SUN AND PLANETS FOR NOVEMBER, 1883. 431 
not the diamond drill they possessed a drill of the same principle. The stone 
used in the sets of their drills and saws must have been corundum. The emery 
of Turkey in Asia is celebrated the world over. Its hardness and composition 
is about the same as corundum and they belong to the sapphire group, — No. 9, 
scale of hardness; diamond being 10. 
Yours truly, G. C. Broadhead. 
ASTRONOMY. 
SUN AND PLANETS FOR NOVEMBER, 1883. 
W. DAWSON, SPICELAND, IND. 
On the ist of November the Sun's R. A. is 14 h. 26m.; and his declination 
14° 29' S. On 30th his R. A. is i6h. 26m, and declination S. 21° 41'. The days 
are thus approaching their shortest; and the winter constellations are coming into 
view from the east. Sun-spots have been unexpectedly numerous thus far (i8th) 
during October : fifty to nearly one hundred spots having been counted several 
times and one hundred and thirty-five were visible through my 4.6 inch telescope 
on the 9th, and one hundred and fifty on the 15th. One spot was visible to the 
naked eye on the latter date. Mercury will be too near the Sun for observation 
during November. It will be in superior conjunction with the Sun about mid- 
night of the 25th. Venus is evening star; but will scarcely repay an effort for 
observation till toward the close of the month; and not very good then, being 
so far south. Mars is wending its way eastward from Jupiter, toward opposition. 
It is getting nearer the earth and better for observation, though it is yet a morn- 
ing star. It will rise about 10 P. M. the last of November. 
Jupiter is stationary near the Bee-Hive cluster on the 21st, and is very near 
there all the month — changing place among the stars but very little. On the ist 
it passes the meridian at 5:40 A. M., 20° south of Zenith; and at 3:40 A. M., on 
the 30th, at about the same declination. On the ist of November Jupiter rises a 
little before 11 P. M., and on the last of the month about 9 P. M. 
Saturn will be an object of interest all the month ; rising on the ist at 6:30 P. 
M. and two hours earlier on the 30. It will be at its nearest point to Aldebaran, 
2,%° north, at midnight, November ist, and will be in opposition to the Sun on 
the 28th. The oval ring of Saturn may be nicely seen with a spy-glass two and 
a quarter inches in diameter, magnifiying fifty times. Uranus is about 1° east 
of Beta in Virgo. Neptune occupies a blank region in Taurus, about 8° SW. of 
the Seven Stars. 
New Moon occurs about six hours before the beginning of November ; and 
also about i P. M., November 29th. The Moon passes near Saturn at noon on 
the 15th and Jupiter four days and two hours later. 
