Astronomy.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 16, 15 July 1893, Page 3

Astronomy.

NOTES FOR JULY

A gopd chance for seeing Mercury now exists. The great astronomer (Copernicus) bitterly complained on his death-bed, “ That long as he had lived he had not seen Mercury.” He is nearest the sun; being 36,476,000 miles off, and he may vary from 12 to 46 millions of miles from the earth. At present he is some 29,000,000 miles from us. Mercury and Venus, being internal to us, are only to be seen an hour or two before twilight. They seem to shoot out of the dawn for a short distance, then run back, becoming morning and evening stars alternately. They only can be seen crossing the sun. On May 10, ’9l, we had a transit ef Mercury, and will again on Nov. 10th, 1894, and Nov. 4th, 1901 —so next year be will be important. Only a few times in the year is Mercury above the horizon—when it is dark, and that only for a few days at a time, added to which cloud and mist so often obscure the sky near the horizon and the red colour may be mistaken for other red stars —Aldebaran, Arcturus, Saturn, Antares. Mercury, Venus, and Mars are all very close at present, Venus making a good guide for finding the others. Mars being at a great distance off, is very dull, and the observer would probably need a telescope. He sets a little to north of Venus, and Mercury is above Venus at the western border of Leo. The bright red-coloured star higher than Venus is Mercury. On July 14 they set— H.M. Sun set ... 4.40 p.m.—railway time Mercury ... 7.0 p.m. „ „ Venus ... 6.16 p.m. „ Mars ... 6.2 p.m. „ „ On July 19 — Sun sets ... 4.44—railway time Mercury ... 7.0 „ Venus ... 6.28 „ Mars ... ... 6.28 „ Invercargill time is 16 mins, slower than railway time. Mebccby.