OCCULTATIONS OF FIXED STARS, &c., BY THE MOON, VISIBLE AT GREENWICH.

OCCULTATIONS OF FIXED STARS, &c., BY THE MOON, VISIBLE AT GREENWICH.

are

The Angles are reckoned towards the right hand round the circumference of the Moon's image as seen in an inverting telescope. For direct image, take the opposite points; that is, in numbers, add or subtract 180°. The Angles from North Point and Vertex" will also indicate the position of the meridian; thus, if the larger angle be that in the left-hand column, the objects will be situated on the left of the meridian; and vice versa. The "Sidereal Times given for the use of those having observatories and astronomical Sidereal clocks. General readers will take the times of "disappearance" and "reappearance" from the columns headed "Mean Time," and they will bear in mind that they are always counted from noon. When the time stated is less than 12h it therefore denotes the time in the afternoon: when it exceeds the 12h, by rejecting the 12h the remainder will indicate the time on the following morning; and, in each case, according to Greenwich mean time, which is now uniformly exhibited by railway and public clocks in the United Kingdom.

MEMORANDA FOR NEXT YEAR, 1881.

N.B. As towards the end of the year, or even earlier, information concerning the coming year is often wanted, we give a synopsis of the information most required:I.-Beginnings of the Months and Sundays in 1881.

1881

EEEE

Feb. 1, Tuesday. 6, Sunday.

13,

20,

27,

Mar. 1, Tuesday.

8,

15,

22,

29,

June 1, Wednesday.

5, Sunday.

12,

19,

6, Sunday.

13,

Aug. 1, Monday.
7, Sunday.

14,

,, 21,

28,

18,

,, 25,

II.-Moveable Feasts, 1881.

Quinquagesima, Shrove Sunday

Ash Wednesday

Quadragesima Sunday

Palm Sunday

BEFORE SUNRISE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR 1880.

January 11. SUN totally eclipsed, but
invisible in Great Britain. Will be
visible in New Guinea, a western part
of North America, and on the Pacific
Ocean.

June 22. MOON totally eclipsed, but
invisible in Great Britain. Will be
visible in Australia, China, and on the
Eastern and Pacific Oceans.
July 7. SUN annularly eclipsed, but
invisible in Great Britain. It will be
visible in South America, and on the
South Atlantic Ocean. At the Cape of
Good Hope, visible as a partial eclipse;
begins at 2h 53m P.M.; ends at 4h 41m
P.M., mean times at the Cape.

December 2. SUN partially eclipsed, but
invisible in Great Britain.

December 16.

MOON totally eclipsed, i partly visible at Greenwich. Begins below the horizon at 1h 44m P.M.; total begins at 2h 54m; appears above the horizon at 3h 47m; total ends at 4h 24m; eclipse ends at 5h 33m. Will be visible throughout Europe, Asia, and Australia; and on the Eastern and Pacific Oceans. December 31. SUN partially eclipsed and visible at Greenwich. Begins at 1h 40m P.M.; greatest phase at 2h 35m P.M.; ends at 3h 28m P.M.; magnitude (sun's diameter 1) = 0.388. This eclipse is visible throughout Great Britain, France, Spain, Newfoundland, and on the North Atlantic Ocean.

VENUS will be an morning star until July 13, the time of her superior conjunction with the Sun; and an evening star after that date.

MARS will be in conjunction with Venus on September 7.

JUPITER will be in opposition to the Sun on October 7; he will be in conjunction with Venus on April 16.

SATURN will be in opposition to the Sun on October 18. The splendid rings are visible. The planet will be in conjunction with Venus on May 1.

This table shows the versed sines of the bright portions of the telescopic discs in parts of the apparent diameters of the planets.

NOTE.-In Great Britain, at all places, Greenwich or Railway time is used in common, so that the eclipses of the Moon will not require any correction for longitude.

IN THE SEVERAL COUNTIES OF ENGLAND AND WALES.

By the Act 1 Will. IV. c. 79, it is enacted that "in the year 1831, and afterwards, the Justices of the Peace in every county, riding, or division, for which Quarter Sessions of the Peace by law ought to be held, shall hold their general Quarter Sessions of the Peace in the first whole week after the 11th October, in the first week after the 28th of December, in the first week after the 31st of March, and in the first week after the 24th of June." The following list has been computed according to this rule.

The Act 4 and 5 Will. IV. cap. 47, allows a discretionary power to the Justices of Peace as to the time of holding the Spring Quarter Sessions, and empowers them to alter the day for holding the Sessions, so as not to be earlier than the 7th of March, nor later than the 22nd of April. The dates given below are, therefore, only provisionally fixed, and may be altered.

BEDFORD-Tu. Jan. 6, April 6, June 29,
Oct. 19

BERKS-M. Reading, Jan. 5, April 5, June
28, Oct. 18.

