THE FACE OF THE SKY FOR FEBRUARY. 



By A. C. D. CROMMELIN, B.A., D.Sc, F.R.A.S. 



Feb. 5 



Greenwich 

 Noon. 



Sun. 

 R.A. Dec. 



h. m. 



21 14*3 



21 34'3 



21 53*9 



S.i6*o 

 14*4 



12*8 



Moon. 

 R.A. Dec 



20 47 '4 S. 22*3 



o 26*8 N. 3*3 



4 3T"0 N.26*7 



9 456 N.i7*i 



14 14*2 S. i6'6 



Mercury. 

 R.A. Dec. 



20 54*3 S. 19*6 



21 296 17'° 



22 4*4 T 3'9 



22 39*2 10*1 



23 13*2 S. 6*o 



Venus. 

 R.A. Dec. 



o 27 I 



44*9 



1 2'0 



i i8*3 



N. 1*6 

 4*2 

 6*6 

 9*0 



N.i 1 '3 



Jupiter. 

 R.A. Dec. 



h. 



18 31 

 18 36*1 

 18 40*4 

 " 44 '4 

 "'3 



*8 S.- 



48*3 S." 



23 'o 



22*9 



Saturn. 

 R.A. Dec. 



h. m. 

 3 4 1 ' 6 

 3 4 2 '° 

 3 42*5 

 3 43'3 

 3 44 ' 2 



N.i?*? 

 ■7*7 

 17*8 

 17*8 



N.i 7 *9 



Neptune. 

 R.A. Dec. 



h. m. 

 7 43'4 

 7 42-8 

 7 42'3 

 7 4' '9 

 7 4' '4 



20 9 



. 2 °'9 

 N.2o*9 



Table 1. 



Table 2. 



P is the position angle of the North end of the body's axis measured eastward from the North Point of the disc. B, L 



are the helio-(planeto-)graphical latitude and longitude of the centre of the disc. In the case of Jupiter L ± refers to the 



equatorial zone, L. 2 to the temperate zone, Ti, T 2 are the times of passage of the two zero meridians across the centre of the 



disc ; to find intermediate passages apply multiples of 9 h 50| m , 9 h 55j m respectively. 



The letters m, e, stand for morning, evening. The day is taken as beginning at midnight. 



The Sun continues his Northward march. Sunrise during 

 February changes from 7-44 to 6-51 ; sunset from 4-43 to 

 5-35. Its semi-diameter diminishes from 16' 15" to 16' 10". 



Mercury is a morning star till February 11th, then an 

 evening star. Illumination, full at beginning of month, four- 

 fifths at end. 



Venus is an evening Star, approaching its greatest elongation, 

 which it reaches on February 12th. Illumination one-half, 



semi-diameter \2i". The planet is very favourably placed for 

 observation by Northern observers. 



The Moon.— New 6 d 5 b 22 m m ; First Quarter 14 d 8 h 34 m m ; 

 Full 21 d 2 h 3 m w; Last Quarter 27 d 9 h 15 m e. Apogee 



12 h e, 

 N., 14" 



semi- 

 8° E., 



7 d 8 h m, semi-diameter 14' 43" ; Perigee 20 d 



diameter 16' 47". Maximum Librations, 



17 d 7° S., 27 d 7° W. The letters indicate the region of the 



Moon's limb brought into view by libration. E. W. are with 



reference to our sky, not as they would appear to an observer 



on the Moon. 



Table 3. Occultations of stars by the Moon visible at Greenwich. 

 From New to Full disappearances take place at the Dark Limb, from Full to New reappearances. 



28 



