The new moon occurs on 10th at 03-32 a.m. and the full-moon on the 25th at 04-21 p.m. I.S.T.

    The Moon passes about three degrees south of the Saturn on the 1st, eight degrees north of the Venus on the 7th, about six and a half degrees north of the Mars on the 16th, three and a half degrees south of the Jupiter on the 27th and again two and a half degrees south of the Saturn on the 28th.

    The moon is at perigee or nearest to the earth on the 2nd and at apogee or farthest from it on the 17th.

    The lunar-crescent becomes first visible after the new moon day in the evening of the 11th.

    The earth will be at the Autumnal - Equinox on the 23rd.

The Planets

    Mercury (Budha) : It is too near the Sun to be visible almost up to the fag end of the month. It is in superior conjunction with the Sun on the 8th. Thereafter it reappears in the evening sky and sets about half an hour after sunset. It passes about 1.7 degrees north of the star Spica (Chitra) on the 30th. It moves from Leo (Simha) to Virgo (Kanya). Its visual magnitude varies from - 1.5 to - 0.6.

    Venus (Sukra) : It is visible in the early morning sky and rises about one and a half hours before sunrise during the first-half of the month and two and a half hours before it during the second half. The planet attains greatest brilliancy on the 26th. It moves from Cancer (Karkata) to Leo (Simha) by direct motion. Its visual magnitude is about - 4.6.

    Mars (Mangala) : It is visible in the evening sky and sets about two hours before local-midnight during the first-half of the month and two and a half hours before it during the second-half of the month. It passes about 3 degrees north of the star Antares (Jyestha) on the 17th. It is in Scorpio (Vrischika). Its visual magnitude is about + 0.5.

    Jupiter (Brihaspati) : It is visible in the evening sky as well as in the morning sky throughout the month. It rises about two and a half hours after sunset during the first-half of the month and one and a half hours after it during the second-half of the month. It is in Aries (Mesha). Its visual magnitude is about - 2.9.

    Saturn (Sani) : It is visible in the evening sky as well as in the morning sky throughout the month. It rises about three and a half hours after sunset during the first-half of the month and about two and a half hours after it during the second-half. It is in Aries (Mesha). Its visual magnitude varies from + 0.1 to - 0.1.

Night Sky

    The accompanying diagram shows the evening sky as seen from latitudes 0 to 40 degrees North. The inner circle represents the horizon as seen from latitude 22.5 degrees North. The Star Chart has been extended on the northern and southern sides for use all over India. Beginners wanting to use the Star Chart should hold it overhead and turn it in such a way that the North, South, East and West marked on the Star Chart point to the correct directions. With some experience it would be possible to use it in a more convenient position. With the help of a few known star - groups in the sky the remaining stars can be easily identified using the Star Chart. From a particular place these stars will be seen at about 2130 hrs., 2030 hrs. and 1930 hrs. of local mean time on the 15th, 16th and 30th of the month.

    The stars move from east to west in the sky in their daily motion (due to rotation of the Earth) at a rate of 15 degrees per hour.
 

Inputs: Positional Astronomy Centre, India Meteorological Department, Calcutta.