THE FACE OF THE SKY FOR DECEMBER. 



r>v W. SH.\CKLETON. F.R.A.S., A.R.C.S. 



The Su\. — On the 1st tlie Sun rises at 7.44 and sets at 

 3.53; on the 31st he rises at 8.8 and sets at 3.57. The 

 equation of time on the 25th at noon is only 7 seconds, and 

 for ordinary purposes is ne^'ligible. Winter conuiiences on 

 the 22nd. when the sun enters the sit;n of Capricorn at 

 5.12 p.m. ; this is the shortest da.\-. the Sun rising at 8.6 and 

 setting at 3.51. Sunspots and faculac may usuallv be 

 obser\-ed on the solar disc, though of late Spots ha\e been 

 rather small. The positions of the Sun's axis, centre f)f the 

 disc, and heliographic longitude of the centre are given below : — 



The Moon :- 



OccuLT.\TiONS. — The following table gives particulars of 

 the principal occultations \isible in this country. The bright 

 double star y Virginis is occulted shortiv after midnight of 

 the 23rd. 



Mi;rcui.:y : — 



THE PLANETS. 



The planet is an evening star in Sagittarius at the end of 

 the month, but is unfavourably placed for observation. On 

 the 24th he is .at greatest Easterly elongation of 19° 54' from 

 the Sun ; on this date the plar.et sets about 5.25 p.m. On the 

 10th January he is again in Inferior Conjunction with the 

 Sun. 



\'enus : — 



Venus was in conjunction with the Sun on No\ember 26th, 

 and remains in too close proximitx to the Sun to be observed. 



M.\RS : — 



M.irs is xisiblr fur a short time before sunrise, as he rises 

 about 5.40 a.m. throughout the month. The diameter of the 

 disc is only 4"; thus for small telescopes he is not a very 

 suitable object. 



JfPITER : — 



The planet is observable for a short time before sunrise, as 

 he rises about 4,30 a m. at the beginning of the month, and 

 at 3 a.m. on the 31st, The planet is a conspicuous object in 

 the morning sky looking S.E, 



S.^TURN : — 



Saturn is a conspicuous object in the evening sky, being 

 due South at 9,18 p,m, on the 1st, 7.17 p,m, on the 31st, and 

 at proportional times on intermediate dates, that is, about 

 4 minutes earlier each day. He appears about il'' above the 

 horizon as the brightest star in that portion of the heavens, 

 and may readily be distiiigiiishrd by his lustreless appearance, 



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