Astronomy.

Progress, Volume VII, Issue 2, 1 December 1911, Page 928

Astronomy.

Astronomical Notes for December.

BY THE HON. DIRECTOR, WANGANUI OBSERVATORY. The Sim is in the Constellation Scorpio till the 19th, when he enters Sagittarius. His southern declination increases till the morning of the 23rd; the Summer Solstice occurring at lOh. 24m. a.m. of that date. This is the longest day, the date varying according to the moment when the Sun, reaching his greatest southern declination, is contained in the day at the place of reckoning.

Sun Spots have practically vanished from the solar surface for the time being. People who delight in charging all extreme of weather to the effect of sunspots, will now be at a loss to know where to lay the blame.

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 Saturn on the evening of the 4th, Mars, and close to this planet, on the sth, Venus on the morning of the 17th, Jupiter on the 19th, Mercury on the 21st, and Uranus on the 23rd. Her path through the Constellations visible in our evening skies, at about 8 p.m., is as follows:—In her second quarter in Aries on the Ist to the 4th; Taurus on the sth and 6th; Gemini on the 7th and Bth, after which she rises late in the evening. She will be seen as a crescent in Caprieornus on the 23rd and 24th, Aquarius on the 25th to the 27th; Pisces on the 28th to the 30th; and Aries again on the last night of the month.

Phases of the Moon in New Zealand mean time:— Pull Moon . . 6 days 2 hrs 22 min. p.m. Last Quarter .. 13 days 5 hrs. 16 min. a.m. New Moon . . 21 days 3 hrs. 17 min. a.m. First Quarter . . 29 days 6 hrs. 17 min. a.m. Perigee . . 7 days Ohrs. 30 min. p.m. Apogee . . 22 days 1 hr. 36 min. p.m. Mercury is an evening star at the beginning of the month in the Constellation Sagittarius. His nath is to the east amongst the stars. He will be in conjunction Avith the star Lambda Sagillarii on the evening of the 7th; at greatest elongation east on the folloAviug ei'ening

20.9 deg. angular from the Sun’s centre; stationary amongst the stars on the evening of the 16th; in conjunction with the Moon on the evening of the 21st; in perihilion on the 23rd; and in inferior conjunction again on the 26th. Venus is a morning star during the month, moving back towards the Sun’s place. She will be in perihelion on the 11th; in conjunction with the Moon on

at an earlier hour. He cannot be mistaken, as he now shines so brightly and with such a ruddy tinge just to the right ° f the Pleiades. He is not well placed for southern observers at this opposition, as he is nearly 22 deg. to the north of the celestial equator, and at Wanganui has only an altitude of 28.3 deg. As a resuit, combined with the indifferent weather of the last few weeks, no

Saturn is now sharing with Mars the honours of the evening skies. He is to be found in the Constellation Aries, to the left of, and above the position of Mars, shining with a steady yellowish light, His ring system is now most interesting, and his greater altitude gives clearer images in the telescope, under high powers, at this time. No one should miss seeing this, the most interesting of all the

the 17th, to the north of our satellite, She is now a splendid object in the early morning sky, and a most interesting one in the telescope at this time. Mars is now past opposition, but is in a better position in the early evening sky than during November, as he is nearer the Meridian, and his greatest altitude

good views of his surface markings have yet been obtained. He will be in conjunction with the Moon on the sth, and stationary amongst the stars on the 30th. Jupiter is now a morning star in the Constellation Libra, emerging from the Sun’s place. He will be in conjunction with the Moon on the 19th.

planetary bodies. He will be found to the South of the Moon on the 4th. Uranus is still an evening star in Sagittarius. He will be in conjunction with the Moon on the 23rd. Neptune, in the Constellation Gemini, is an evening star. He will be in conjunction with the Moon on the 9th, when our satellite will pass five and threequarter degrees to the north of the planet. Meteors may be looked for from Gemini, from about the 4th to the 10th of the month; also from Taurus during the earlier part of the month.