ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY, 1880.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1833, 7 January 1880, Page 4

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY, 1880.

The first month of the year. The aspect of the evening sky is pleasing, tho threo superior planets are abovo the horizon, hat verging to the West. Jupiter sets a littlo after lOh. t>.m. Saturn sets a little before 13h., and Mars a littlo after 12h. Mercury and Venus are again the harbingers of day. Venus rises near 2h. a.m., and Mercury between 2h. and 3h. a.m. Tho midnight sky is, perhaps, the prettiest iu tho year, Canopus and iirius on the meridian, tho former almost iu tho zenith, and more stirs of the first magnitude than at any other part of the year, are then to bo seen. The Sun is iu the sign Capricornus, and will be until the 20th, when he enters Aqnarins, having then about 20 deg. of Southern decliuation. The length of day on the Ist will be about 15h. 10m.; on tho 10th about 15h. lm.; on the 20th about 14h. 43m.; and oa tho 30th about llh. 24m. The Sun will bo on tho meridian, or due North of Christchurch, about 3min. 22see. afternoon; on the 10th about 7miu. 24sec. after noon; on tho 20th about llmiulsoc. afternoon; and on the 30th about 13min. 25sec. after, noon. On the 12th the sun will be eclipsed, but invisible in New Zealmd, its southern limflM only retch the Gulf of Carpentaria. Tho Moon in her monthly circuit round the Earth passes to tho south of Venus in the morning of Friday, the 9th ; to the south of Mercury in the evening of Saturday, the 10th ; to the north of Jupiter in tho morning of Friday, the 16th; to the north of Saturn in the evening of Sunday, the 18th; and to tho north of Mars in the evening of Wednesday, the 21st. She will be at her greatest southern declination on Friday, the 9th, and at her greatest northern on Friday, the 23rd. She will cross the Equator coming southward on Friday, the 2nd; recross going northward on Thursday, the 15th; and cross again coming southward on Friday, tho 30th. The Moon's phases or times of change will be as follows: Last quarter on tho sth at 19 minutes after Ch. in the evening. New Moon ou the 12th at 10 minutes after lOh. in the morning. First quarter on tho 19th at 11 minotes after Ch. in the evening. Full Moon ou tho 27th at 43 minutes after 9h. in the evening.

The Moon will be nearest to the Earth at noon on Saturday, the 10th, aud at greatest distance from on Thursday, tho 22ud, at 7h. in the morning. Mercury is a morning star throughout the month, aud rises on the Ist at abont 3h. a.m., or lh. 31m. before the Sun ; ou the 10th he rises about 3h. 4m. a.m., or lh. 35m. before tho San; on the 20th he rises about 3h. 25m. a.m., or lh. 25m. before the Sun; and on the 30thhe rises about 4h. a.m., or lh. lm. before the Sun. On tho lOd. lOh. p.m. he will be in conjunction with tho Moon, distant Ideg. 47m. north ; on the 13d. 7h. a.m., in descending node, and on the 23rd, at noon, at groate3t distance from the Sun.

Venus is a morning Btar throughout the month, and will be very brilliant. She rises on the Ist about lh. 47m. a.m.; on the 10th about lh. 43m. a.m.; on the 20th abont lh. 4Gm. a.m.; and on the 30th abont lh. 52m. a.m. On the 4d. Bh. p.m. she will bo in greatest heliocentric latitude north, and on tho 9a\ 7h. a.m. will be in conjunction with the Moon, distant 6deg. 6m. north. Mars is an evening star throughout the month, but on account of his great northern declination, his aspect is diminutive; he sets on the Ist nearly an hour after midnight, and at the eud of the month about llh. 22m. p.m. On tho 21d. 2h. p.m. he will bo iu conjunction with the Moon, distant 2deg. 31m. south. Jupiter is an evening star; he set 3 on the Ist about lOh. 3Gm. p.m.; on the 10th about lOh. 37m. p.m.; on the 20th about 9h. 33m. p.m.; and on the 30th about Bh. 58m. p.m. He will be in conjunction with the Moon on the lCd. sh. a.m., distant about 6deg. sm. south.

Saturn is an evening star; he sets on the Ist abont llh. 52ra. p.m.; on the 10th about llh. 17m. p m.; on the 20th about lOh. 37m. p.m.; and on the 30th about lOh. p.m. On the 18d. lh. p.m. he will be in conjunction with tho Moon, distant Bdeg. 21m. south.

Neptune on the 20d. 9h. a.m. will be stationery, and on the 30d. 6h. a.m. in Quadrature with the Sun.