The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1871-09-06

brilliantly side by side in gay con
trast' Venus, our near neighbor,
and tho brightest star of all tho
heaTcnly host; and Jupiter, our
magnificent brother; who, in spite
OF his immense distance, managed
to hold the llsts with his feminine
rival. 1t was pleasant to watch
their nightly approach on tho CO.
lcstial pathway until, passing
each other or the 18th Of May.
Jupiter moved sunward, and Fc-
hus still pursucd hcf eastward
course high up among tho stars.
a special Interest just now is at
tached to the planet Venus in tho
astronomical world; for in 1874
one of her transits takes place.
She will then pass, like tiny,
black star, ACROSS the suns disc,
and astronomers Of all nations arc
making preparations TO observe
the rare phenomenon. The En-
glish Government has appropri-
ated $50, 900 for this purpose. and
other nations will not be behind.
! hand in their efforts in the cause.
instruments are being constructed
and stations have been chosen for
observation. Next year somo of
tho parties will be Obliged to start
for the inhospitablc regions near
the arctic and antarctic circles,
where the work must bc done
! The last transit took place in
1863, and since then great i'm .
provcmcnts in sclcncc have been
made, which will all be brought
to bear upon one Of the great
problems to be solved, that Of the
suns distance, in which an error
Of 1000, 600 miles is to be dItcc-
ted.
The rcd planet Mars is now u
conspicuous object in the South
east in the early evening; though
by no means SO brilliant few
months since. Tlfo planet may
be trascd in the constellation Nir
go, not very far from its principal
star Spica, with whose delicate
hue tho ruddy planet forms Il
pleasing contrast. 1T can be easily
recognized, tor no other star but
the clone" Spica Is found in the
vicinity. Mars is an exceedingly
interesting telescope object, and
probcbly the only planet whose
surface is actually Seen; for Venus
dctics the telescope with It's bright
ness, and the other planets arc
too far off, Every thing tiurnd on
the earth has been discovered on
this planet Eut the existence of
life. EagIc,cycd ASTRONOMERS have
mapped ont its surface, watched
its SNOWY poles, noted the green
Of its waters, detected tho ruddy
color Of its soil, admired its morn
ing and evening twilight hucs,
and marked the passage Of furious
storms and moisLurc-ladcn clouds
over it's surface. Spcctroscopic
observers have tested the consli-
tuents Of its mass and found met
ais, carlhs, gases, vapors and an
atmosphere corresponding to our
own.
The planet Saturn rises later in
the evening, and is now found in
the constellation Saggittarius, and
very near the Milky Way, on
which tho archer rests his brndcd
bow. Its ruddy light and soft
glow make it easily disccrniblc
among the stars. 1t is specially
interesting now as n teiescopic
object, for its rings nrc turned to-
ward us, and surround the pIauct,
or, rather, cradle +! in their soft
light IS they will not DO ngnin to
our eyes for fifteen years. These
beautiful rings are objects Of in,
tense study to star gazcrs, who
wait patiently to discern If they
are really made up Of myriad min
ute satellites or mctcors, bound
together by incomprckcnsibc
forces, and while circling in triple
bands around the huge planet,
permitting ghmpscs Of its surface
to be seen between the tiny inter-
sticcs. The now theory that Sa-
turn is a sun TO his eight satcI-
litcs, and to the myriad moons
which form his rings, is gaming
ground among modern theories.
| Mercury is tho only other plan.
OF which will shed a pcrccptibIe
light upon the August sky, and
this will be onl y for q fow even,
ings. lie reaches his greatest
Eastern elongation on tho Goth
Of this month, and then, and for
q fow days boforo and after, the
careful watcher may track his
course and pick him up about an
hour after sunset, closo behind
tho sun, and half concealed he.
meath his twilight beams. Tho
sight is we'll worth tho trouble,
for no star compares in bri!liancy
with this swittest member Of tho
solLr brothorhnnd.
Jupitor 10 now sole planetary
monarch Of the dawning day, and
those who rise before tho dawn
can easily traoo his path as the
bright morning sta. No observer
can fail to ra0ornjyo hie s0Iiinrv