Passage of the Meridian (mean time) and Declination of the Planets at Transit. 25th day. 1st day. souths. Dec. 7th day. souths. Dec. h. m. 13th day. souths. Dec. h. m. h. m. 10 29m-15 30 10 35m-18 2 10 47m-20 30 11 1m-22 32 11 17m-23 57 19th day. souths Dec. h. m. souths. Dec. h. m. 3 13a -23 30 3 16a-21 57 3 19a-20 6 3 19a -18 1 9 35m-12 59 9 26m-14 18 9 18m -15 33 9 10m 3 18a-15 44 -16 45 9 3m-17 52 +22 32 11 19a +22 31 10 55a +22 29 10 30a +22 27| EQUATION OF TIME FOR APPARENT NOON, WASHINGTON. To be added to apparent time when the sign is +. To be subtracted from apparent time when the sign is —. In the year 1861, there will be four eclipses; three of the Sun, and one of the Moon; and a transit of Mercury over the sun's disc. I. An annular eclipse of the Sun, January 10, 1861, invisible at Washington. Eclipse begins on the Earth, January 10d. 7h. 27 1m., Washington mean time, in longitude 207° 51'.8 West from Washington, and in latitude 19° 32.4 South. Central eclipse begins, 8h. 30.7m., in longitude 225° 19′.2 West from Washington, and in latitude 22° 56'.2 South. Central eclipse at noon, 10h. 16.1m., in longitude 151° 58'.3 West from Washington, and in latitude 32° 30'.1 South. Central eclipse ends, 12h. 11.8m., in longitude 92° 33'.0 West from Washington, and in latitude 4° 71.6 North. Eclipse ends on the earth, 13h. 15.5m., in longitude 109° 50′.2 West from Washington, and in latitude 7° 34'.2 North. This eclipse will be central in Australia, but will not extend to either of the large continents. II. An annular eclipse of the Sun, July 7, 1861, invisible at Washington. Eclipse begins on the Earth, July 7d. 6h. 9.9m., Washington mean time, in longitude 182° 53′.9 West from Washington, and in latitude 3° 49′.8 North. Central eclipse begins, 7h. 12.7m., in longitude 196° 49'.2 West from Washington, and in latitude 0° 27'.1 South. Central eclipse at noon, 9h. 7.3m., in longitude 135° 40′.3 West from Washington, and in latitude 9° 22′.3 North. Central eclipse ends, 10h. 50.9m., in longitude 81° 50′.8 West from Washington, and in latitude 23° 26'.5 South. Eclipse ends on the Earth, 11h. 53.6.m, in longitude 95° 29′.1 West from Washington, and in latitude 19° 16'.0 South. This eclipse will be visible in the southern part of Asia and in Australia. III. A partial eclipse of the Moon, December 16th (17), 1861, visible at Washington. Moon enters Penumbra, December 16d. 12h. 37.6m. Greatest Eclipse, Moon enters Shadow, 66 16 14 19.1 Moon leaves Shadow, Washington Eclipse ends. d. h. m. Dec. 17 4 55.0 M. Halifax, N. S., Portland, Me., Boston, Mass., Less than one fifth of the diameter of the Moon will be eclipsed. IV. A total eclipse of the Sun, December 30 (31), 1861, visible as a partial one at Washington. Eclipse begins on the Earth, December 30d. 18h. 7.0m., Washington mean time, in longitude 357° 4′.6 West from Washington, and in latitude 8° 58'.0 North. Central eclipse begins, 19h. 10.5m., in longitude 8o 5.0 West from Washington, and in latitude 19° 39'.2 North. Central eclipse at noon, 20h. 50.5m, in longitude 311° 46′.9 West from Washington, and in latitude 8° 44'.7 North. Central eclipse ends, 22h. 11.2m., in longitude 260° 55'2 West from Washington, and in latitude 37° 32.3 North. Eclipse ends on the Earth, 23h. 14.8m., in longitude 270° 24'.0 West from Washington, and in latitude 27° 120 North. This eclipse will be visible in the eastern and southern part of North America, the West Indies, parts of South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia. The central line extends from the Caribbean Sea to Greece. The zone of the Earth's surface from which the Sun will be totally eclipsed is quite narrow. In the United States, the beginning will take place before sunrise. The end will be visible to the east of a line drawn from the western shore of the Gulf of Mexico to Lake Superior, but generally under unfavorable circumstances, as the sun will be near the horizon. V. A transit of Mercury, November 11, 1861, invisible at Washington. With reference to the centre of the Earth: First contact of Mercury with Sun's limb, 72° from north point towards the east, when the Sun is vertical in longitude 186° 4′.1 West from Washington, and in latitude 17° 49'5 South. Last contact of Mercury with Sun's limb, 24° from north point towards the West, when the Sun is vertical in longitude 246° 40'.8, and in latitude 17° 52.2 South. This transit will be visible wholly or in part in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. A Table showing the Illuminated Portions of the Discs of Venus and Mars. THE numbers in this table are the versed sines of that portion of the discs which, to an observer on the Earth, will appear to be illuminated; the apparent diameters of the planets at the time being considered as unity. According to Seidel, Venus is brightest when its distance from us is fiftyfour hundredths of the Earth's distance from the Sun. The planet will be near this position at the end of December, 1861. Mars is most brilliant about the time of its opposition, being then also nearest to the Earth. The opposition will not occur in 1861. LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE OF THE PRINCIPAL AMER ICAN OBSERVATORIES. 335 35 |