Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-03-26
ARTICLES on ASTRONOMY
No, 9-Jupiter.

This is the name given to the largest
OF all the planets. Eleven earths in
a line would hardly measure the di-
ameter of Jupiter's equator; but his
polar diameter is less in proportion
It would require / ,3O4 bodies Ike our
earth to equal the volume of this plan
ct. He now March, 1879 shows his
glowing face in the eastern heavens as
soon as the evening shadows fall. His
present position is a little westward
from Regulus, the brightest star in the
Sickle, in the constellation Leo. This
planet requires nearly twelve years to
complete "a revolution around the sun,
so we may look for him among the
brilliant stars Of Leo during this year.
Like all the other planets, his aDpar-
ent course is sometimes direct, or
from west to east among the stars; at
Others, retrograde. Since December
23d his apparent motion has been To-
ward the west, and he will continue
his course until April 18th, when his
eastward journey will be resumed
The Sun will overtake Jupiter on the
81 of September, and hide him from
our view for several days. Our next
view of him will be as morning star.
On the 14th of October Venus and Ju-
piter may be seen by early risers so
near together as to suggest the posi-
bility of collision. All fears of sucn
disaster among the spheres are dis
PEELED when We learn that Venus Is
only 66, GOO, 600 miles, while Jupiter is
4I5 ,OOO,OOO miles, from The sun, or 400 =
OO0, 900 miles further from the central
orb than his fair visitor. Through a
good held glass, or q surveyors trans
1t, one may See the four moons of Iu-
piter near the weu-defined disc Of the
planet, aided by an astIr nomical tel
escOpe CT moderate power the planet
comes out to our view streaked by
dark belts. Through this instrument
the moons assume the appearance OF
distinct bodies arranged in a line
which crosses the center of the pri-
mary. These satellites revolve around
the planet in such varied times and at
such distances that they never all ap-
pear at once on the same side of the
primary. Jupiter makes complete
revolution on his axis in nine hours
and fifty.hYe minutes. A point on
his equator is carried around at the
rate Of four hundred and sixty-fOur
miles per minute. This velocity is so
great that substances like air, vapOr
and clouds must be thrown into rapid
currents from the poles toward Il g
/ central zone. and sweeping over that
zone from east to west. These are lib e
our trade winds, only much more vi
olent and II the planet Is furnished
with oce ans, the Genital currents in
its Vasl reservoirs must be abundantly
sufficient to prevent any tendenci :
70 slaznation. The evidences of at
mOspherica action, like that with which
we are familiar, are quite abundant f;
AID an Italian astronomer Affir rms that
he has seen knOw falling from the
clouds within the tropics of Jupiter.
The torrid zOHe is a very narrow belt,
as the axis of the planet is only slight
I iy Inclined to the equatorial plane
The SUMS light and heat fall upon
this region with very little variation
through all its long year of 10. 400 days
or siderial revolutions 1t Is true that
from his greater distance, the strength
of solar light and heat are only .O37
or about one twenty-seventh as CON-
pared with our sun light and neat
and yet four effulgent moons and the
Sun, never mUre than five hours ab-
sent, must furnish 3 very large COM
: pensation to the dwellers on the mid
die zones Of Jupiter. 1t is also pretty
well established that this planet Is Ia
) a condition to furnish the inhabiESnu
! on his surface with considerable act
i've calOric, or sensible heat, from hi
: own internal fires. This, with hi
rapid rotation, would account for tn
DARK, cloud like bands on either sid
of the equator, and suggests a state u
. formation like that through whicl
our earth passed while the Create
was saying: 4" Let the waters unde
the whole heavens be gathered TO
3 gether into one place, and let the DR..
: land appear; and it was So"
4lle0heuU 0oIle0e March leT2 T. NJ