Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1860-05-02
A new sensation for the Moon.

We give below, from the Boston 7rareller, the
eclpses Of the planet, Venus Mars, and Jupiter by
the Moon this month and the next - ST
The first occultation presented a singular and
beautiful appearance about eight o'clock, on Tues
day last The Goddess of beauty, arrayed in all
her celestial radiance of glory-serenely and calmly
seating herself in the lap of of the moon, with
all the other heavenly hosts looking on-some with
mirth and merriment others with jealous eye,
but most with that dont-care - expression,
aped oft by bipeds Below. We thought we could
perceive slight twinkle in the royal eye of Jupiter
the king of all the gods-and in his old father Sat
urn, there surely was unusual expression Of
"what does all this mean Miss Venus? Venus,
nothing daunted sat quietly for some time, until Ju
pter by the request of Juno his aectionate spouse
threw costly and gossamer like veil of cloud over
the scene, and shut US mortals out from beholding
any longer, the pranks ana sports of the ceestals
Oh that zoe were "the man of the moon!" instead
Of this grovelling scribler that we are the imam of
the Standard":
An occultatlon Of planet at any particular place.
under favorable circumstances for observation is
event of such occurrence that it cannot be eX
pected oftner than once in four or five years. In
deed, at the Observatory at Cambridge, only one
THAT of Jupiter, in August 1867 has been seen
since the beginning of 1852.
The happening, therefore, of four of these phe-
nomena in large part of this country in a single
month, between the oath of the present April and
the 25th of May next is very remarkable.
The first of the four, and the most beautiful and
interesting of the whole, is that of Venus, on the
evening of Tuesday next oath inst. This occulta-
o1.ox n1o &c ,ftoh hSr,
and nearly at the position of its greatest brllancy
1t will be visable in the British Provinces, and in
that part of the United States situated northery Of
line drawn from Abemarle Sound, little south OF
Norfolk and north of Cincinnati to Davenport,
Iowa; beyond that line the planet will be eclipsed
but will pass south of the Moon. Its disappearance
behind the dark edge may be seen by the naked
eye; but better through an opera glass. Through
telescope, Venus will appear similar to our Moon
the day before its last quarter about three fths
of its illuminated disc will be turned towards the
| earth.
| About midnight of Thursday, April 26th, Jupiter
will be ecipsed in the north part of New Hampshire
and Maine and some of the British Provinces; but
in the southern part of New England the least dis
lance of the edge of the planet and satellite vii
, be about one-twentieth the diameter of the latter.
The third of these Occutaton> will be that of Mars
/ in the morning before sunrise, of Thursday, May
10TH 1t will be visible in a large part of the Uni
ted States and the British Provinces As the Moor
| will be about five days past the full, the emerson
will take place the dark side. The colors of Mar
will be fiery red, it will be quite near the Earth
indeed at Mars opposition to the on July It'll
next it will be nearer to than for several years
with high southern declination. thus giving tn
astronomers at the Cape of Good Hope an excellen
and rare opportunity for determining its paralla.
with greater precision.
The fourth of this extraordinary series of occuta
tons is that of Jupiter in the forenoon Of Thursday
May 24th which also will be visible in large par
of this country, but which, taking place whilst tn
sun is above the horizon, cannot be except wit
the aid Of very good telescope.
In the remainder of 1860 and in the whole of 1856
no bright planet will be eclipsed in New England
In the evening of May 10Th. 1861 Mars will be quit
low, and very remote, so that it will shine with bu
little of its briancy in July next.
Occultation of the Planet Venus Tuesday evening
April oath, 1860, at the city of New York:
Immersion begins sh 354m p NJ. Mean time
Emersion begins Oh 1bHm p Ms New York
At the Immersion at New York, the planet wi
be 13 46 and at the Emersion 90 South of the Gel
tire of the Moon.