Astronomical Occurrences In MAY 1829. Look forth, where those eternal planets roll Majestic nature clothes her varied face, And say what hand adorned that rolling ball What voice was His, that, from the depths of space, Bade worlds awake at his creating call, And breathed the breath of life and vigour through them all? SOLAR PHENOMENA. Anon. THE Sun enters Gemini at 31 m. after 9 in the morning of the 21st of this month: he also rises and sets, during the same period, as in the following TABLE Of the Sun's Rising and Setting for every fifth Day. May 1st, Sun rises 36 m. after 4, sets 24 m. after 7 6th 31 7 .... The time of rising or setting on any of the intermediate days may easily be found by proportion. For instance-let his time of rising on the 8th of the month be required: the difference between the times for the 6th and the 11th is 9m., and the interval five days; and therefore 5: 29: 33 m., which, taken from 29, gives 253 m. past 4 for the time sought. Equation of Time. When it is required to reduce apparent to mean time, subtract the equation of time from that given by a good sun-dial, and the remainder will be the time required. TABLE m. s. Of the Equation of Time for every fifth Day. Monday Saturday. Thursday Tuesday Sunday 334 LUNAR PHENOMENA. Phases of the Moon... New Moon.... 3d day, at 57 m. after 7 in the morning First Quarter.. 10th....... ..36. Full Moon....18th. Last Quarter...25th. 7 at night 48 ..... 7. Moon's Passage over the Meridian. The following passages of the Moon will afford our young astronomers opportunities of observation, if the weather prove favourable at the times specified : May 8th, at 26 m. after 5 in the afternoon viz. PHENOMENA PLANETARum. Phases of Venus. The comparative breadths of the illuminated and dark parts of the disk of this planet, at the commencement of this month, are as follow: viz. May 1st {Dluminated part = 11·95291 Dark part...... = 0·04709 Eclipses of Jupiter's Satellites. There will be four eclipses of the first satellite, and two of the second, visible this month; and these will occur on the following days: viz. Immersions. First Satellite.. 3d day, at 16 m. 39 s. after 1 in the morning Conjunction of the Moon with the Planets and Stars. May 4th, with 18 in Taurus .. at 9 in the evening 4th ...2.. Taurus .....10 a.. Taurus..... 3 in the morning 18th ....2a Cancer ..... Libra 23d .... ...... 2 ..11 .... ........ B Capricorn... 1 in the afternoon. Mercury and Venus will be in conjunction with each other on the 4th of this month. Mercury will be in his superior conjunction at 45 m. after 1 in the morning of the 8th. Georgium Sidus will be stationary on the 11th; and Venus will be in her superior conjunction at a quarter past 8 in the evening of the 20th. Curious Phenomenon in Saturn's Ring. On the 21st December, 1827, M. Schwabe observed that the dark space between the body of Saturn and his ring appeared larger on the eastern side of the planet than on the western side. Mr. Herschel and others were also of opinion that the eastern space was the largest; but, from his observations, and those of Mr. South's, it appears that there is no difference. Thus Western space ...3".532 1st set of 35 Observations. 2d set of 20 Observations. Of the last set ten were made by Mr. Herschel, and gave, ... Western space .3".612 and ten by Mr. South, which gave, Western space...3".331 Eastern space....3 .502. Hence it follows, that the phenomenon is an optical deception. Professor Struve, however, is decidedly of opinion, from observations with his splendid achromatic telescope, that Saturn is not in the centre of his ring. From a mean of 15 measurements he makes the apparent distance on the east side 11′′.272, and on the west side 11".390, making a difference of 0".215. The probable error of his mean measurements he regards as 0".024, the ninth part of the difference above found.-Edin. Jour. of Science, Oct. 1828. To a STAR. [By Barry Cornwall.] Now, from thy skiey road look down upon me, With no unholy thought I dare to court O' the south. I've roamed this circular world, and thou Before with such kind aspect. Thou art now Shining above my home, and hallowing And love, and welcoming eyes, and gentle hearts. Light like the cheerful ray of a summer morning; The Naturalist's Diary For MAY 1829. How heavenly o'er my frame steals the life-breath THE weather during May and June is usually the most pleasant of the whole year; the air is peculiarly soft and refreshing, being scented with the balmy fragrance of innumerable flowers and opening buds. Almost every part of the vegetable creation is in vigorous growth, and holding forth the pleasing hope of future perfection. The ear is ever saluted by the concert of the groves, and all nature seems to rejoice. The winds are generally variable, in which case there are alternations of showers and sunshine; if steady from any of the northerly points, with a clear sky, frosty air sometimes chills the early hours, and checks the tender shoots. Easterly Winds and Blights.-A correspondent to that highly attractive periodical, the Magazine of Natural History,' which has furnished so many interesting notices for our Naturalist's Diary, makes the following sensible remarks upon this subject:April 30, 1828. In conversation with Mr. Gibbs, of Brompton, he stated, that we should certainly have an east wind about this time.' The wind had veered to the east in the morning of this day, but at the time we were speaking it had changed to the north-east. |