ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR OCTOBER

Progress, Volume VIII, Issue 2, 1 October 1912, Page 95

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR OCTOBER

By the Hon. Director Wanganui Observatory

THE SUN is in the constellation Virgo during the month. His declination is now south of the equator, increasing from 3.1 deg. on the Ist, to 14 deg. on the last day of the month ; his altitude at noon will be greater by the difference of 11 deg. during the same period. The Sun’s surface has been practically free from spots during the past month, but as we are now past the period assigned for its inactivity of this nature, a good look-out should be kept, as large spots may break out now at any time. ECLIPSE. —There will be a total eclipse of the Sun on the 11th, but this will not be visible in New Zealand. The line of central contact passes across South America and the Southern Ocean, but does not reach to our longitude. 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 Mars and Mercury on the 11th Venus on the 13th, in the morning, but will be seen near the bright evening star on that and the preceding evening ; near Jupiter on the 14th and loth, and near Saturn on the 24th. Her path through the constellations visible in our evening skies at about 8 p.m. is as follows: —As a orescent in Libra on the 13th; Scorpio on the 14th and loth, and nearest

the bright red star Antares on the 14th; Sagittarius on the 16th, 17th, and 18th; Capricornus on the 19th and 20th; Aquarius on the 21st and 22nd; Pisces on the 23rd, 24th, and 25th; Aries on the 26th and 27th; Taurus on the 23th and 29th; and nearest the bright star Aldebaran on the 29th; Gemini till the end of the month. THE PHASES OF THE MOON in New Zealand mean time Last quarter 4. days Bhrs. 18min. a.m. New Moon 11 days lhr. llmin. a.m. First quarter ... 18 days lhr. 36min. p.m. Full Moon 26dayslhr. 32min. p.m.

Perigee 8 days 6hrs. 18min. a.m. Apogee 20 days lhr. 30min. a.m. MERCURY is a morning star at the beginning of the month in Virgo. He is in superior conjunction on the 4th, after which he will be east of the Sun. He will be in con-

juncton with the Moon on the 11th; in conjunction and very close to Mars on the 14th; in his descending node on the 16th, and in Aphelion on the 26th. VEIN US is now an evening star shining brightly in the western evening sky. She is in her descending node on tn» 9th, in conjunction with the Moon on the 13th, and setting later night by night as the month advances. MARS is still east of the Sun, but too close to our luminary to be observed at this time. He will be in conjunction with the Moon on the 11th, and will make a close conjunction with the planet Mercury on the evening of the 14th. JUPITER is still an attractive object in the evening sky, in Scorpio, and well over to the west of the meridian in the early evening hours. He is in conjunction with the Moon on the morning of the 15th, and may be seen near our satellite on that and the preceding evening. His "belts" still form a very attractive spectacle when the planet has not got too near the horizon in the early evening, and the most interesting eclipses, transits, and occultations of his satellites may be viewed on the following evenings:— Ist, 2nd, 3rd, 7th, Bth, 9th, 10th, 12th, 16th, 17th. 18th, 19th, 25th, 26th, and 28th. URANUS is a evening star in Capricornus, and is stationary on the 10th. He is in conjunction with the Moon on the evening of the 18th, and in quadrature on the evening of the 23rd. NEPTUNE is in Gemini. He will be in conjunction with the Moon on the sth. THE CONSTELLATIONS for the middle of the month at about 8 p.m. are placed as follows: —The great square of Pegasus is prominent in the north, with Aquarius and Capricornus over it; Pisces Australis is over those again, the fine star Fomalhant being near the zenith. In the east, Cetus, the sea monster, is now well above the horizon, while Pisces is more to the north, with Aries rising under the Fisher. Towards the south-east the long trailing shape of Eridanus and the fine star Achernar is seen. East of south is Argo and the great Canopus, now rising well up in the sky. The Cross and "Pointers" are well down in the south-west, with the Triangle and Paro over them. The Scorpion is getting down in the western sky, followed by Sagittarius, while the last of Ophiuchus and Serpents are over the western point. Cygnus and Lyra are moving down to their setting in the north-west, with Aquila over them and the Dolphin.