Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-04-27
TscIfDse of the Planets Venus, Mars and
Imnifer by the VI OOms

Eclipse of the Planets Venus, Mars ana
Jupiter by the Moon.
An occultation of planet at any particular place,
under favorable circumstances for observation is
an event OF such rare occurrence that cannot be
expected oftencr than once in four or five years
Indeed, at the Observatory at Cambridge, only one
tthat of Jupiter in August 1867 has occurred since
the beginning Of 1852. The happening, therefore
of four Of these phenomena in a large part Of this
country in a single month, between the 9th inst,
and the 18th Of May, is very remarkable
The first of the four, and the most beautiful ana
interesting Of the whole, was that Of Venus the
evening Of Tuesday, the oath inst, which occurred
- about eight o'clock and observed by large
number of our citizens. This occultaon took place
when the planet was quite high and nearly at the
position of its greatest brliaucy lJ was visible in
the British provinces, and in that part OF the Uni
ted States situated northerly OF a line drawn from
AIbemarIe Sound, little south of Norfolk and
north Of Cincinnati to Davenport Iowa; beyond that
line the planet was not eclipsed but passed south OF
the moon. as was observed at this place. North ct
the line Indicated the immersion took place at the
edge of the darkened portion OF the moon disc.
Observers noticed the planet suddenly disappear
from the sky as if it had been blotted out OF eNs-
tence, and then as suddenly reappcar from oemhl
the Illuminated portion of the moons disc me uu
ration OF the immersion was about half an hour
We are reminded that the mean diameter OIL In'
moon is 1853 miles and its mean distance from 'l'
earth is 237 $50 miles. The mean diameter OF venus
is 200 miles. and ITS mean distance from the eSr'
is 6S,75OOOO miles. At the time Of the occulta
ton the moon was 245,362 miles from the cen
ter of the earth OF say 24l. lO2 miles from the oh
server; and Venus was 70359, l67as miles from tn
earths center 7o555 POI miles from the observer
The second of these occutations was Jupiter
which occurred last night about twelve o'clock. J
was observable in the northern part Of New HamI
shire and Name, and some of the British Provinces
Int in the southern part of New England the leas
distance of the edges OF the planet and our satellite
,os about one-twentieth the diameter of the latter
The third Of these occultations VIII be that @
Mars in the morning, before sunrise, of Thursday
Nav Iotb. Il VIII be visible in a large part of tn
limited States and the British Provinces. As tn
moon win then be about five days past the full, tn
immersion will take place on the dark side. Tn
color Of Mars viii be fiery red, as it will be quit
near the earth indeed, at Mars opposition to I'll
SIM on July 18th next it will be nearer to US tina
for several years, with high southern declnato
thus giving the astronomers at the Cape Of Goo
Hone an excellent and rare opportunity for dete
mining its paraIlax with greater precision
The fourth of this extraordinary series Of occJ
cations Is that Of Jupiter, in the forenoon OF lhuI
dav Nav 18th. which also viii be visible in a lar
part of this country. but which, taking place WIN
the sun is above the horizon cannot be seen, exec
with the aid Of very good telescope