ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR MAY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8433, 3 May 1907, Page 3

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR MAY.

(Soecial to Age.) THE SUN is in the constellation Aries till the 15th, when he enters Taurus. His northern declination " increases by 7deg., and his altitude, at noon, decreases by the same amount during the month. There has been a marked decline in solar activity during the past month, .notwithstanding which a continual look out is advisable as there is no saying when a sharp rise may take place. THE MOON, in her monthly circuit of the heavens, comes into the vicinity of the planets and some of the brighter stars and serves as a convenient pointer to them. She will be near the planet Uranus on the morning of the 3rd to Jthe north; Mars on the same date 30 minuses later and to the north; Saturn on the morning of the Bth to the south; Venus on the evening of the 9th to the south; Mercury on the morning , of the 11th, the minor planet Vesta on the 12th, evening; Jupiter on the evening of the 16th to the south; Neptune on the morning of the 17th, yery close, to the south, and Uranus on the morning of the 30th, to the north. She will pass through the following constellations on the evenings stated and in the order given:— As a crescent in Gemini on the 16th and 17th; Cancer on the 18th and 19th; Leo on the 20th to the 22nd; 'and near the bright star Regulus on the 20th; Virgo on the 2,3 rd to the 25th, and near the bright star Spica on the evening of the 24th; in Libra on the 26th and early evening of the 27th, and near Alpha on the 2b'th'; Scorpio on the 27th and part of the 28th, and near the bright red star Antares (the heart of the Scorpion) on the latter date, and in Sagittarius till the end of the month. PHASES OF THE MOON in New Zealand mean time:—Last quarter, 5 days 9 hrs, 23min a.m.; new moon, 12 days, 7 hrs, 29min p.m.; first quarter, 20 days, 12 hrs, 57 min p.m.; new moon 28 days, 13 hrs 48 min a.m. MERCURY is a morning star at the beginning of the month, visible jisfc before sunrise. He is in the constellation Aries, and moving 'for- • ward amongst the stars. He will •be at his greatest heliocentric latitude south on the third morning, in .his ascending node on the morning of the 23rd, in superior conjunction on the evening of the 23rd, and in perihelion on the 27th. Venus is a morning star in the contsellation Pisces, moving forward. She will be in conjunction with the moon on the evening of the 9th, at Bhrs 32 min p.m., and in greatest heliocentric latitude south on the 23rd. She forms a brilliant object in the eastern morning sky, rising shortly before the sun, 15 degrees to the south of our luminary. Mars is an evening star in the con- j stellation, Sagittarius, moving for- , ward, close to the star Zeta. He will be in conjunction with Uranus on the 2rid at 10 hrs 42min a.m., in conjunction with the moon on the > 3rd and again on the 31st. Mars is . now a very prominent object, rising ! at the beginning of the month about S3 p.m. His angular diameter begins to assume respectable proportions,and will, shortly, repay study in fairsized telescopes. . Jupiter is still an evening star in Gemini, though well to the -wrest bf ' the meridian at sunset. He will be in 4 conjunction with the moon on the evening of the 16th at llhrs 14min., 1.5 degree separating the two bodies; in conjunction with Neptune on the morning of the 22nd, and stationary amongst the stars on the morning of the 26th. Interesting views of tran 1 sits, occulations, and eclipses of his principal-satellites,' may be obtained, on the evenings of the 2nd, sth, 6th, 7th,'9 th, 13th, 14th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 5 23rd, 25th, 2bth, 30th, and 31st. Saturn is now a morning star in Pisces, moving forward. He may be observed shortly before sunrise. He will be in conjunction with the moon on the morning of the Bth, at Bhrs 42min., at which time he will be removed from the centre of our satellite by 2.5 degrees of angular measurement to the north. Telescopists who wish to get the last glimpse of his ring as the edge ia gradually turned to our line of vision, should watch the phenomenon during the morning hours of the Present time. - . ' ') Uranus isi an evening star in Sagittarius, and has a _ westerly fort '•.ion in that constellation. „ He will be in conjunction with Mars on the morning of the 2nd at 10 hrs •42min, when he will be separated from the red planet by only 46 .minutes of arc to the north. The twp bodies will offer an interesting sight on this and the preceding evening, and will afford ah easy opportunity of picking up the planet for those not possessed of equatorially mounted telescopes with Circles. He Will be in conjunction with thejmoon on the morning of the third, andagain on the morning of the 30th of the month.

Neptune is an evening star in Gemini, having a forward motion amongst the stars. ; He will be in conjunction with the moon on the early morning of the 17th, passing very close at time of least apparent distance, which unfortunately, takes place when both bodies are below are horizon. Meteors may be looked for on the morning of the 17th, 18h, and 21st, in the constellations Hercules, Aquarius, and Pegasus. The constellations for the middle.of the month at about 8 p.m. may be seen as followsTo the north Leo, containing the bright star Regulus and Denebola, with a few stars of the Great Bear and Leo Minor immediately beneath him. Above may be seen Hydra, with the Crow ard Cup attached to the long winding form of this constellation. In the east may be seen Libra alid Scorpio, with the fine red star Antares in the latter constellation, with Virgo higher, containing the fine star Spica. South-east may been seen the Centaur with the cross and triangle; due south, Toucan, Hydrus, and part of Argo in order of altitude; southwest Eridanus with the fine star Achernar, part of Argo with the brilliant Canopus; and in the west Orion just setting, with the brilliant Sirius, and Canis Major, above him, having Columbia and Canis Minor .on either hand. THE HON. DIRECTOR, Wanganui Observatory. April 30th, 1907.