Explanation. To ascertain when any star or constellation will be on the upper meridian, add the numbers opposite in the column "for meridian passage" to the figures in the table "Sidereal noon" following this note. Note whether the figures be "Morn" or "Eve." If "Morn" and the sum is more than 12 hours, the result will be evening of the same day; if "Eve" and the sum is more than 12 hours, the result will be morning of the next day. Having found the time of meridian passage, for the rising subtract and for the setting add the numbers opposite the name of the star in the column headed For Rising and Setting," observing the directions as to "Morn" and "Eve," as given above. Those stars marked in the last column are circumpolar and do not rise or set in the latitude of New York City. Stars having an asterisk (*) in the last column are only to be seen in the far south and wher. near the meridian, as the vapors of the horizon will obscure them at rising and setting. To tell how high up from the nearest point of the horizon a star will be at its meridian passage, subtract the declination of the star from 90°, and if the result is less than the latitude of the place of the observer that star will neither rise nor set, but is circumpolar, and the difference between that result and the latitude shows the star's altitude above the north point of the horizon or below the southern horizon. Or, (90° dec.) -latitude = altitude or elevation of the star above the nearest point of the horizon at meridian passage for stars of a south declination. Examples: Sidereal noon, November 4... 9 06 p. m. Fomalhaut in "meridian" column..... 22 48 11 54 p. m. Time of setting. 3 54 p. m. Time of rising. Declination of Fomalhaut 30° south; therefore 90° 60° - 40° 20° altitude of Fomalhaut in latitude 40° north at the time of the meridian passage of that star. To measure celestial distances with the eye, keep in mind that one-third of the distance from the zenith to the horizon is 30°. For smaller measurements use the "Pointers" in the "Big Dipper," which are nearly 5° apart a convenient celestial unit because always in sight. The "Yardstick" or "Ell and Yard" in Orion, or the "Kings," is just 3° long, or 11⁄2 each way from the central star (see Star table). When the declination of a star is such as to bring it nearer to the zenith than to the horizon at meridian passage, use its zenith distance to locate it. The difference between latitude and declination = zenith distance. If declnation is greater than latitude, such difference is to be counted northward (otherwise southward) from zenith. SIDEREAL NOON OR MERIDIAN PASSAGE OF THE VERNAL EQUINOX. (For use in connection with the Star Table. See Note under same.) P. M. figures black. 1. 2. 3. 5 9 3 7 1 17 11 15 9 17 4.. 5 5 3 3 1 13 11 11 9 13 7 12 5. 5 1 2 59 Jan. Feb. Mch. Apr. May. June. July. Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. THE GREAT COMET. Halley's Comet was first telescopically seen on September 11, 1909, in its predicted place, when about 350,000,000 miles distant. In January it will be in Pisces, the fishes, passing the meridian at first at about 7 p. m. and about 10 degrees below the bright stars in the head of the ram. In April and May it will be very beautiful in the eastern morning sky. It will pass on westward to the square of Pegasus and below it, near the prime meridian of the heavens, and by the middle of May it will have moved back eastward to near its old place at the beginning of the year. Its distance from the earth in millions of miles will be as follows: January 1, 127; April 1, 130; May 1, 63; May 10, 33, and May 18, 12, when it may part with some of its matter in the shape of "star dust" which would, of course, fall to the earth. THE MEMBERS OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM. *DISTANCE FROM THE EARTH IN LIGHT YEARS OF CERTAIN FIXED STARS. 34,800 17.1 85 0.20 *Explanation.-The term "Light Year" is the time required for light to travel from these bodies to the earth. Their actual distance, in miles, being too great for use or comprehension, the distance, in miles, may be found by multiplying the velocity of light (183,000 miles per second) by the number of seconds in a year, and that product by the light years. Thus: Alpha Centauri = 3.6X183,000×365×24×60×60 miles distant.. THE HORIZON AT SEA LEVEL. Distances of objects visible at varying elevations from one foot to one thousand feet. The elevations given are in feet. TEMPERATURE Substances. AT WHICH CERTAIN SUBSTANCES FREEZE, FUSE AND BOIL. Bromine freezes at. 20° Olive oil freezes at. 10 50 Quicksilver freezes at.. -39.4 -39 Water freezes at. 0 Bismuth fuses at.... 264 32 507 Copper fuses at. 1,204 2,200 Gold fuses at... Iron fuses at........ Lead fuses at.. Potassium fuses at. 1,380 2,518 1,538 2,800 617 Feb. MOON'S PLACE AT 7 P. M.; MOON'S SOUTHING OR UPPER MERIDIAN PASSAGE, MERIDIAN OF WASHINGTON. Jan. Mch. April. May. Nov. Dec. Day. Pl. So. Pl. So. C. (H.M] C. (H.M Pl. So. Pl. So. Pl. So. C. (H.M) C. [H.M C. [H.M] C. June. H.M July. Aug. Sept. | Oct. (H.M 10 27 110 46) 11 29 m 11 39 5 56 4 34 5 43 618 33 7 57 9 41 11 18 m 11 28| ev 11 ev 28 3. 5 59 m 6 39 6 40 E 5 19 6 38 7 10 8 22 8 51 10 43 ev 5 ev 9 m 56 7 1 19 7 27 6 7 7 33 82 ရာ 9 14 95111 41 49 8 3 7 9 12 7 53 9 21 Ж 9 42 ୪ 11 6 11 56 1 26 2 12 214 323 ゆ 3 53 The signs of the Zodiac and Parts of the human body supposed to be affected by the same: Pisces, feet; Aries P, head; Taurus 8, neck; Gemini Д, arms; Cancer, breast; Leo N, heart; Virgo m, bowels; Libra, kidneys; Scorpio m. loins; Sagittarius, thighs; Capricornus, knees; Aquarius, legs. 6 17 6 45 8 34 914 me 10 2 ୪ 741 9 32 9 27 10 8 10 48 10 10] 10 24 10 53 SIGNS OF THE ZODIAC. 7 28 4 39 10 43 3 28 H. MH. MH. MH. MH. MH. MH.MH. MH. MH. MH.MH. MH. MH. MH. MH. MH. MH.M 7 39 4 29 10 40 Moon Sun rises Sun Sun rises. sets. and rises. sets. Sun rises and les sets. sets. ton. 7 25 4 42 10 44 ev 17 7 19 4 48 10 45 7 3 5 5 10 49 11 56 22S 12 4 0 7 39 4 30 11 43 7 28 4 40 11 43 4 19 7 25 4 43 11 43 1 10 7 19 4 49 11 43 7 3 5 6 11 44 ev 45 |