ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR APRIL, 1878.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1259, 1 April 1878, Page 2

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR APRIL, 1878.

The evening sky does not present to us during the month any of the planets, with the exception of Mars, which may be seen for some time after the sun has set far back in the north-western part of the heavens. Before the end of the month Jupiter will rise a little before midnight, but not to be seen to much advantage, and we therefore give him the appellation of morning star. The midnight sky, although destitute of wanderers, is rich in fixtures. We can only enumerate a few. Commencing on the verge of the southern horizon is Achornar,,below the Pole j tracing the meridian above the Pole, we come to the Southern Cross; proceeding north is Beta, in the constellation Corvus, and not far distant on the east is Vega in Virgo; the meridian line terminates, or nearly so, in the constellation Coma; Bereuecies surrounded by small nebulae and double stars ; in the West Orion is sinking beneath the horizon ; crossing the Equator Regains is seen in the North-west, and Arcturus verging to the North-east. In the morning, from four to five o’clock, both Jupiter and Venus are considerably elevated, and the latter is in about her greatest brilliancy. The Sun is in the first of the northern signs, Aries, and will be until the 20th, when the last point of Aries crosses the meridian about lOh. 2min. a.m., and he enters Taurus. The length of day on the Ist will bo llh. 28min.; on the 10th, llh. 2miu.; on the 20th, lOh. 32miu.; and on the last day, lOh. smiu. The Sun will be on the meridian, or due north of Christchurch, on the Ist at 4min. after Pill., on the 15th he will be due north at 12h., and on the last day he will be there 3miu. before 12h. The Moon in her monthly circuit will on the morning of the 2nd pass to the north of Saturn ; on the evening of the 4th to the north of Mercury; on the morning of the Bth to the north of Mars ; on the 24th, near midnight, within less than a degree to the sontn of Jupiter; on the 2-. th, near midnight, north of Venus; and on the 29th, in the afternoon, to the north of Saturn. The phases, or times of change, will be as follows New Moon—3d., at 44min. past 8 in the morning First quarter—lid., at 24min. past 2 in the morning Full Moon—l7d, at 28min. past sin the evening Last quarter—24d., at 4 min. past 8 in the evening. The moon will be at greatest distance from the earth early in the morning on Monday, the Ist, nearest to the earth in the forenoon of Tuesday, the 16th, and again at greatest distance in the afternoon of Sunday, the 28th. She will have greatest northern declination on Sunday, the 7th, and the greatest southern on Saturday, the 20th. Mercury for the present month is invisible, being in too great proximity to the sun. On the 3d. sh. p.m. he will be in nearest position to the sun ; on the 4d. 6'h. p.m. in conjunction with the moon, distant 3deg. 67min. south; on the 16d. 6h. a.m. in greatest elongation 19deg. 40min. east; and on the 26d. 7h. p.m. stationary. Venus is a morning star, and at about her greatest brilliancy; on the 26d. 7h. p.m. will be in descending node, and on the 28d. llh. p.m. will be in conjunction with the moon, distant 3deg. 19min south. Mars is an evening star, and sets in the far northwest a little after Bh. p.m., and is in conjunction with the moon Bd. 4h. a.m. distant 3deg. 34min. south. Juriter is a morning star, and very brilliant; on the 24d. Bh. p.m. will be in conjunction with the moon, distan Odeg. 54min. north; and on the 2Cd. 4h. p.m. in quadrature with the sun. Saturn is a morning star rising a little more than an hour before the sun ; is in conjunction with the moon 2d. Ih. a.m., distant odeg. 27min. south, and again in conjunction with the moon 29d. 2h. p.m., distant sdeg. 52miu. south. Neptune on the 29d. 6h. p.m, will be in conjunction with the sun.