Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1879-07-17
The Planets in July,


The feature OF prominent interest on the
/ July record is, that six planets during th,
| latter portion OF the month will be visible
In the evening sky, though not all at the
same time. Venus. Mercury and Uranu:
may be seen IN the earlier part of the even
| ing, an hour sfter sunset, and Jupiter, Sa-
| turn and Mars are above the horiSon before
/ midnight.
! Venus Is evening star and also holds the
| place of honor this month as the leader OF
the solar family, charming every beholder
by her fascinating beauty and graceful car
mage. Tne monotouy of her progress Is
marked by one OF the important epochs In
her course. On the l0th she reaches her
greatest eastern elongation, the extreme
point OF the straight line In which she
seems To oselllate on each side OF the sun
After that time she will approach the sun
until she arrives at her Interior conjunction
on tho sit of September. when she com
rletes her role "a evening star. AMER her
eiopgation i reached. she will set earlier
every evening. aud at The same time in
crease IN size and brilllaucy. ou account OF
her rapid approach towards the earth.
Seen through the telescope At this time, shc
presents the phase Of the moon at the last
quarter, aud then quickly assumes the form
OF the waning crescent. Venus sets now at
ten O'Clock on the last OF the month, about
nine. By that time Il will be apparen. 10
every observer that she has begun TO re
trace her steps
Mercury i evening star and In one Of The
most favorable positions for observation
that occur during the year, being Vi sIhle
soon alter sunset during the whole month
lie sets now at halfpsst eight, on the last
Of the month AZ qparter-past eight. lie
must at present be looked tor nearly above
the point OF sunset; later In the month
little farther south. Mercury reaches his
greatest eastern elougation on the 37th,
when he. too, j. az far from the sun as pos
sibie, though his ltuc OF oscillation j. much
shorter than that ot Venus, on account OF
hls being much nearer the sun. The pres
ent month affords fine opportunity for
study ~ the planet that circles nearest the
great central hr-, and seems % take a con-
scipus pleasure Ia eIudIug observation.
rauus IS an evening star. aud tor once,
somewhat Important member Of the vjsi-
ble fraternity on The StE. he comes i0to
a close conjunction with Venus, the tao
planets being only 1ftecn minutes OF an are
or one quarter OF a degree apart The ,r'e-
scope viii then easily pick up Uranus, and
the contrast between hts pale green disc
aud the da1ziiG. hue or Venus Will b. an
Iut're-tin. study ia the hi story OF the char
acierstic oolors of The planets. on the
31ih, tranas il 10 conlurrli0u with Ner-
curry, ana viii ioru another striking in
stance oi coutra>tcd colors Ia planets, for
each member Of the family reflects color
a. familiar - the eye OF prac'ccd Oh
server A. are the features Of familiar
'reud.. Uranus srfs now lj,tle after ton.
ir" minutes later tban Venus, a. the rGI
OF th" month, about hs.t-pa,, eight.
Jupiter VIII br ranked with the morning
s'ar, uu.u bis opposition on the 3lst Of Au-
gust, though before the month ends be will
b. bri,,'au, ooJect IN the eycuIuz -ky, ap-
pearing above the eastern horizon irW
minutes before Nrru> -IuA~ below the west
rrn. lie rtsr, now about eleven; on h.
iR-t OF the month AZ quarter before nine
lhgs month and the sgccr-ding our urr
favorable Tor watch ~ ib.' Increase In ..z-
and brEiancV ot This superb planet ~ be-
approaches his least distance from the
carth.
Stiurn Is morning star and will keep close
to Mar during the hrst week OF t!ic month.
thelr remarkably close conjunction having
already taAru pace On the last morning in
June. NAturn nnw rises ii,t after mid
might; at the eui OF ibe month h. will rise
soon after ten.
Mars = morning star. aud though a.
present VERY near hIs brother saturn.
separation AL soon take place, Mar. NOV
lhs eastward and uorthwari In his rapid
coutse and lcavtn. saturn 20 plud along a,
his far slower pace A. th~ end OF the
month Mas will rise about eleven. Tho
observer commanding a view oi the souta-
eastern SKY Will have fine view OF thr
successive rising of these three planets on
the midsummer nights at the close of the
mou'h. Jupiter Will D. the tirst on the
scene, rising A .Itiic before nine. y, ore
can mistake the ''star OF imperial Jove" a.
he comes bcamins above the horizon with
a superb lu-tre that exceeds al. o.hcr star,
save the one then stuAins slowly In the
VIII make hi- advent soon after ten, aud
Mar. blazing ~ fnddy gov. will iol!ow
about eleven The three planets are all
approaching their opposition aud Cpnsc-
quently Increasing tu size and brightness.
The July moon iui.s ON the 81. aud Tor
several evenings after there - Oufg au aver
aye difference ot twenty-iour minutes lU
The time uf rising. - that the midsummer
evenings will be Hooded with silver Hight.
o.. the eighth She Will torn a picture tar
to see, when In conjunction with Jupiter
On the lth she Is near Mars ami saturn.
The new moon OF the 10Th Is Ia conjunction
with both Mercury and Uranus when twa
days Old. On the 22d the Iovellest couju'
ton OF the month takes place betwccr .nr
moon aud the fiirest OF the stars - Prov
ideuce Journal