ASPECT OF THE HEAVENS FOR SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, 1950

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Mercury is at inferior conjunction on September 17 and at greatest western elongation, 18° from the sun, on October 2. During the last week of September and the first week of October, Mercury should be visible shortly before sunrise just above the eastern horizon. On the morning of October 6 it is in close conjunction with Saturn, passing 0° 16' south of it. Venus, magnitude 3.4, is still visible low in the east just before sunrise in September, but by the end of October it appears too close to the sun for easy observation. It passes 0° 33' south of Saturn on September 29 and 0° 15' south of Neptune on October 17. Mars, magnitude +1-2, has about the same brightness and color as Antares, passing 3 τ/2° north of that star on October 7. Jupiter, magnitude 2 . 3, is in Aquarius and is prominent in the southern sky most of the night. It ends its retrograde motion on October 24. Table I lists the transits of Jupiter's satellites and their shadows, which can be observed at convenient times on the Pacific Coast. Some transits have been included which occur before sunset on the Pacific Coast but during darkness in the eastern part of the United States. Saturn, magnitude +1.3, is in conjunction with the sun on September 15. At this time the earth passes through the plane of Saturn's rings. For the next fourteen and a half years the north side of the rings will be visible. Uranus, magnitude +6, is in Gemini, changing its position