ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1418, 31 August 1878, Page 2

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER.

There is not much difference in the evening aspect of the heavens from that of last month. Venus etill retains her brilliancy, and disappears with the rising Sun. Previous to that Jupiter has disappeared beneath the western sky. The planet Saturn fs descending to the west, and the constellation Orion is approaching the meridian. The sun appears to be more genial, and gives us a little more of his presence daily; during the month he will equally divide with us his presence and his absence. He is in the sign Virgo, and will be until the 23d., 3h. p.m., when he enters Libra, being then on the equator, and wo have equal day and night. The length of day on the Ist will be about (lOh. 57m., on the 10th about llh. 11m., on the 20th about llh. 40m., and on the last day about 12h. 20m. The Sun will be on the meridian, or due north of Christchurch, on the Ist at 12 o’clock, on the 10th about 2m. 53sec. before 12, on the 20th about 6min. 30soc. before 12, and on the 30th about 9m. 60sec. before 12, The Moon, in Iher monthly course around the earth, will pass very near to J upitor in the evening of Saturday, the 7th; to the north of Saturn in the morning of Friday, the 13th; to the south of Mercury in the evening of Wednesday, the 25th; to the south of Venus in the evening of Wednesday, the 25th, and to the south of Mars at midnight on Thursday, the 26th. She will be at her greatest southern declination on Wednesday, the 4th, and at her greatest northern on Wednesday, the 18th. She will cross the equator going northward on Wednesday, the 11th, and return southward on Wednesday, the 25th. The phases of the Moon will be as follows : The first quarter on the 4th at 26 minutes after 7h. in the morning. Full Moon on the 12th at 19 minutes after 4h. in the morning. Last quarter on the 20th at 1 minute after Ch. in the morning New Moon on the 27th at 31 minutes after Ih. in the morning. The Moon will be at greatest distance from the earth on Friday, the 13th, at midnight, and nearest to on Friday, 27th, at 6h. in the morning. Mercury at the beginning cf the month is an evening star, and sets a little more than an hour after the Sun. For the latter x»art of the month he will be invisible on account of his proximity to the Sun; on the 3d. 2h. a.m. he will be in greatest heliocentric latitude south; on the 7d. Bh. p.m. in conjunction wiffi Mars, Mercury sdeg. 27miu. south ; on the lOd. fib. p.m. in inferior conjunction with the Sun ; on the lOd. Oh. a.m. he will be stationary; on the 22d. 2h. a.m. in ascending node ; ou the 25d. 9h. p.m. in conjunction with Venus,Mercury Odeg. 28min. south; on the 25d. lOh. p.m. in conjunction with the Moon, distant 4deg. Ornin, north; on the 26d. Ih. a.m. at greatest elongation, 17deg. ISraiu. west; and on the 26d. 4h. p.m. in nearest position to the Sun. Venus is a morning star and very brilliant; on the 12th she will be very near the star Eegulus, in the constellation Leo; on tho 20d. 7h. a.m. in nearest position to the Sun, and on the 25d. lOh. p.m. in conjunction with tho Moon, distant 4dog, 6min. north. Mars still retains his proximity to the Sun, and wi Ibe invisible during the month; on tho 18d. llh. p.m. ho will be in conjunction with the Sun, and on the 2Cth at midnight will bo in conjunction with the moon, distant sdeg. 16min. north. Jupiter still maintains his retrograde movement, and will do so until tho 25th, when ho becomes Stationary; on the Ist ho passes the meridau about 9h. 17m. p.m., and sets ab ut 4h. 41m. on tho following morning ; on the last day of the month ho passes tho meridian about 7h. 20m. p.m., and sots about 2h. 47m. a.m.; on the 7d. lOh. p.m. he will be in conjunction with and very near to tho Moon, distant only Odeg. 12min. Saturn also maintains his retrograde movement, andwi l do during the month. He is an evening star, rising on the Ist about 7h. 13m. p.m., ..nd setting about 7b. 29m. a.m. on the 30th; he rises about sh. 9m. p.m,, and sets about sh. 33m. a.m.; on the 13d, Bh. a.m. he will bo in conjunction with tho Moou, distant 7cleg. 6min. sou h, and ou the 23d. 3h. a.m. ho will be in opposition to the San. Uranus varias in meridian passage during the mouth from llh. 15m. a.m. on tho Ist to 9h, 40m. a.m. on the last, and has from 12 to lideg. of north deol nation. Neptune varies in meridian passage from 3h. 4m. a.m. ou the Ist to Ih. 50m, a.m. on tho last, and has about 13deg. of north declination.