Prepared by Berlin H. Wright, Penn Yan, N. Y. ECLIPSES. There will be but two eclipses this year, and both of the sun. This is the least number that can occur in a single year, and when this does happen both must be of the sun. They are as follows: I. An annular eclipse of the sun March 17, invisible in the United States, except In the Philippine Islands and Guam. It will be visible generally throughout Southern Asia, Indian Ocean, Eastern Africa and in the Western Pacific Ocean. The path of the annular phase passes through the Philippine Islands north of Manila, Southern Siam and Northern Sumatra to Cape Delgado, on the east coast of Africa, touching the northern point of Madagascar. II. A total eclipse of the sun September 9, invisible in the United States, except in Hawall, where the eclipse will be upon the southern limb of the sun and about six digits. Venus will not reach her point of maximum brilliancy at all this year, but she will be brighter at the close of the year than at any other time. Until July 8 she will gradually grow dimmer and, from the half-moon phase which she had toward the close of 1903, take on a gibbous phase. On July 8 she will be in superior conjunction with the sun, that is, on the same side of the earth as the sun, rising and setting with the sun, and hence invisible. in a few days after she may be seen as an evening star, on the other side of the sun. From that time on she will grow brighter as she gradually overtakes the earth and nears her point of inferior conjunction, when she will come between the earth and the sun. This will not take place in 1904. (See table for time of rising and setting.) Mars, like Venus, will not reach his maximum brilliancy this year. He will be a bright and interesting object, however, at the beginning and close of the year. (See table for rising, southing and setting.) Jupiter will be brightest October 18, being then at opposition or 180° from the sun, and rising as the sun sets. (See table of rising, southing and setting.) Saturn will be brightest August 10 as an evening star. ing and setting.) (See table of rising, south Uranus will be brightest June 19 as an evening star. Neptune will be brightest December 28 as an evening star. MORNING STARS WEST OF SUN. Inferior planets. Mercury (?), from Jan. 17 to March 26, Superior planets. Mars (d), after May 30. Jupiter (2), from March 27 to July 21. Neptune (), from June 27 to Oct. 1. EVENING STARS EAST OF SUN. Mercury, until Jan. 17 and from March 26 Superior planets. Mars, until May 30. THE SEASONS (EASTERN STANDARD TIME). D. H. M. Winter begins, 1903, Dec. 22, 7 hours, 12 min., eve., and lasts... 89 92 Sun north of the equator 186 days, 10 hours, 42 minutes; sun south of the equator 178 days, 19 hours, 7 minutes: difference, 7 days, 15 hours, 35 minutes, longer north of the equator than south of it, due to our greater distance from the sun at that time and our conséquent slower orbital motion. 119031 TABLES FOR SURVEYORS AND ENGINEERS. AZIMUTH OF POLARIS AT GREATEST ELONGATION, EAST OR WEST. H.M.S. H.M.S. Mean Time. September December .[31]1 22 25 222233 8888888 68 5448322 1728215. ம்ே 1888 822 21 23 43 1 25 33 1 27 36 1 29 511 32 20 1 35 51 38 7 1 41 291 6 44 39) *Subtract or add 11h. 58m. 2s. for the previous or succeeding passage as required. Add 9.83s. for each hour east of Washington and subtract same for each hour west. For intermediate dates interpolate. The azimuths in the above table, applied properly to the magnetic bearing of Polaris at the time of its greatest elongation east or west, will give the true variation of the magnetic needle from a true north direction. and will be of great use to all surveyors and engineers. When the elongation is east the azimuth will be east, and vice versa. At the present time the line of "No Variation" of the needle runs southeasterly from near Toledo, Ohio, to a point on the Atlantic Coast about fifty miles southwest of Cape Fear, N. C. East of that line the north end of the needle points west of a true north, and west of that line east of the true north. The country may therefore be divided into eastern and western magnetic regions. In the "Eastern Region" the bearing of Polaris at its western elongation, if eastward, added to the azimuth, gives the desired variation west; but if westward, the bearing taken from the azimuth gives the variation west. The bearing of Polaris at its eastern elongation will be eastward, and the azimuth subtracted therefrom gives the variation west. In the "Western Region' the bearing of Polaris at its eastern elongation, if westward, added to the azimuth, gives the variation east; but if eastward, the bearing taken from the azimuth gives the variation east. The bearing of Polaris at its western elongation will be westward, and diminished by the azimuth gives the variation east. The azimuths in the table, given for two degree zones, are practically sufficient for all the United States except Alaska. For intermediate latitudes, and dates, the azimuths may be found by proportion sufficiently correct, or exactly by the formula, log sine azimuth equal log sine Polar distance of Polaris, minus log cosine latitude. The surveyor or engineer is on the line of "No Variation" when the bearing of Polaris at greatest elongation is the same as the azimuth. TO FIND THE TIME OF GREATEST ELONGATION OF POLARIS. By adding the numbers in the annexed table for any given latitude to the time of meridian passage of Polaris (the Pole Star), the time of its greatest western elongation is found. If the same number be subtracted, instead of added, we get the time of greatest eastern elongation. At the time of either elongation the magnetic bearing may be taken with the transit compass, using that elongation which occurs at night. The eastern elongations occur at night from April 1 to October 11, and the westelongations occur at night all the rest of the year. Correct local time is to be used, and bearings on the star taken promptly on time; but an error of half a minute or even a minute in the timepiece will not invalidate the bearing, as Polaris moves then nearly vertically. *When the lower transit is used subtract these constants from 11h. 58m. 2s., reversing the rule of application to the meridian passage given above for the time of elongations, subtracting the constants obtained from the meridian passage for western and adding for eastern elongations. MOON SOUTH, OR ON THE UPPER MERIDIAN, 1904. AT WASHINGTON. Jan. H.M.H.M.H.M.H.M.H.M.H.M. H.M. Days. 11 0 Mo. Mo. 12 44 1 10 2 291 2 45 334 4 28 451 3 18 3 29 4.50 617 8 43 10 13 11 48 11 13 Ev.45) 11 32 Ev.32 Ev.49 3 59 5 12 5 21 1 31 1 7 17 Ev. 9 1 5 Ev.29 1 30 2 2 3 41 4 36 559 853 8 43 11 54 12 7 12 57) 2 0 3 29 4 7 29 9 39 11-19) 10 541 2 52 3 421 5 22 734 Note.-Add two minutes for each hour of longitude west of Washington. |