The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-11-25
ASTRONOMICAL PREDICTIONS.
Phenomena 10 Iic ObscrScd In the ncnNcnH
DurIun the Next Twenty-Five years.
EcIIpsrs, Comets, aud star showers from
Now 10 The Next Century.

Phcnomcnn 10 Bc Observed In the Heavens
| DurInn the Next Twenty-Five Scnrs'.-
| Eciipses, Comets, aud Star showers from
Now 10 the Next Century
| To the amateur astronomer, writes
| Professor Kirkwood, brief enumeration
of the principal phenomena to occur in
the near future will not be without in
terest. The following list includes the
cclipses of the sun and moon, the tran
sits of. Mercury and Venus; occulations
of fixed stars by the moon, the return OF
periodic comets, the probable dates OF
mcteoric showers, and the cpochs OF
maxima and minima Of solar spots, from
the present time till the close OF the
nineteenth century:
1878. On the morning of November
20, Spica Virgins, well-known star OF
the first magnitude, will be occultcd by
the moon. The immersion behind the
moons bright limb will occur about 1870
o'clock, or few minutes after the moon
shall have risen. The Occultation will
continue about one hour and twelve
minutes.
1876. Three occultations of the Plci-
adesc will take place in the last three
months of the year, viz, ON October u,
November 80, and December %. The
phenomena may be well observed with Il
small telescope.
1877. D'Arrest's comet will return to
pcrihclion in January of this year A
total eclipse of the moon, invisible IN
this country, will take place ON the 27th
of February. Another will occur ON
the 23d of August, partly visible in the
eastern states.
1878. This will he the next year OF
sun-spot minima. On May g., Mercury
will pass over the suns disk, the transit
occupying H. Am. This, with II single
cxccption is the largest duration of II
transit on record. On the 2Sth OF July
there will be an eclipse of the sun, total
in Colorado and also in the island OF
Cuba. No other opportunity OF witness
ing total eclipse in our own country
will occur till after the close of the pres
cnt century. Enckcs comet and the
sccord comet of 1867, will both return to
pcrihclion in August. :,
1879. Brorscn's comet of short period
will pass its pcrihclion about the last OF
June
1880. Winneckis comet (period Oh.
my will retun about midsummer.
The moon will be totally cclipsed ON
December lG; invisible in the United
States.
1881. A transit ON Mercury ON May 7,
Fayc's comet may be looked for in Jan
uarv, and Enckc's in November. .,
1882. The sun will be totally eclips5ed
May II; the phenomenon being visible
in Egypt and Persia. The great astro-
nomical event of the year will be the
transit of Venus on the 9th OF NoVem,,
ber, which will be visible in the United
States.
1888 A maximum Of sun spots is to
be expected this year. The comet OF
1912. whose period was estimated at 40
wears and 8 months may be expected
some time during the year. The comet
of D'Arrcst may also be looked for in
June or July. 80,
1884 The second comet of 1867 will
pass its perihcion in April A consider
able dis play of the metcors of April 20
may be expected with some probability.
The period of this cluster is supposed to
be about twenty-seven years. A total
eclipse of the moon will occur on the 4th
of October. .,,
1885. The comet of Brorscn will be
nearest the sun in January; those OF
Enckc and Tuttlc in March.
1886. Winncckc's comet will return IN
February. The sun will be totally
ecipsed August 20. Visible in Grenada
and on the Atlantic. That part of the
stream Of November meteors which pro
duccd the showers of 1887 and 1920 may
be expected to return between 1888 anC
1883.
1887. Total eclipse of tho sun, Augus
10. Visible in Asia and eastern Europe
The comet of 1915, according to Besscl
calculations, will be in perihclion in Feb
ruary.
1883. The moon will be totally cclipsec
January %. Encke's and Faye's comets
will return about midsummer.
1889. D'Arrcst's comet will return IL
| November and the second comet OF 1861
in December. A minimum of sun-spot'
is expected. .,,
1890. Brorsen's comet will be nearest
the sun in August.
1891. A return of Winncckc's comet ii
September, and of Enckes in October
| A transit of Mercury, May 9.
1892. A display Of mcteors derived
from Biclas comet may be expected
about November "a.
1894. A sun-spOt maximum. a tran
sit of Mercury, November 10.
| 1895. Encke's comet will become vlsl
Bile in January; the second of 1867, IL
| August and Faye's in December. TIN
moon will be totally eclipsed on tn
night of March %.
| 1896. Pcrihelion passage of Brorson
comot in February, and of D'Arrests j
March. A total eclipse of the sun wi
occur on the morning of August Il
Visible in Lapland and high norther
latitudes.
1897. Winneckes comet will be due i
April.
1898. Encke's comet will return
Nav, and Tuttle's in October. The moo
will be totally eclipsed on the night
| December u.
:, 1899. The maximum display OF Lcoi
$ dis, or November meteors, may be e!
, pcctcd this wear on the morning OF I'll
18th of the month. Considerable shov
:, crs, however, will probably bc witncSsC
each wear from 1897 To 1901. Temple
> comet. which is connected with the,
!, mctcors. and which preceded them
c 1866, will probably pass its pcrlheIIon
y March. .r,
l. 1900. A total eclipse of the sun vii!
e visible in Virginia May 9th. The fir
II comet of 1868, whose period Is thlrt
It three years and seven months, will retu'
:. in the summer of 1900. The sOlar-sp
minimum will occur in the last year
>, the century.
II The foregoing list makes no claim
e completeness. None but total cclip:
e. have been pointed out, and even some