FOR AUGUST.
The mid-day shadows lengthening northward indicate to us northern folks that “Old Sol” has departed on his annual southern tour. He now cuts off the day at both ends, on the 1st rising 25 minutes later and setting 20 minutes earlier than on the 1st of July. His change in declination since June 20th, beginning of summer, till August 31st, will be a little over 15°, and the decrease in the length of the day for the same time, will be a trifle less than two hours. He will come to the meridian on the 1st, at six minutes and two seconds after 12:00; on the 15th at four minutes and eight seconds after 12:00; and on the 30th at sixteen seconds after 12:00. On the same dates he will rise at 4:58, 5:11, and 5:26 a. m., and set at 7:14, 6:57, and 6:35 p. m. Daybreak will occur at 3:05, 3:23, and 3:44 a. m., and twilight will end at 9:07, 8:45, and 8:16 p. m. Greatest elevation in latitude 41° 30′ will be 66° 18⅔′.
THE MOON’S
Phases occur in the following order and time: Full moon on the 6th, at 5:58 p. m.; last quarter on the 13th, at 10:00 p. m.; new moon on the 20th, at 4:46 p. m.; and first quarter on the 28th, at 10:34 a. m. The moon rises on the 15th at 12:39 a. m.; and sets on the 1st and 31st at 12:30 and 12:43 a. m., respectively. On the 16th at 11:00 a. m., nearest the earth; on the 28th, at 5:30 p. m., farthest from the earth. Its greatest elevation, 67° 4′, occurs on the 15th, and its least, 29° 50.8′ on the second day of the month.
MERCURY
Reaches its greatest elongation east (27° 21′), very nearly its maximum distance from the sun; yet the opportunity for observation is not so favorable as on many occasions when the elongation is several degrees less. And the reason is, that the planet is now moving southward, is in fact on the 23rd, the date of its greatest eastern elongation, 1° 16′ south, while the sun is still 11° 9′ north of the equator, and sets, therefore, only about fifty minutes later than the sun. The time of the planet’s setting is for the 1st, 8:07 p. m.; 15th, 7:53 p. m.; 30th, 7:16 p. m. It has a direct motion of 32° 49′ 39″. Its diameter increases 2.6″, namely, from 5.6″ to 8.2″. It is farthest from the sun on the 20th, at 6:00 a. m. On the 23d, at 8:00 a. m., 3° 5′ south of Uranus.
VENUS
Again reaches a position of greatest brilliancy on the 17th, and during the entire month will be an object of interest to early risers. On the 2nd she will appear stationary; and on the 17th at 4:37 p. m. will be 23 minutes south of the moon. Her diameter will decrease from 49″ on the 1st to 31.8″ on the 30th. Her time of rising will be as follows: On the 1st, at 3:08; on the 15th, at 2:23; and on the 30th, at 2:01 a. m.
MARS
Seems to grow “small by degrees and beautifully less,” his diameter at the close of the month being only 4.8″. He sets at 9:25 on the evening of the 1st; at 8:51 p. m. on the 15th, and at 8:13 p. m. on the 30th. On the 24th, at 10:29 a. m. he is only 10′ south of the moon.
JUPITER
With his huge form and accompanying satellites fare the fate of all “lights” terrestrial and celestial, and his “glory” sinks into insignificance beside that of his “ruling power,” as he on the 7th, at 1:00 p. m. comes in conjunction with the sun and changes his relation from that of an evening to that of a morning star. On the 1st he sets at 7:26 p. m.; on the 15th rises at 4:44 a. m.; and on the 30th rises at 4:02 a. m. Is in conjunction with and 5° 8′ north of the moon at 2:36 on the morning of the 20th.
SATURN,
Another of our morning stars, rises on the 1st and 15th at 1:18 and 12:28 a. m., respectively; and on the 29th, at 11:34 p. m. His diameter increases from 16.2″ to 16.8″. His motion is direct, amounting to about 2° 43′. He can be found a little north of Zeta, the star denoting the extremity of the northern horn of the constellation Taurus. On the 16th, at 12:41 a. m. will be 3° 17′ north of the moon.
URANUS,
Which on the 30th of last month was so near Beta Virginis, has moved about 1° 35′ farther to the east; but can be more readily pointed out by its proximity to this than to that of any other star. Uranus is an evening star, setting at the following dates: 1st, at 9:10 p. m.; 15th, at 8:17 p. m.; 30th, at 7:20 p. m. Diameter, 3.6″. On the 22nd, at 9:35 p. m. is 2° 25′ north of the moon; and on the 23rd is 3° 5′ north of Mercury, at 8:00 a. m., an hour at which neither planet can be seen by the unaided eye.
NEPTUNE,
Last, but by no means least of the heavenly bodies, gives us this month more than the usual variety, which, however, is not saying much for the spice it affords. But it has a direct motion of 10° 42′, and a retrograde motion of about 1′. On the 14th, at 11:00 p. m. it is in quadrature (90° west of the sun); on the 26th, at 5:00 a. m. it is stationary, and on the 14th is 1° 25′ north of the moon.