ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR JULY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8476, 2 July 1907, Page 3

ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR JULY.

The SUN is in the constellation Gemini till the 19th, when he enters Cancer, his northern declination decreases by rather more than 5 deg. during the month, whilej his altitude at noon increases by a like amount during the same period. A very fine exhibition of solar energy was observed from June 16th to 26th. On the former date a very fine group of spots consisting of two fine nuclei and a number of small spots were seen near the incoming limb. These larger umbrae became very interesting on the 18th and 20th, when rapid changes in form were noted. A good look out should be kept by all teiescopists as there may be one of those sudden rises in the curve of activity, at this time, and event by no means uncommon in the sunspot eye le.

ECLIPSE—There will be an annular eclipse of the sun on the 10th of July which will however be invisible in New Zealand. The central line passes through South America. 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 Saturn in the early morning of the Ist to the south; Venus on the morning of the 9th to the south; Neptune on the evening of the 10th, to the south, very close; Jupiter on the morning of the 11th to the south; iVlars on the evenings of the 23rd and 24th; Uranus on the morning of the 24th; Saturn on the morning of the 29th to the South of the planet. She will pass through the following constellations on the evenings stated, and in the order given:— A crescent in the constellation Leo on the 14th, and near the bright star Regulus on that date; in Virgo on the 15th, 16th. 17th and 18th, and mar the bright star Spica on the 18th, to the north; in Libra on the 19th and 20th, and near Alpha Librae on the early morning of the 21st; in Scorpio on the 21st and 22nd, and close to the fine red star Antares on the latter datfe; in Sagittarius on the 23rd to the 25th, and close to Epsilon on the 23rd; in Capricornus on the 26th and Aquarius on the 27th and 28th.

ECLIPSE. —There will be a partial eclipse of the moon on the 25th, but invisible in New Zealand. PHASES of the MOON in New Zealand mean time. —Last quarter, 3 days. 14 hours 4 minutes, a.m.; new moon, 11 days, 2 hours, 47 minutes, a.m.; first quarter, 18 days 12 hours, 42 minutes, p.m.; full moon, 25 days, 3 hours, 59 minutes, p.m.

MERCURY is an evening star at the beginning of the month in the constellation Cancer, moving forward amongst the stars till the 10th, when he appears stationary, after which he retrogrades. He wiU be in Aphelion on the early morning of the 10th; in conjunction with the moon on the evening of the 12th; in inferior conjunction on the evening of the 25th; and in greatest heliocentric latitude south on the 30th.

. VENUS is a morning star in the constellation Gemini, moving forward, and a brilliant object these clear mornings before sunrise. She will be in conjunction with the moon on the morning of the 9th; in her ascending node on the evening of the 18th; in conjunctionwith Neptune on the morning of the 22nd at 7hrs 6min being at the time 58 minutes of arc to the north of the x>uter planet; she will be in conjunction with Jupiter, a more interesting phenomenon on the morning of the 30th, but the closest approach does not take place till after sunrise. MARS is now an evening star in the constellation Sagittarius, slowly retrograding amongst the stars. He presents a most brilliant appearance, rising shortly after sunset in the south-eastern skies. His angular diameter is steadily increasing and will continue to do so until the 11th of the month, when it presents its maximum for this opposition, viz., 23sec. of arc. Some very interesting views have been obtained during the tetter end of May and June : its' south polar caps appeared unusually large at this apparition owing to the considerable portion of this region turned towards our planet. The dark region bordering the polar cap, and, considered by some to be the liquid matter due to the melting of the polar snows, certainly grows in distinctness as the polar marking diminishes, and several of the broader features of

the areography of the planet have been seen during the past month. He will be in opposition or, the 7th, when he passes the meridian at midnight, and]]will be in conjunction with the moon on the 24th' morning, appearing near oat satellite on this and the preceding evening. JUPITER is still an evening star, but rapidly going into the sun, which will be before him on the 16th, when he will become invisible, for a time, in his rays. SATURN is now an evening star, rising shortly before midnight, but the telescopic observer who would view his ringless appearance must stay well on into the small hours, or get up early, before sunrise, to see him to advantage. The average observer will doubtless wait another month, when he will be at a convenient altitude in the earlier hours of the night. He will be in conjunction with the moon on the 2nd and the 29th, and will appear stationary among the stars on the 11th. URANUS is an evening star in Sagittarius, moving retrograde i n that constellation. He will be in opposition to the sun on the 4th, and will appear in conjunction with the moon on the 24th of the m onth. NEPTUNE is a morning star in Gemini, moving forward. He will be in solar conjunction on the early morning of the 6th. METEORS. -There is a radiant located in Aquarius, near the star Delta, giving slowly moving meteors with long trains, but nothing of a very noticeable character has been seen in recent years. The CONSTELLATIONS for the middle month at about 8 p.m. are as follow:—In the north Hercules, to the east of the meridian, with Lyra and the bright star Vega low down. Between the stars Zeta and Eta in Hercules, aimost in a straight line connecting the two, may be found that splendid cluster Messier (13) the most compacted mass of stars visible from this planet. Over Hercules may be seen the serpent-bearer Ophiuchus with the writhing form of the snake extending east and west of the

"bearer"; in the zenith is the Scorpion with the fine red star An - tares —the rival of Mars —though at I the present time not to be compared with its more brilliant rival. West ! of the meridian is Bootes with the fine star Arcturus bearing the northern crown, and Coma Berencies on his either hand. Aquila and the bright star Altair and Capricornus may be seen in the east with Sagittarius under the large trapezium being, of course, the planet Mars. In the west is the last of Leo with the sea serpent Hydra bearing and Crater down to the horizon, while above them may be seen (Virgo, and the bright star Spica with Libra over these again. In the south, the Cross may be seen working downwards towards the horizon, followed by the two bright pointers, Alpha and Beta Centauri, the rest of that fine constellation being above the two pointers; to the left of the Cross is the Triangle with Pavo, Indus, Toucan and Hydrus below, and the Southern Crane, Grus, to the eastward, while to the south-west is Argo with the fine star Canopus skirting the southern horizon and Achernar at about the same distance from the southern meridian on the other side. | THE HON. DIRECTOR, Wanganui Observatory.