ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR THE MONTH OF MAY, 1878.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1285, 2 May 1878, Page 2

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR THE MONTH OF MAY, 1878.

There is little change in the aspect of the evening shy since last month, Mars retaining nearly his relative position in the north-west, but Jupiter will appear in the cast about 10),h p.iu., and by the end of the month will rise a little after 9 o’clock. In the morning, from 4 to 5 o’clock, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn will all be visible, and by the end of the month Mercury will rise about 5 a.m. On the 7th Mercury will cross the Sun’s disc. The beginning will be invisible in Now Zealand, but the internal contact at egress will be about lOh 15m a.m. The Sun is in the sign Taurus, and will be until the 21st, when he enters Gemini. The length of day on the Ist will be about lOh 3m, on the 10th about 9h tOm, on the 20th about 9h 20m, and on the last day about 9h 3tn. The Sun will be on the meridian, or due north of Christchurch, on t he Ist at 2m SSsoo before 12, on the 10th at 3m 46sec to 12, and on the last day at 2m 12scc to 12. The Sun’s declination on the 31st will he about 21dcg 51min north. The Moon in her peregrinations during the mouth will pass to the north of Mercury ou Friday the 3rd, to the north of Mars on Monday the (sth, to the sonth of Jupiter on the morning of Wednesday the 22nd, to the north of Saturn early in the morning of Monday the 27th, to the north of Venus near midnight ou Tuesday the 28th, and again to the north of Mercury on the evening of Thursday the 30th. The Moon will he at her greatest northern declination on Sunday the 6th, and at her greatest southern on Saturday the 18th. She will be nearest to the earth on Tuesday morning the 14th, and greatest distance on Sunday morning the 2(Jth. Her phases or times of change will be as follows ; New Moon ou the 3rd at 21 minutes after Ihiu the morning. First quarter ou the 10th at 2 minutes after lOh in the morning. Full Moon ou the 17th at 2 minutes after 2h iuthe morning. Last quarter on the 24th at 11 minutes after 2h in the afternoon. Mercury on the Ist will rise about the same time sthe Sun ; on the 3d 2h p.m. will he in conjunction with the Moon, distant 4dcg 4miu south ; on the 7th transit the Sun’s disc, more than half of which will be crossed at the time the Sun rises, and the final external contact takes place about 18min after 10h a.m. On 7d 6h a.m. in inferior conjunction with the Sun, and at noon on the same day in descending node; ou the 17d 5h a.m. at greatest distance from the Sun ; on the 19th at noon stationary, audou the 30d 6h p.m. will again be in conjunction with the Moon, distant 9deg Bmiu south. Venus is a morning star and very brilliant. She rises a liHlo before 3h and sets about 3h p.m ; on the 2d ia p.m. tbc is at greatest elongation

46dog 7min west; ou the 6d lOh p.m. in conjunction with Saturn, distant Icleg 13imn north ; on the 28d llh p.m. in conjunction with the Moon, distant 7dog 23min south', and the 30d llh d.m. at greatest distance from the Sun. , ... Mars is an evening star, and at his greatest decliuatiou north. He sets outlie Ist about 7h 23m p.m.; on the 10th about 7h 14m p.m., and on the 20th about 7h 3m p.m.; on the 6d 6hp.m, he will be in conjunction with the Moon, distant *-deg 28mm Jupiter is a morning star, ou the meridian a little before 6h a.m.; on the 22d lOh a.m. will be in coni'miction with the Moon, distant Odeg 24miu north, and on the 26d llh a.m. ho will be stationary. Saturn is a morning star, rising about 3h a.m., and will be in conjunction with the Moon ou the 27d 3h a.m., distant 6deg 22min south Uranus ou the 3d 3h p.m. will be stationary, and ou the ICd lOh p.m. in quadrature with the Sun. Neptune will be ou the meridian, near noon ou the Ist, having I2sdeg of north declination.