ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR SEPTEMBER.
Bt John- Ghigg, F.R.A.S.
THE SUN. I During this month the Sun will traverse a path in Leo and Virgo from r a 10.42 to r a 12.26 and in declination from north 8.37 to south 2.50, crossing the Equator at 4.15 a.m. on the- 24th, at which period day and night will be equal throughout the world, Spring commencing in this hemisphere and Autumn in the Northern. The Sun's longitude being then 180deg., it i^ technically said to enter the " sign " Libra, but this expression is rarely used by modern astronomers, as the point of intersection of the Sun's apparent path with the plane of the Equator has long since receded from the " constellation " of Libra into that of Virgo; and the Sun'e position in the ecliptic is sufficiently defined by stating its longitude without reference to the particular constellation that is rendered invisible by it. THE MOON. The Moon's phases will occur as fol-
THE PLANETS. Mercury will be an "evening star throughout the month, setting from one to one and a-half hours after the Sun. It will be in Aphelion on the Bth, ot greatest elongation (apparent distance from Sun, 27deg east) on the 17th, and stationary on the 30th. Venus will also be an evening star, setting about an hour later than Mercury, the Moon passing it between the evenings ot the 17th and 18th. Mars.— rThis planet is now the most conspicuous of all, rising in the early evening and remaining visible all night, so near to us that ifc appears as a ball of brilliant fire. It will be near the Moon on the 2nd and 29th, and" in opposition to the Sun on the 24th. . Jupiter will be practically invisible to us this month as it passes the Sun on. ! the 18th. _. • , ! Saturn is still retrograde in Pisces, and is well placed for observation, being near ! opposition and having its rings well opened out. It is 9 or lOdeg. farther north than Mars, and comes to the Meridian about an hour later than that planet throughout the month. The Moon will be near it on the 3rd and 30th. . Uranus is moving slowly backward m Sagittarius, and will become stationary on the 27th, in r a 19.14, dec. south 22.49, after which it will resume its forward journey. It may be found very near 1 the Moon on the 24th. . Neptune, in Gemini, will be near tne Moon at "its rising in the early morning ! of the 10th, its position being r a 1.41 dee. north 21.26. ' Vesta.— This minor planet will no. conveniently placed for observation • m- the western aky during the monft, itr *ppearanoa being that of a -star of: the seventh magnitude. It 3 position on the Bth will be v. a. 16. 41 dec. S. 21.38 in Ophmchus (or about 6deg N.E. of Antares), it having passed the meridian a little before sunset. CULMINATIONS. The following bright stars, aa seen from Dunedhi, will culminate at the hours named on the Ist of the month, and 3min 56sec earlier daily afterwards: —
These times a»e calculated for the meridian of Port Chalmers, and reduced to New Zealand standcrd time — llhr 30miu fa*t of Greenwich. For inland places on or about the same latitude on* minute should be added for every 12 miles westward. If a compass is used for finding the meridian, allowance must be made for its variation, which is given as 16.45 east of true north OPPOSITION OF MARS. Th.i-4 phenomenon, which was briefly referred to last month, will eventuate on the even-ng of the 24th, at about 9.30, the Sun and planet then being distant from each other 180deg of longitude. It may be noted as a coincidence that thie date is \wthin a tew l--..urs of that of the Equinox. Th« planex's latitude will only be a little o\er ld<>g. South: therefore, the three orbs — Sun, Earth, and Mars — will be almost in a straight line. The distance of Mars from the Earth will be 36 millions of miles, which it, le*> by twe million than it was at the la*>t (-ppbsition in 1907. The great interest that for some years pa«t has been taken in the suggested probability of liars being inhabited by intelligent beings is always specially in evidence at the period of opposition, when the most powerful telescopes in the world are directed towards the planvt, and its disc sorutinieed to note any changes that may be apparent. Photographs are also taken, and subsequently the results are discussed at leisure. Up to the present time, however, there has been no general consensus of opinion on this subject.
Antares Lambda Scorpii Epsilon Sa.gitca.rii Vega Pi Sagitterii Altair h .'. 5 ... 6 _ 7 ... 8 ... 8 .. 9 l. -in. i 52 56 2 32 44 Altitude. N. 70.25 N. 81.13 N. 78.37 N. 5.29 N. 65.21 N. 35.33
d. h. m. Last quarter ..* *... 7 7 14 a.m. New ... .- . ... 15 2 3? *.m. First quarter 23 6 1 a*m. Full 30 0 35 a.m. Perigee .»» 17 0 a.m. Apogee ... *. ... ... 16 v 9 0 p.m. Perigee 30 4 30 a.m.
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Otago Witness, Issue 2895, 8 September 1909, Page 14
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854ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR SEPTEMBER. Otago Witness, Issue 2895, 8 September 1909, Page 14
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