Ist, is thirteen minutes north, in the sixteenth degree of the seventh sign (); and it decreases to the 20th, when he passes the ecliptick in his descending node, in the twenty-eighth degree of this sign. His southern latitude now increases to nearly seven minutes, his motion being direct through nearly twenty-one degrees. From the unfavourableness of his position, he is at first an hour and a quarter above the horizon after Sun-set, and his height above it at Sun-set is only about nine degrees, the time and height daily decreasing. He passes above the first of the Virgin on the 9th, and he finishes his course under the tenth and eleventh of this constellation, near to the latter star. The Moon passes. him on the 10th.

Her latitude, on

Ceres is an evening star. the 1st, is seven degrees thirty-eight minutes north, in the twenty-fifth degree of the sixth sign (m); and on the 25th seven degrees twentyfour minutes, in the sixth degree of the seventh sign (), her motion being direct through about thirteen degrees and a half. Though she is so much nearer the Sun than Mars, her great northern latitude gives her the advantage over him in point of height and duration after Sun

set above the horizon. But then the power of the solar ray, having a greater influence upon her, will conceal her from most observers.

She

is, in fact, in conjunction with the Sun soon after the end of the month. Her course lies in a barren space in the head of the Virgin to the east of (E), passing under (o) the fifteenth on the 5th. The Moon passes her on the 8th.

Jupiter is on the meridian about midnight on the 10th, and at eleven on the 25th. His latitude, on the 1st, is one degree thirty-two minutes, in the twentieth degree of the twelfth sign (); and it increases, and then decreases about a minute, during his retrograde motion through somewhat more than six degrees. He is seen, therefore, in the barren space under the four stars in square, directing his course to (9) the twenty-second of the Water-bearer, situated on the eastern margin of the stream from the Urn, but he stops short of it within a degree. The Moon passes him on the 21st.

Saturn is on the meridian at two in the morning of the 3d, and at one on the 19th. His latitude, on the 1st, is two degrees forty-one minutes south, in the thirteenth degree of the first

sign (T); and it increases about three minutes, his motion being retrograde through somewhat more than two degrees. He is seen, therefore, when on the meridian, under the fourth (d) of the Fishes, near to it to the east, and directly under it at the end of the month. The Moon passes him on the 23d.

Herschel is a morning star. His latitude, on the 1st, is twelve minutes south, in the twentyfifth degree of the ninth sign ( 7 ); and continues nearly the same during his small direct motion through about twenty minutes. He will be therefore seen in the same spot, nearly midway between the eighth of the Serpent-bearer and the twelfth of the Archer. The Moon passes him on the 15th.

The Sun's apparent diameter, on the 3d, is thirty-one minutes forty-seven seconds; and on the 25th thirty-one minutes fifty-nine seconds. The Moon's apparent diameter, on the 2d at midnight, is half a degres; and it decreases to the 7th, on which day it is about twenty-nine minutes twenty-six seconds. It then increases to the 21st, when it is, at midnight, thirty-threeminutes and a half; and it decreases afterwards

to the end of the month, being, on the last midnight, twenty-nine minutes fifty-eight s conds. The Sun enters the seventh sign (±) on the 23d, at forty-eight minutes past three in the morning.

For the position of the fixed stars at any hour of the night, consult the volume for 1806, ascording to the following Table :

OCTOBER, 1820.

ASTRONOMERS must prepare themselves for disappointments. After all the preparations, that have been made for an observation, a cloudy day or night may frustrate their hopes and expectations. In London the Sun is eclipsed not unfrequently at noon by a fog, impregnated with its smoke, which produce a darkness far superior to that occasioned by any partial eclipse of the Sun by the Moon; and the good people of the metropolis are witnesses of this phonomenon, without any endeavour on their part to prevent the atmosphere from being impregnated with noxious vapours. A vomitory of smoke has been lately erected within a few yards of the place, where I am now sitting; and I am

treated daily with an eruption, similar to, though not equal in magnitude to that from Mount Vesuvias, before it emits its shower of