h.

p.

1.

1832, Dec. 31 6 A. 1833, Feb. 9

Position and Magnitude of the Rings of Saturn, according to

Bessel and Struve.

-4°23′+3°10' 41-682-30" 233°41' 190°36′

b.

u.

232 55 189 50

The Earth coming into the plane of the Rings,
they cease to be visible.

The Earth again coming into the plane of the
Rings, they may again be seen.

*The Earth will be above the plane of the Rings, until April 30th, 4h. A.; the rings will then disappear, and will continue invisible forty days, as, during that interval, their

p. Angle of the semiconjugate axis of the ring with the circle of declination, positive when east, negative when west.

7. Angle of elevation of the Earth above the plane of the rings, as seen from Saturn, positive when north, negative when south.

a. Semitransverse axis of the rings.

b. Semiconjugate axis of the rings; positive when their northern surface is visible, negative when their southern.

u. Longitude of the Earth as seen from Saturn, reckoned on the plane of the rings and from their ascending node in the equator.

u'. The same longitude reckoned from their ascending node in the ecliptic.

*

** It has been recently discovered, that Saturn is not placed exactly in the centre of the rings. This singular circumstance was for some time considered an optical illusion, occasioned by the shadow of the planet on the ring; but Professor Struve has ascertained, with the celebrated Dorpat telescope, that the rings are actually eccentric. The eccentricity is, however, too small to be perceived by any other than the very best and most powerful telescopes.

ASPECTS OF THE PLANETS IN 1833.

The inferior planets (Mercury and Venus), from their superior to their inferior conjunctions, and the superior planets, from their opposition to their conjunction, pass the meridian between noon and midnight, and usually set in the evening after the Sun. The inferior planets, from their inferior to their superior conjunctions, and the others, from their conjunctions to their oppositions, pass the meridian between midnight and noon, and usually rise before the Sun in the morning.

southern side will not be illuminated by the sun. On June 9th, 0 M. the Earth will again come into, and then pass above, the plane of the rings, and ronder them visible for the remainder of the year.

Mercury, stationary, January 4th; at greatest western clongation (24° 1′) January 15th; at superior ♂ March 2d; at greatest eastern elongation, March 28th; stationary, April 5th; at inferior ♂ April 15th; stationary, April 29th; at greatest western elongation (23° 25′) May 14th; at superior o June 17th; at greatest castern elongation (27° 9′) July 25th; stationary, August 8th; at inferior ♂ August 22; stationary, September 1st; at greatest western elongation (17° 57') September 8th; at superior, d October 4th; at greatest eastern elongation (22° 6′) November 19th; stationary, November 29th; at inferior & December 9th; stationary, December 19th; at greatest western elongation (22° 32′) December 28th.

The most favorable opportunities in the course of this year for viewing this planet, will be in the morning, before sunrise, in the beginning of January, the beginning of September, and the latter part of December; and in the evening, after sunset, in the latter part of March and the latter part of June; as, at these times, the planet will not only be near its greatest elongation, but will be nearer the elevated pole than the Sun, and consequently will remain longer above the horizon.

Venus, at greatest eastern elongation (46° 19′) March 6th; most brilliant as evening star, March 26th; stationary, April 25th; at inferior ♂ May 17th; stationary, June 7th; most brilliant as morning star, July 6th; at greatest western elongation (45° 45′) July 26th; at superior 7th, 1834.

Mars, in quadrature, March 1st; in conjunction, November 1st.
Vesta, in opposition, July 6th; in quadrature, October 9th.

March

Juno, in opposition, May 6th; in quadrature, August 2d; in conjunction, December 7th.

Pallas, in conjunction, May 5th; in quadrature, October 28th.

Ceres, in quadrature, January 26th; in conjunction, June 20th; in quadrature, November 26th.

Jupiter, in conjunction, April 1st; in quadrature, July 27th; stationary, August 25th; in opposition, October 23d; stationary, December 21st.

Saturn, in opposition, March 15th; stationary, May 23d; in quadrature, June 12th; in conjunction, September 24th; in quadrature, January 1st, 1834.

Uranus, in conjunction, February 7th; in quadrature, May 13th; stationary, May 26th; in opposition, August 13th; stationary, October 28th; in quadrature, November 11th

All the superior planets, except Mars, Pallas, and Ceres, will come into opposition in the course of this year.

The oppositions will take place as follows, viz; of Saturn, March 15th; of Juno, May 6th; of Vesta, July 6th; of Uranus, August 13th; and of Jupiter, October 23d.

HEIGHT OF THE GREATEST OR SPRING TIDES IN 1833.

Computed by the formula of La Place (Mécanique Céleste, vol. II. p. 289.)

The unit of altitude, at any place, is the altitude or rise of that tide which arrives about a day and half after the time of New or Full Moon, at that place, the Sun and Moon at the moment of ♂ or 8 having been at their mean distance from the Earth and in the plane of the equator.

The unit of altitude at any place can be ascertained only by observation, and, multiplied by the quantities in the above table, will give the height of the spring tides at that place, for the present year.

By the preceding table it appears that the tides of February 5th, March 7th, April 5th, August 16th, September 14th, October 14th, and November 12th, will be the greatest of all in 1833.

The actual rise of the tide, however, depends so much on the strength and direction of the wind, that it not unfrequently happens that a tide, which would, independently of these, have been small, is higher than another, otherwise much greater. But when a tide, which arrives when the Sun and Moon are in a favorable position for producing a great elevation, is still further increased by a very strong wind, the rise of the water will be uncommonly great, sufficient perhaps to cause damage.

'The following Table contains the Unit of Altitude of several ports and places on the coast of America, according to the best authorities. The unit of altitude of the several places in the Bay of Fundy was ascertained by recent observations.