Astronomical Occurrences, SOLAR PHENOMENA. The Sun enters Leo at 38 m. after 10 in the morning of the 23rd of this month; and he rises and sets during the same period as in the following Table of the Sun's Rising and Setting for every Fifth Day. July 1st, Sun rises 45 min. after 3, sets 15 min. after 8 As the Earth's motion in its orbit, and consequently the Sun's apparent progress in the ecliptic, is not regular, a difference arises between the time as indicated by a good sun-dial, and a well regulated clock. The following Table shows the quantity that must be added to the solar time, to obtain that which the clock ought to show at the same moment. TABLE. m. s. Thursday, July 1st, to the time by the dial add 3 21 Tuesday, 6th, 11th, Friday, 16th, Moon's Passage over the Meridian. The Moon will transit the first meridian of this country at the following times during this month: July 1st, at 35 m. after 8 in the evening. PHENOMENA PLANETARUM. Phases of Venus. July 1st.-Illuminated part = 8.3584 Eclipses of the Satellites of Jupiter. Form of Saturn's Ring. 1.000 Conjugate axis = -0.276 Conjunction of the Moon with Fixed Stars. July 10th, with λ in Aquarius at 6 in the morn. y in Taurus Aldebaran... 5 .11 Mercury at his greatest elongation on the 9th of this month. JUPITER IN OPPOSITION. This planet will attain this favorable position for observation at 15m. after the noon of the 5th of this month, and continue during the summer evenings a most conspicuous and beautiful object. In tracing its history to remote antiquity, Jupiter is supposed to be the heavenly body dedicated to Ham, on his deification, this name bearing the same signification with that in the Greek for the King of the gods. By the Hebrews, it was called Gad, also Khokhabzedec, star of justice, and probably consecrated to Melchisedec, whose name signifies a righteous king; it was also known among this ancient people by the denomination of Mazal, and its influence supposed to be very great in promoting fruitfulness ;-Mazal, however, may be considered to mean other stars, from the following Hebrew proverb,-" There is no herb in the earth, which hath not a Mazal or star in the firmament, auswering it, and striking it, saying, Grow." Jupiter was called by the Egyptians the star of Osiris; among the three hundred deities of this name, recognised by the Grecian mythology, that, appropriated to the planet, was Phaethon, or brightness. The Chinese name for this planet is Mo, wood, and Cui, a year. The philosophers of antiquity had no conception either of the stupendous magnitude, or illustrious retinue of this planet; the invention of the telescope, expanded this, till then, apparently minute spot into a magnificent system. When first observed by Galileo, he considered, the satellites visible at the time of observation, as some of those minute stars, which his newly acquired instrument had shown to be innumerable; at his first notice of these small bodies, three only of the satellites were seen; observing them night after night, he found that they did not belong to the sphere of the fixed stars, that they were four in number, and revolved about the planet as their centre, accompanying him in his course round the sun the application of more powerful instruments soon developed the principal interesting phenomena, to which modern discovery has added little, beyond a few previously unnoticed particulars, and correcting the measurements of those who examined it, in that interesting era in practical astronomy: the result of these, and more recent observation, proves that Jupiter is subject to great and sudden physical changes, caused by agents inconceivably more powerful than any known on the terrestrial globe, operating either on the surface or in the atmosphere of the planet, or probably both; this is inferred from the transformations noticed in the belts, or bands, that encircle the orb parallel to the equator, some of which have been observed five thousand miles in breadth. Sometimes these are continuous, at other seasons interrupted, and occasionally broken into short curved lines, or disappearing in an hour or two, and even during observation: some spots also, after continuing permanently visible on the disc for many years, have disappeared, and at the end of five years again been visible, either from recombination, or emerging from a veil of obscurity; this was the case with one that continued unseen from 1708 to 1713. It is highly probable the causes of these changes may be traced to the swift rotation of the planet about its axis (9h. 55m. 37s.) and the attractive influence of the satellites, which forces, acting more powerfully in the equatoreal regions, where these phenomena are most conspicuous, tend to draw the clouds into parallel strata, while the unequal action of the satellites, according to their varying position, occasionally disturbs that belt-like appearance which is generally preserved; hence it is easy to conceive that the tides of Jupiter must be very great, and that when two or more satellites are in conjunction, their influence would raise the jovial seas to a stupendous elevation. The following are the apparent mean distances of the satellites from their primary :— The first 1'51". The second 2' 57". The third 4' 42". The fourth 8′ 16′′. PERIODICAL REVOLUTION. In examining the satellites of Jupiter, it is perceived that they are of unequal magnitudes and brilliancy; the third is the largest and brightest of the four, though the brilliancy of the whole is not uniform, but liable to a periodical variation, probably arising from diversities in their surfaces, and their rotation, which, as in our moon, is performed in the same time about their axis, 3 is occupied in their courses round the primary: this is inferred from their change of appearance in different parts of their orbits; the first is white, which varies in its intensity; the second is of the same general appearance, though occasionally of a blue, and also of an ash color; the third is similar in color and changes, |