Astronomy.

Progress, Volume VI, Issue 7, 1 May 1911, Page 646

Astronomy.

Astronomical Notes for May. (By the Hon Director Wanganui Observatory.) The Sun is in the constellation Aries till the 15th, when he enters Taurus. His northern declination increases by about 7 degrees during the month, and his altitude at true noon decreases by a like amount during this period. The rapid shrinkage in the arc. described by the sun at this season becomes very noticeable. 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 Venus on the 2nd, to the north, Neptune, in Gemini, on the 4th Jupiter on the evening of the 12th, to the south; Uranus on the 19th, to the south of the planet; Mars on the morning of the 23rd; and Venus on the last evening of the month, to the north of the planet. She may be seen passing through the following constellations during the evenings of the following dates: In Gemini on the 2nd, 3rd, and early evening of the 4th; Cancer on the sth Leo on the 6th, to the -Bth; Virgo from the 9th to the 12th, and nearest the bright star Spica on the 11th; Libra on the 13th and 14th; Scorpio on the 15th and 16th, and nearest the bright Antares on the 14th. Phases of the Moon in New Zealand mean time First Quarter (3 days 0 hrs. 44 min. a.m. Full Moon 13 days 5 hrs. 40 min. p.m. Last Quarter 21 days 8 hrs. 53 min, p.m. New Moon 28 days 5 hrs. 54 min. p.m. Eclipse.—There will be a penumbral eclipse of the Moon on the evening of the 13th. The first contact of the Moon with the earth's penumbral shadow will take place at 3hrs. 16min. in the afternoon of the 13th central at shrs. 26min., and last contact at 7hrs. 37min. p.m. Mercury is a morning star during the month. Venus is now an evening star, but owing to its distance and position, is not the brilliant object it will become in a few

months' time. She will be seen above the moon on the 2nd of the month in the north-western sky after sunset, in greatest heliocentric latitude north or the 22nd., and will be in conjunction with Neptune, in Gemini, on the evening of the 30th, and with the Moon again on the 31st. .. Mars is a morning star in Aquarius, moving rapidly towards the east. He will be in conjunction with the Moon on the , 23rd. His disc offers no attraction, at the I A time, to the telescopist, he being at too -reat a distance from the earth, and his diameter only a third of what it will be . next November, when in opposition. Jupiter is the brilliant planet of our evening skies at this time. He has been seen rapidly retrograding from the star . Alpha Librae during the past month, and he will continue to do so during May and June, becoming f stationary again in the early part of July. He will be in conjunction with the Moon on the 12th. He 0.-ers a most attractive spectacle to the : possessor of a good astronomical telescope at this time. His "belts'' are very distinct this year, and well repay a careful study. The wide division in bis S. equatorial belt is closing up, at the present being gradually filled by a light greyish substance. His satellites will offer interesting views on the evenings of the sth, 6th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 20th, 21st, 28th, and 29th. Saturn is now a morning star in Aries, too near the Sun's place for observation. He will be in conjunction with the Moon on the 27th, the planet being 25 deg. to the south of the Moon's centre at time of conjunction, viz., 4hrs. 45min. p.m. : Uranus is now an evening star in Sagittarius. He will be in conjunction with'the moon on the 19th. Neptune is an evening star in Gemini, and is in conjunction with the Moon on - the evenings of the 4th and 31st, but at a considerable distance from that body, as viewed from the earth. ' ; Meteors may be looked for on the mornings of the 17th to the ,21st, from the '-. constellation Pegasus, Hercules, and Aquarius. The constellations for the middle of the month, at about 8 o 'clock in the evenings, are as follows:In the north Hydras, with Grater and Cornus; Virgo lies close to the east, and Leo to the west of the meridian, with Coma Berenice and Leo Minor underneath those. Bootes and the fine star Arcturus is in the north-east, with Serpens, Ophinchus, and Libra to the east South of east may be seen the Scorpion, followed by Sagittarius, with the Centaur high overhead, the two "pointers," Alpha v and Beta, with the Southern Cross, being now near their highest point in. the southern sky. Achernar is now nearing the horizon to the south, with the Toucan, and Indus, and Paro above them. Canis Major and the brilliant Sirius are getting down towards their setting, Argo following with the fine star Canopus, second only to Sirius in brilliancy, but incomparably >■; brighter than the great Dog-star, could we see him at the same distance, for of the / stars, as of many things, it may truly be -■■> said, "Things are not always what they * seem," and the brightest are by no means - always the largest. Many of our bright stars, if placed at the distance of Canopus,; would cease to be visible. Wanganui,' April 30, 1911.