BUCKS-M. Aylesbury, same as Berks.
CAMBRIDGE Cambridge County, F.
Jan. 9, April 9, July 2, Oct. 22.
CHESHIRE M. as Berks; at Chester, Jan.
and July; at Knutsford, April and Oct.
CORNWALL-Bodmin, Tu. same as Bedford.
CUMBERLAND-Tu. as Bedford, at Carlisle.
DERBYSHIRE-Derby, Tu. same as Bedford.
Devonshire-Exeter, Tu. same as Bedford,
and Feb. 11.

DORSETSHIRE-Dorchester, Tu. same as

Bedford.

DURHAM-M. same as Berks.

ELY, Isle of Wed. as Norfolk, at Wisbech,
Jan. and July: at Ely, April and Oct.;
adjourned to March, on Tu. Feb. 10,
May 11, Aug. 10, and Nov. 9.
ESSEX-Chelmsford, Tu. as Bedford.
GLOUCESTERSHIRE-Gloucester, Tues. as

Beds.

HAMPSHIRE-Winchester, M. as Berks. HEREFORDSHIRE-Hereford, M. as Berks. HERTFORDSHIRE-Hertford, M. same as Berks; also on Wed. Jan. 7, June 30. St. Alban's. Tu. as Bedford; also on Th. April 8 and Oct. 21. HUNTINGDONSHIRE - Huntingdon, Mon. same as Berks.

KENT-Maidstone, Th. Jan. 8, April 8, July 1, Oct. 21. Canterbury, Tu. in the same week.

LANCASHIRE Lancaster, M. as Berks;

Preston, following Wed. ;__Salford, following Mon.; Kirkdale, Tu. week following.

LEICESTERSHIRE-Leicester, M. as Berks.

LINCOLNSHIRE

Parts of Lindsey-Lincoln, F. Jan. 9,
April 9; July 2; Oct. 22.

Parts of Kesteven-Bourn, Tu. Jan. 6,
June 29, Sleaford, Tu. April 6, Oct. 19.
Spittlegate, Tu. Jan. 20, April 20,
July 13, Nov. 2.

Parts of Holland-Boston, Mon. as Berks. Spalding, Th. as Kent. MIDDLESEX-General or adjourned Sessions are held at least twice a month at the Sessions House, Clerkenwell, usually on the alternate Tuesdays; and adjourned Sessions are also held at Westminster (Broad Sanctuary). The LONDON Sessions are held four times a year at the Guildhall. The Tower Liverty

Sessions are held eight times a year at the Sessions House, Wellclose-square. MONMOUTHSHIRE-Usk, T. as Bedford. NORFOLK Shire House, Norwich, W.

Jan. 7, April 7, June 30, Oct. 20, adjourned to Swaffham following Wed. NORTHAMPTONSHIRE- Northampton, W. as Norfolk. Peterborough, following day. NORTHUMBERLAND - Newcastle-on-Tyne, W. Jan. 7, Morpeth, April 7, Hexham, June 30, Alnwick, Oct. 20, Berwick, on previous Friday

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE-Nottingham, M. as
Berks. Newark, M. April 12, Oct. 25.
East Retford, M. Jan. 12, July 5.
OXFORDSHIRE-M. as Berks.
RUTLANDSHIRE-Oakham, Th. as Maid-
stone (Kent).

SHROPSHIRE-Shrewsbury, M. as Berks.
SOMERSETSHIRE-Tu. Taunton, Jan. 6,
June 29, Wells, April 6, Oct. 19.
STAFFORDSHIRE-Stafford, M as Berks,
except Tu. in April, as Bedford.
SUFFOLK

-

Ipswich, Th. as Maidstone (Kent), adjourned to Bury on following Tuesday.

SURREY-Newington, Tu. as Bedford.
SUSSEX Eastern Division: Lewes, M.
same as Berks. Western Division:
Petworth, Th. Jan. 8, and April 8.
Horsham, July 1. Chichester, Oct. 21.
WARWICKSHIRE-Warwick, Tu. as Bed-
ford; Coventry, Th. as Maidstone (Kent).
WESTMINSTER-City, are generally held
on the Thursday preceding the Quarter
Sessions for Middlesex.
WESTMORLAND

- Thursday as Kent. Appleby, Jan. and July, Kendal, April and Oct.

WILTSHIRE-Devizes, Tu. Jan. 6, New
Sarum, April 6. Warminster, June 29.
Marlborough, Oct. 19. [as Berks.
WORCESTERSHIRE- Worcester, M. same
YORKSHIRE EAST RIDING: Beverley, Tu.
as Bedford. WEST RIDING: Leeds,
Mon. Jan. 5; Sheffield, Th. Jan. 8.
Wakefield, M. April 5. Bradford, M.

June 28. Rotherham, Th. July 1.
Wakefield, M. Oct. 18. Doncaster, Th.
Oct. 21. NORTH RIDING: Northaller-
ton, Tu. as Bedford. City same as
Berks.

The Quarter Sessions through NORTH and
SOUTH WALES are held by the same rule
as the foregoing, the magistrates deter-
mining the day of the week on which
the Sessions shall commence.