Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-08-23

..b,-ov until passing each other on the
f9tb Of Nav. Jupiter moved srnwards, ana
Venus atiil pursned her eastward course hlSn
~, among the stars. A special interest JUST
- i attached TO the planet Venus IN the
aS,ronon;cal world, for in 1874 one OF hcr
+~onsits takes place. She will then pass IKE
a tinv. black star across the sun oiscs anu
astronomer of all nations are haAlua
nrenarations to observe the rare phehouenoh,
The English government has approPrlateu
$50, 900 for this purpose and other h1t'one
will not be bebindhand in their Efforts IN tue
cause. Instruments are being constructed
and stations have been chosen for observa-
ton. Next year some of the parties Will De
Obliged to start for the inhOspItable regions
near the arctic and antarctic circles, Where
the work must be done. The last transit
took place in 1869, and since then great I'M
movements have been made IN science, Wnlch
will all be brought to bear upon one oil the
great problems TO be solved, that OF the sun
distance, in which an error Of 4,OOO,OoO IS
to be detected.
The red planet Mars is now a conspicuous
object in the southeast in the early evening,
though by no means SO brilliant as during
its apDositiOn a few months since. The
plaDet NAV be traced in the constellation
Virgo, not very far from it's principal star
Spica. with whose delicate hue the ruddy
planet forms a pleasing contrast Ii can be
easily recognized for no other star but the
- lone Spica is found IN the vicinity. Mars
is an exceedingly interesting telescope
object, and proftably seen, for Venus dehes
the telescope with it's brightness, and the
other planets are too far of. Everything
| found on the earth has been discovered on
this planet but the existence of life. Eagle
| eyed astronomers have mapped out Its sur
/ face watched its snowy poles, noted the
/ green of its waters, detected the rudy color
| of it's soil, admired its morning and evening
| twilight hues, and marked the passage OF
/ furious storms and moisture laden clouds
over its surface. Spectroscoplc observers nave
/ tested the constituents Of its mass, and found
metals, earths, vApors, and an atmosphere
| corresponding to our own.
/ The planet Saturn rises later in the
evening. aud is now found in the cOnstells-
ton Sagittarius, and very ne the milky
way. on which the archer rests his Bonded
/ bow. Its rudy light and soft glow make 1t
easily discernlble among the stars. 1t Is
| : pecally interesting now a. a telescope
| object. Tor its rings are turned towards Us,
and surround the planet. or, rather, cradle Il
! IN their sytt light as they will not do again
70 our eyes for fifteen years These beautiful
rings are objects OF intense study 10 star ga
zers, who wait patiently 10 discern II they
lites or meteoIs, bound together by inc0mpre-
hensible forces, and while circling in triple
bands around tue huge planet permitting
/ gllmI,sCs OF Its surface 10 be seen between the
tiny IntorsJIces. The new theory that Saturn
Is "a sun to its eight satellites, and 10 the
myriad moons which form his rings, Is gain
ny ground among modern theories.
Mercury Is the only planet which Will
she'd a preceptible light upon the August sky
and TINS viii be only for a few evenings. He
reaches ms greatest eastern eiongation on the
2Oth OF this month. and then, and for a lev
DAYS before aud after, tue careful watcher
may track his course and pick aim up about
an hour alter sunset, close behind tne sun
ana half concealed beneath his twilight
beams The sight 5 well v nth the trouble
for no star compares ia hrilIlaney with this
swiftest member 9t the solar brotherhood
Jupiter Is now sole planetary monarch OF th
dawuin- day. AMI those who rise before tn
dawn can easily track his path as the b-iZni
morning star.-Hartt0Ti Post.