Arizona republican., 1902-11-10

eastern boundary of that area as th7 month closes. It rises CI the 1st at 12:51 a. n. and about a minute earlier each succeeding morning.
 Mercury is easily seen with the naked eye in the early days of the month On the lst it rises at Al a. m.. or h. S6 min. before the sun and at the same hour on the 4th, when it is at it's great est distance from the sun. IL may be seen between , and 5:45 a. n. above the eastern point Of the horizon. There is no bright star near it which may be mistaken for it, and as the planet is at nearly it's greatest brightness. it is an unusually favorable time to look for it. II may be seen on any clear morn ing until about the middle of the month, but the best times are those of the first week, for it gets fainter and also draws nearer the sun as the month advances. Tn the telescope it shows half disk like the moon at last quarter.
 The most interesting astronomical event this month is the display of me- tsOTs radiating from the constellation Leo, which will occur in the early mornings of the 18th and 1Gth. A few slragGlers near the main body of me teOrs will be encountered on mornings before and after these dates. but the greater number are expected on Sat urday morning. the 16th, between mid night and daylight. To the natural question whether a shower will occur or only now and then a shooting star no decided answer can be given for our knowledge is too meagre to warrant a positive prediction. We are -l,- of the meteors. and capture every one in its way, but as we do not know how closely packed this part of the stream is, we are ignorant of the number b be captured. We are also without ac- curate information of the position oe the stream, only it's general position being known, and consequently we cannot foreteI just when the encoun- ter will occur nor the part cf the earth which will receive the bOmbardment. But for the kindly office of our atmo- sphere in burning up these little bodies as they strike it the effect of the bonn bardmert might be. serious. Now we welcome the event for the display of celestial fireworks which are it's beau tiful and harmless result.
 T. is quite possible that this year the display will be a brilliant one. In 1901 many more meteors were seen than in the two preceding years, and in southern California, Mexico and other places, the number per hour is said to have been several hundred, waGranting the word shower" Pro lessor W. II. Pickering of Cambridge has tabUllted these reports and also examined the records Of great displays in previous years, and believes that they point to an unusual display this year, which will be welcome news to those who have been disappointed the past few years. But the testimony shows that only a limited part of the earth at the best will witness the dis play. of whatever magnitude it may be. However. many meteors will sure ly be seen on the designated mornings. Observers should look chiefly toward the east in the morning hours preced- ing sunrise.
 The comet which was in the sky last month is low in the southwest in the early evening and can no longer be observed to advantage. It was a dis appointing object in the telescope showing chiefly as a hay star with a suspicion of an extension in one di- Tection. Photographs were more sue Ccssful than visual observations in re- vealing the cometary nature Of the OD- ject. Its rapid motion carried it across the northern sky toward the sun, and it will no longer be seen by northern observers. Those farther south can see it in December and January in the morning sky. Mir Seagrave Of this city has called attention to the fact that it will go quite close to the planet
  has issued a circular letter asking that observations of it's position be made as carefully as possible in order to de- ternire the effect of Mercury's pres ence in disturbing it's path. This will depend upon the mass of Mercury and so furnishes an opportunity of improv- ing our knowledge of this quantity Unfortunately few can comply with the request, because the comet will be too near the sun, but the incident illus trates the desire of professional as tronomers to improve every opportu- | nity of increasing the accuracy of our Knowledge of the heavenly bodies.
 The moons chief phases in Novem- ber divide the month into quarters fol- lowing closely the calendar division. New moon has occurred October 3i First quarter comes on the Sth. Full moon on the 18th. Last quarter on the Z2d and new moon on the 29th. The moons diurnal path is farthest south on the 3d and farthest north on the lIth. The planets are passed in the following order: Sd, Uranus; 9th, Sat urn; 7th, Jupiter; 18th, Neptune; 23d, Mars; 29th. Mercury and Venus; 30th, Uranus.
 The decrease of the day as the month advances is less marked than in October, but the afternoons prac- tically reach their shortest value. as but two minutes more are taken from the afternoon in our system Of time reckoning. At the close of the month the day IS 9 r. p min. in length. and tha night lasts 14 h. 35 min. in this latitude; cclGer weather is therefore