The Portland daily press., 1879-07-08
The Planets in July.

The feature of prominent interest on the
July record is, that six planets during the lat
ter portion of the month will be visible in the
evening sky, though not all at the same time
Venus, Mercury and Uranus may be seen in
the earlier part of the evening, an hour after
sunset, and Jupiter, Saturn 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 carriage. The
monotony of her progress is marked by one of
the important epochs in her course. On the
10th she reaches her greatest eastern elonga-
tion, the extreme point of the straight line in
which she seems to oscillate on each side of the
SUM- After that time she will approach the
sun until she arrives at her inferior conjune-
ton ON the 23d of September, when she COM
pletes her role as evening star. After her elon-
CATION is reached, she will set earlier every
evening, and at the same time increase in size
and brilliancy on account of her rapid ap-
proach towards the EARTH Seen through the
telescope at this time, she presents the phase
of the moon at the last quarter, and then
quickly assumes the form of the waning cres-
cent. Venus sets now at ten o'clock; ON the
last of the month, about nine. By that time it
will be apparent to every observer that she has
begun to retrace her steps.
Mercury is evening star and in one of the
most favorable positions for observation that
occur during the year, being visible soon after
sunset during the whole month. He sets now
at half-past eight; ON the last of the month at
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looked for nearly above the point of sunset;
later in the month a little farther SOUTH Mer-
curry reaches ms greatest eastern elongaIlon on
the 9th, when he, too, is as far from the sun
as possible, though his line of oscillation is
much shorter than that of Venus, ON account
OF his being much nearer the sun. The pres
ent month affords fine opportunity for a study
OF the planet that circles nearest the great CEN
tral fire, and seems to take conscious pleasure
in eluding observation.
Uranus is an evening star, and for once,
somewhat important member of the visible
fraternity. On the Sth, he comes into close
conjunction with Venus, the two planets being
only fifteen minutes of an arc or one quarter of
degree apart. The telescope will then easily
pick up Uranus, and the contrast between his
pale green disc and the dazzling hue of Venus
Will be an interesting study in the history of
the characteristic colors of the planets. On the
3Oth, Uranus is in conjunction with Mercury,
and will form another striking instance of con-
traSted colOrS i'll planets, for each member of
the family reflects color as familiar to the
eye of practiced observer as are the features
of familiar friends. Uranus sets now little
after ten, few minutes later than Venus; at
the end of the month, about half-past eight.
Jupiter will be ranked with the morning
stars until his opposition on the 31st of August,
though before the month ends he will be a
brilliant object in the evening sky, appearing
above the eastern horizon few minutes before
Venus sinks below the western. He rises now
: about eleven ON the last of the month at
quarter before nine. This month and the sue
ceeding one are favorable for watching the
increase in size and brilliancy of this superb
planet as he approaches his least distance from
the earth.
Saturn is morning star and will keep close to
Mars during the first week of the month, their
remarkably close conjunction having already
taken place on the last morning in June.
Saturn now rises just after midnight at the
end of the month he will rise soon after
ten.
Mars is morning star, and though at present
very near his brother Saturn, separation will
soon take place, Mars moving eastward and
northward in his rapid course and leaving
Saturn to plod along at his far slower pace.
At the end of the month Mars will rise about
eleven. The observer commanding a view of
the southeastern sky will have a fine view of
the successive rising of these three planets ON
the midsummer nights at the close of the
month Jupiter will be the first ON the scene,
rising little before nine. No one can mistake
the ''star of imperial Jove" as he comes BEAM
ing above the horizon with a superb lustre that
exceeds all other stars save the one then sink
ing slowly in the west. Saturn, with his dim,
murky light, will make his advent soon after
ten, and Mars, blazing in ruddy glow, will fol-
low about eleven. The three planets are all
approaching their opposition and consequently
increasing i'll size and brightness.
The July moon fulls on the Sd, and for sew
eral evenings after there is only an average
difference of twenty-four minutes in the time
of rising, so that the midsummer evenings will
be flooded with silver light. On the eighth
she will form picture fair to see, when in
conjunction with Jupiter On the 18th she is
near Mars and Saturn The new moon of the
10Th is in conjunction with both Mercury and
Uranus when two days old. On the 22d the
loveliest conjunction of the month takes place
between the moon and the fairest of the stars.
Providence Journal.