THE FACE OF THE SKY FOR AUGUST. 



By \\". SHACKLHTOX, F.K..\.S., .A.K.C.Sc. 



The Sun. — On the 1st the Sun rises at 4.24 and sets at 

 7.4<S ; on the 31st he rises at 5.11 and sets at 6.51. Sun spots 

 are not very numerous ; small groups are occasionally visible 

 on the solar disc. 



The positions of the Sun's axis, centre of the disc, and 

 heliographic longitude of the centre are given in the following 

 table ;— 



Venus : 



The Moon ; 



OCCULTATIONS. — The following occultations of the brighter 

 stars are visible from Greenwich : — 



Mercury 



THE PLANETS. 



Mercury is an evening star setting N. of W. at 8.40 p.m. on 

 the 1st, and nearly due W. on the 20th at 7.40 p.m. The 

 planet is at greatest Easterly elongation of 27' 25' on the 13th, 

 when he sets at 8.7 p.m. The elongation is not a favourable 

 one on account of the low declination of the planet. 



'Venus continues to be a very conspicuous object in the 

 evening sky, looking S. of W. immediately after sunset. The 

 planet is at "greatest brilliancy" on August 10th. when 0-26 

 of the disc is illumin.ated and the apparent diameter is 38". 



As seen in the telescope the planet appears crescent, like 

 the new moon, three or four days old, and on account of the 

 large apparent diameter, the crescent form is easy to see, even 

 in small telescopes magnifying about ten times. 



Venus is a severe test for most telescopes, but observations 

 are somewhat easier if they are made whilst it is still broad 

 daylight. On the 1st, the planet is on the meridian at 

 2.45 p.m. and sets at S.55 p.m. ; on the 20th the planet souths 

 at 1.57 p.m., and sets at 7.38 p.m. During the past month, 

 many persons have been able to see Venus as early as 3 p.m. 

 with the naked eye. but there is little difficulty in picking up 

 the planet half-an-hnur before sunset. Towards the end of 

 the month the planet becomes unobservable, as she sets too 

 .soon after the Sun. 



Mars : — 



Mars rises in the E.N.E. at 10.45 p.m. on the 1st, and at 

 9.30 p.m on the 31st. At the beginning of the month the 

 planet is about 1° South of cr Arietis. and at the end of the 

 month about 5 ' South of the Pleiades. The apparent diameter 

 of the disc is only 10", and the planet is not very bright or well 

 suited for observation in small telescopes. 



The summer solstice of the Southern hemisphere of the 

 planet occurs on August 1st, and since it is the South polar 

 cap that is visible from the earth, we may e.xpect that the 

 snow cap will not be very conspicuous when the planet is in 

 a favourable position for observation at the opposition in 

 November. 



The planet is in quadrature on the ')th. 



Jupiter : — 



Jupiter is getting more to the West, but still remains a 

 conspicuous object in the evening sky, and is available for 



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