ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, 1879.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1805, 4 December 1879, Page 2

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, 1879.

The last month ol the year! The aspects of the evening and midnight sky are very pleasing—there are the three superior planets descending to the horizon in the west, and in the morning the two inferior ones are harbingers of the approach of day. Venus especially will display her brilliancy during the evening and at midnight. Mars, who is nearly m opposition to the Sun, will he brilliant, hut not so much so as he would have been it his declination had not been so far north.

The Sun is in the sign Sagittarius, and will he until the 22d. 3h. a.m., when he enters Capricornus; ho has then his greatest southern declination, and we have the longest dnyj he will also ho at his nearest point to the earth at 3h. a.m, on the Ist of tho coming year. The length of day on the Ist will bo ahont Ith. 5Gm.; on the 10th about 15h. Bm. jon the 20th about 15h. 14m., and on the 30th about 15h. 11m. The Sun will he on tho meridian, or due north of Christchurch, on the Ist about llmin. 3sec. before noonj on the 10th about 7min. 19see. before noon ; on tho 20th about 2min. 31sec. before noon; on tbo 26th jnst at noon, and on the 30Lh ahont 2min. 25soc. after noon.

Tho Moon, in her monthly cironit round the earth, will pass by the planets in the following order:—To the south of Veuns in the morning of ■Wednesday, the 10th; to the south of Meronry in the evening of Saturday, 13th; to the north of Japiter in tho morning of Friday, tho 19th; to the north of Satnm in the evening of Monday, the 22nd ; and to the north of Mars in tho morning of Wednesday, the 24th. She will be at her greatest southern declination on Friday, tho 12th, and at her greatest northern on Friday, tho 2Gth. She will cross tho equator, coming southward, on Saturday, the Gth, and recross, going northward, on Friday-, the 19th. She will be very partially eclipsed on Monday, the 29th, for particulars of which see almanacs.

The phases or times of chang-e will he ai follows:

Last quarter on the 7th at 14 minutes after 7h. in the morning. New Moon on the 13th at 35 minutes after lOh. in the evening. First quarter on the 20th at 40 minutes after lOh, in the evening. Full Moon on the 29th at 40 minutes after 3h, in the morning. The Moon will bo nearest the earth on Saturday, the 13th, at 4b. in the morning; and at greatest distance on Christmas Day, at 2h. in the afternoon. Mercury at the beginning of the month will be an evening star, at the end a morning star. On the sd. llh. p.m. he will be in ascending node ; on the 10th day, at noon, at nearest point to the Sun ; on the lOd. lOh. p.m. in inferior conjunction with the Sun ; on the 13d. 3h. p.m. in conjunction with the Moon; distant sdeg. Cm. north; on the 20d. Bh. p.m. in greatest heliocentric latitude north; and on the 30d. 7h. p.m. at greatest elongation, 22deg, 3m. west.

Venus will be a morning star and very brilliant during tbo month. On the -Id., at midnight, at greatest elongation, 46deg. 47m. west; on the lOd. 7h. p.m. in conjunction with the Moon; distant Sdeg. 2m. north; and on the 13d. lOh. p.m. at nearest point to the Snn. Mars is an evening star, and will he during the month. On the 17d. 9h. a.m. ho will he stationary ; and on the 2td. Ch. p.m. in conjunction with the Moon ; distant Sdeg. Bm. south. Jupiter is 5 *3vening star. On the meridianon the Ist about sh, 45m. p.m.; on 10th about sh, 13m. p.m.; on the 20th about 4h. 40m. p.m.; and ou the 30th about 4U. Cm. p.m.; on the 19d. 10U. a.m. in conjunction with the Moon; distant Sdeg. 49m. south.

Saturn is an evening star, about 2 hours utter Jupiter. On the 13d. 2h. p.m. he will bo stationary; on the 22(1, 2h. am. in conjunction with the Moon ; distant Bdog. 28m. south ; and on the 31d. Ch. p.m. he will he in quadrature with the Sun. Uranus, on the 15d. Ih. p.m. will he stationary.