ASTRONOMICAL NOTES

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 907, 8 January 1881, Page 3

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES

The following Astronomical Notes for 1881, furnished by the Ven. Archdeacon Stock, appear in the Wellington Almanack just published: —“ There is much this year for the observer, of singular interest. The middle of an almost total eclipse of the Moon will be at 4h. 38m. a.m. December 6. The Moon will set at Wellington about 3h. 20m., so that it is very possible that from the increasing twilight, and decrease of the Moon’s light from the Earth’s shadow, that the Moon will become invisible. There will be a transit of Mercury on November 8, commencing at 9h. 46m. a.m., ending at 3h. 7m. p.m. Mercury will cross the centre of the Sun, touching the Sun on the right hand side. If it be a clear day, a sharp eye may detect the planet, but any telescope will show it plainly; of course the observer must use a dark glass to protect the eye. Observers should watch whether there be any ring of light, or of shadow,

around Mercury when on the Sun ; or any spot of light on the disc. The transit is of value only as practice for the transit of lBB2. With a large telescope care should be taken to see whether the whole disc can be detected when part only is on the Sun. The planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune will be at their nearest approach to the Sun, or at their perihelia, in this year. Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune will be near one another, but Uranus is far distant from the three on the right. At Wellington and at all places south of latitude 40deg. the Moon will occult Venus on August 21, at 2h. 19m. a.m.; she will occult Mars on September 16 at Hi. 20m. a.m. In December Mars will be in opposition, and will shine with great brilliancy”