attend upon the equinox
swept through the woods and trees; the delicate chestnut woods, which
last dare encounter the blasts of spring, and whose tender leaves do not
expand until they may become a shelter to the swallow, had already
changed their hues, and shone yellow and red, amidst the sea-green
foliage of the olives, the darker but light boughs of the cork-trees,
and the deep and heavy masses of ilexes and pines."

* * * * *

Astronomical Occurences

_FOR OCTOBER, 1827._

(_For the Mirror_.)

Mercury is in conjunction with Jupiter on the 7th at noon: he is too
near the sun to be observed this month.

Venus passes her superior conjunction on the 7th, at 10 h. morning,
thenceforward she sets after the sun, and becomes an evening star. This
interesting planet makes a very near appulse to Jupiter on the 16th at
1 h. morning.

Jupiter is in conjunction with the sun on the 18th at 10-3/4 h. evening.
He is afterwards a morning star, preceding the sun in his rising.

The Georgian planet, or Herschel, ceases from his retrograde movement on
the 4th, and appears stationary till the 11th, when he resumes a direct
motion. He is still in a favourable situation for evening observation.
Its great distance from the earth, and the long period of its revolution
round the sun prevent any rapid change in its situation among the fixed
stars; the place therefore which the Greorgium Sidus occupied in
Capricornus in July, (see MIRROR for that month) is so contiguous to
that planet's present position, that the observations then made may be a
sufficient guide for the present month. Its slow motion among the fixed
stars makes it participate in that daily change which is common to them,
hence the planet may be observed in the same place a few minutes earlier
every night. It comes to the south on the 1st at 7 h. 16 min., and on
the 31st at 5 h. 26 min. evening.

The moon is in opposition on the 5th; in apogee on the 11th; in
conjunction on the 20th; and in perigee on the 23rd. She is in
conjunction with Saturn on the 13th at 3-1/4 h. after with Mars on the
18th at 2 h. morning; and Jupiter and Venus on the 20th, with the former
at 1-1/2 h. and the latter at 11 h. afternoon, also with Mercury on the
21st at 10-1/2 h. afternoon.

The Solar luminary is eclipsed on the 20th at 3 h. 47 min. afternoon. He
is above the horizon during the whole time the central shade is passing
over the disc of the ea