those of the last few years preceding it, and will make for the still greater attractiveness of the planet during the next

few years. Saturn will be in conjunction with the moon on the sth, and will be seen east and west of her on the 4th and sth respectively; the planet will be to the south of the Moon on both occasions. Uranus is a morning star in Sagittarius, having an apparent motion to the east. He may be easily identified when in the proximity of Mars on the mornings of the 11th ; and 12th, when he will be slightly to the north of Mars. He is in conjunction with the Moon on the 25th. Neptune is an evening star in Germini, and will be in conjunction with the Moon on the evening of the 10th. Meteors.— radiant in Virgo should be watched in the early morning, for bright meteors, during the middle of the month. The Constellations for the middle of the month, at about 8 p.m., are as follows:

North: Gemini and : the bright .' Twins '■■■ Castor and Pollux nearest the horizon, with Canis Minor and the bright Procyon over those. Above these, again, is Canis Major and the brilliant Sirius, brightest of all the starry host as viewed from planet Earth. In the zenith is Argo, the Ship (the ancients, in the north, saw it on the southern horizon, a more fitting place for a ship to appear in), and the brilliant Canopus south of the zenith. In the east is Cancer, with Leo nearer the eastern horizon, the bright Regulus being now well above the horizon. Hydra, the Watersnake, and the small constellation Corvis and Crater more to the south of each. Approaching the western horizon is Cetus, and above him the long winding shape of

Eridanus—the River — the fine star Achernar away to the south. Orion and Lepus are now drawing near the western horizon, preceded by Taurus— Bull—the eye of which——gleams red in the vapours low down in the northwest. In the south the Cross and the "Pointers"—Alpha and Beta Centauri—have again risen into prominence in the eastern extension of their polar wandering, followed by the Triangle. Halley's Comet.By recent advice from the Northern Hemisphere, we learn that some ox tjie largest telescopes have, photo graphically, registered positions of our late interesting visitor, at a distance of nearly four hundred millions of miles from the Earth. The probability of this being accomplished was put forward in these notes for last December. ~ :