Abstract

ON June 21 at 20h, the sun enters the sign Cancer (the summer solstice). In the latitude of London, the length of night from sunset to sunrise is then only 7h 26m. The moon is new on June 8d 20-7h and full on June 23d 23-0h. On June 8, a total eclipse of the sun takes place and is visible in equatorial regions of the Pacific, but although the path of totality (of maximum breadth 153 miles) extends over nearly one hundred degrees of terrestrial longitude, there are very few possible land sites to which expeditions can be sent. The duration of totality at the noon point is 7m 4s, making this eclipse the longest that has occurred for more than a thousand years. Of the planets visible during June, both Mercury and Venus are morning stars. On June 6, Mercury is at greatest elongation 24° west, and Venus at greatest western elongation (46°) on June 27. Venus is in conjunction with Uranus on June 18 at llh, when the two planets are separated by 2-7°. Mars is conspicuous low in the south as the sky darkens. The planet decreases in brightness from magnitude 1-7 to 1-2 during the month. On June 20 at llh, Mars is in conjunction with the moon and is then only 0-1° northwards of the latter (geocentric positions). The circumstances produce an occultation of Mars by the moon, the phenomenon not, however, being visible from the northern hemisphere. Jupiter rises in the evening twilight and souths about 2h in the middle of the month; on June 25 at 2lh it is in conjunction with the moon. Saturn rises soon after midnight in mid-June; on June 4 at 2h conjunction occurs with the moon. The apparent breadth of the minor axis of the ring system is 3° 4′. At 22h in mid-June, the bright star Regulus is nearing the western horizon; Arcturus has passed the meridian, Sjr ica and Antares are low down in the south, while Vega, Altair and Deneb are conspicuous eastwards of the meridian. The maximum of the Scorpiid meteors is due about June 4, the radiant point being nearly midway between a Scorpii (Antares) and Y] Ophiuchi. An ephemeris for the comet Grigg-Skjellerup, is given in the B.A.A. Handbook as follows:

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