POST OFFICE NOTICES.

Evening Star, Issue 3465, 31 March 1874, Page 2

POST OFFICE NOTICES.

HAILS CLOSE, ' Southland. -Per Wanganui, on "Wednesday, April 1, at 2.30 p.m. 'Southland .and. Austealian Colonies.— Per Albion,-on Thursday, April 2, at 4 p.ni. Bate fees till 4.30 p.m. British Mails, via San Francisco, will close at this Office on Tuesday, April 7. .f-Friday, 3rd instant (Good Friday), being n Post-office Holiday, mails for despatch that day will close at 8 p.m. the night previous. _ A STEVENSON, * r , Acting Ohiex Pofttmutor, Woiel Pcnj;, Oflfaß, Dunedin, ; / March 31,1874, ’

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR APRIL. , „ For the Use op Star-gazers. THE PLANETS. 1. Mercury.—Persons who do not object to early rising mil be able to get a capital view of this body about the 15th of the month. The best time to see it will be about half an hour before sunrise, when it will be a considerable distance above the horizon, somewhat to the north of east. It cannot well be mistaken, as there will be no considerable star in the same direction. Those who really wish to see this planet will do well not to neglect the present opportunity, as it is rarely in an altogether favorable position for observation. On this occasion its angular distance from the Sun will be more than 270. Its appearanse at the time mentioned will be, in a telescope of considerable power, that of a half-moon. 2. Venus.—Towards the end of the month Venus may be caught sight of just after sunset, nearly in the track of the Sun. It is too far off to be an object of much interest at present. 3. Mars. - Unfavorably situated. , 4. Jupiter.—This planet will be a splendid object throughout the month. It will be due north at about ten p.tn. in the middle of the month. Persons who possess telescopes will now find Jupiter an excellent object. One of the dusky belts near the Equator could be easily made out, even with the help of a very moderate instrument. Two others are also ; quite distinct. 5, Saturn.—Visible in the mornings. It will

be quite high up in the east before daylight. It is not close to any considerable star, hut is west of a line joining Altair and Fomalhaut. These stars are white; Saturn is golden yellow. 6. IJranus may'still be observed early in the evening: its position is very little changed from what it. was last month. It is just to the right ■ of the hazy speck in Cancer. 7. Neptune cannot be observed this month. First Magnitude Stabs. Positions at about 10 p.m. on April 1; at about 9 p.m. on April 16; and at about 8 p.m. on April 30. LOOKING NORTH. 1. Sirius,—A white star, the brightest in the sky. Pretty high up in the west, above the three atars that form Orion’s Belt, and nearly in a line with them, 2. Rigel.—A large white star to the south of the Belt, forming with the upper of its three stars a line nearly parallel to the horizon. 3. Betelgeuse.—A large red star, occupying nearly the same position to the north of the Belt as Rigel does to the south, except that it forms with the lower of the three stars of the Belt a line nearly parallel to the horizon. 4. Procyon.—To the north of Betelgeuse and Sirius, and forming an equilateral triangle with them. A yellowish star. 5. Regulus.—A white star, at a moderate elevation, a little to the left of due north, the brightest of the six or seven stars which make up the configuration often called “ The Sickle.” It is a considerable distance to the left of Jupiter, and somewhat lower down. 6. Arcturus, rising in the N.W. A fine yellow star. 7. Spica.—A white star, at a considerable distance to the right of Jupiter. 8. Antares.—A bright red star in the magnificent constellation of the Scorpion. It is nearly as high in the sky as Regulus, but a little south of east. LOOKING SOUTH. 1. Alpha Crucis.—The brightest star in the Southern Cross, somewhat to the left of due south j very high up; white, with a bluish tinge. 2. Beta Orncis. —The second brightest star in the Cross; bluish white. 3. Beta Oentauri.—-The first bright star to the left of the Cross; white. 4. Alpha Centauri, to the left of Beta; a yellow star. 6. Canopus.—Pretty high up on the right; white; very bright. 6. Achernar.—Very low down, somewhat to tnft Tipht nf