THE FACE OF THE SKY FOR FEBRUARY. 



Bv W. SHACKLETOX. F.R.A.S.. V.R.C.S. 



The Sun. — On the 1st the Sun rises at 7.42 and sets at 4.46; 

 on the 2Sth he rises at 6.52 and sets at 5.35. The equation 

 of time is nearly 14 minutes throughout the month, the Sun 

 being later than the clock ; this makes the afternoons longer 

 than the mornings. Sunspots may occasionally be observed, 

 though they are not very numerous. The positions of the 

 Sun's axis, centre of disc, and holiographic longitude are given 

 below : — 



Towards the end of February and early March the Zodiacal 

 Light should be looked for in the West, ijiiiiiediately after 

 Sunset. 



The Moon : — 



OccULT.\TlONS. — The following are the principal occulta- 

 tions visible in this country : — 



THE PLANETS. 



Mercury is a mt ..ing star throughout the :nonth, rising in 

 the S.E. by E. at about 5.30 a.m. The planet is at greatest 

 Westerly elongation g_ 25" 17' on Febru;:ry 2nd; the 

 elongation is moderately favourable and about iJ:": date one 

 has the best chance of seeiii:^ this elusive planet, il^ugb it 

 will be necessary to observe before 7 a.m. 



Venus: — 



Venus is ,tn e\ening star in Virgo, setting about two hours 

 after the Sun towards the end of the month, and thus 

 obser\able for a short time in the West, immediately after 

 Sunset. In the telescope the planet appears nearly at "full," 

 O-q? of the disc being illuminated, with an apparent diameter 

 of 10". 



M.-\RS : 



Mars is visible in the mornings, rising about 5.15 a.m. near 

 the middle of February. The planet is situated in Sagittarius, 

 but is rather an inconspicuous object and ill-suited for 

 observing through the telescope, the apparent diameter of the 

 disc being less than 5". 



Jui'lTER : — 



Jupiter rises in the E.S.E. before midni.ght at the end of the 

 month ; on the 1st February he rises at 1.20 a.m., and on the 

 1st March at 11.35 p.m. The planet, with his bright moons, 

 dark equatorial belts and spots, is an interesting object even in 

 small telescopes. He is in quadrature on the 3rd February, 

 and at the stationary point on the 1st March. The equatorial 

 diameter of the planet is JS", whilst the polar diameter is 2"-5 

 smaller. This polar fl.attening is readily observed in telescopes 

 powerful enough to see the belts, but the satellites may be 

 seen in small telescopes, such as deer-stalkers of about li 

 inches aperture, or even in a good pair of prismatic binoculars 

 magnifying eight times. The Moon appears near the planet 

 on the 19th. 



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