Astronomy.

Progress, Volume VI, Issue 9, 1 July 1911, Page 728

Astronomy.

Astronomical Notes for July. The Sun is in the constellation Gemini till the 18th, when he enters Cancer. His distance from the Earth is greatest on the 3rd. His northerly declination is now decreasing, making a rise in altitude at true noon of nearly 5 degrees. The solar surface, during the past month, has been almost entirely devoid of spots, denoting a close approach to time of minimum “spot” activity.

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 Jupiter on the evening of the sth; Uranus on the evening of the 12th; Mars on the morning of the 20th; and Saturn on the morning of the 21st, She will be passing through the following constellations during the early evenings of the given dates:—ln Leo on the Ist and 2nd; Virgo on the 3rd, 4th, and sth; Libra on the 6th and 7th; Scorpio on the Bth Sagittarius on the 9th, 10th and 11th; Capricornus on the 12th, 13th and 14th Aquarius on the 15th and 16th after which she rises late in the evening. Phases of the Moon in New Zealand mean time —

Mercury is a morning star at the beginning of the month, in Gemini. He will be in perihelion on the Ist, in superior conjunction on the 4th, and his descending node on the 9th, and in greatest heliocentric latitude north on the following day; in conjunction with the Moon on the evening of the 27th; and in conjunction with the bright star Regulus on the 30th, when a very interesting view of both bodies may be had in a small telescope, or pair of field glasses, and better in a telescope of larger proportions, when useful comparison can be made of the two bodies, their light, magnitudes, etc.

Venus is now the brilliant evening star of the western skies. Shining brightly in the waning light of early evening, she immediately arrests the eye of the observer looking towards the west. She is at her greatest eastern elongation on the Bth, at which time her angular distance from the Sun’s centre is 45.5 deg.; she is in her descending node on the 17th; and in conjunction with the Moon on the 29th, and Will appear close to the body on the same evening, when the two will present a very interesting appearance in the western skies.

Mars is still a morning star in Pisces, slightly west of the star Mu. He is still too far away for useful observations to be made of his surface markings; the only object clearly visible upon his small, ruddy disc is his snow cap. He will be in perihelion on the 2nd; and in conjunction with: the Moon on the 20th.

Jupiter is an evening star on the borders

of Virgo, and is a splendid object in our evening skies at this time. He well repays telescopic scrutiny, even in a ' small “hand’ telescope his disc may be made out, and his four larger moons clearly seen, and their motions watched. He will be stationary amongst the stars on the 3rd; in conjunction with the moon on the evening of the sth, at 51min. past 8; and will be in quadrature with the sun on the last day of the month.

Saturn is a morning star at this time rising about three hours before the sun, in the constellation Aries. He will be in conjunction with the Moon on the Ist, being 3.5 degrees to the south of our satellite at the time. His beautiful ring system, now well inclined to the observer’s line of sight, presents an object of great beauty, and one that should not be missed by telescopists at this time who find themselves “opposed” to him in the early morning hours.

Uranus is an evening star in the constellation Sagittarius having a retrograde path amongst the stars at this time. He is in conjunction with the Moon on the 12th.

Neptune is a morning star in Gemini. He is in conjunction with Mercury on the 9th, and with the Moon on the 25th.

Meteors.A radiant located in the constellation Aquarius may be watched during the early part of the month. These are generally slow-moving meteors with long, bright trains, and the centre is near the star Delta.

The Constellations for the middle of the month at about 8 p.m. are placed as follows: —Hercules and Bootes, with the Northern Crown (significant at this time) near the meridian. It may be of interest to those who take interest in these matters that, as the Coronation ceremonies are taking place in London, wo in New Zealand may see Corona Borealis at its culmination in our evening sides. Serpens and Ophiuchus, with Libra and Scorpio still higher, well up to the zenith. In the east we may see the Eagle rising, easily identified by the three bright stars, the central being Altair, the brightest. Capricorns and Sagittarius are over these, and Grus and Pisces Australis further towards the south. The Southern Cross is now making its way downwards on. the western side of the South Pole, followed by the “pointers,” Alpha and Beta Centauri. To the left of the Cross are the Triangle, Pavo, Indus and Toucan, and Hydros below, Argo and the brilliant Canopus are now getting well down in the south, while Achernar is rising in the south-east. In the west Leo is setting, also part of Hydra, the Watersnake, bearing down with himself, Corvus and Crater, and over these is Virgo and the bright star Spica. June 30, 1911.

First Quarter . 3 days 7 lirs. 50 min. p.m. Full Moon . 12 days 0 hrs. 23 min. a.m. Last Quarter . . 19 days 5 hrs. 1 min. p.m. New Moon . 26days 7 hrs. 42 min. a.m. Apogee 9 days 2 hrs. 12 min. p.m. Perigee . 24 days 10 hrs. G min. p.m.