Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-03-11
NO. ga.
miscellaneous.
PLANETS IN MARCH.

Venus is pre-eminently the evening star,
for no other planet disputes her sway ex-
cept Mercury for a few evenings near the
end of the month. She is becoming more
brilliant and conspicuous every night as
she approaches the earth and remains
longer above the horizon Every observ-
er will admire the superb beauty of this
radiant star, a. suddenly appearing from
the depths of space soon after sunset. she
puts on her starry crown, and reigns SUI
preme, the brightest and fairest of the
stars. She holds her court without u
rival until the 24th, when the most inter-
esting planetary exhibition of the month
takes place. Venus, Mercury and the
new moon of the 22d are then in conjunc-
ton, and the celestial trio will form
charming group in the twilight glow of
the evening sky. Venus sets now at half
past seven: at the end of the month at
quarter before nine.
Mercury is evening star after the 4th,
coming into superior conjunction with the
sun. He reaches his greatest eastern elon-
CATION on the 29th, and is then in one Of
the most favorable conditions for obsery-
alton that will occur during the year. At
that time and Il few days before and after
IL
where VEINS sets. On the 29th he sets
about eight o'clock, an hour and hal
after sunset thus an excellent opportu-
nifty is afforded for peep at the swift
footed and fiery planet
Saturn will be morning star after the
26th, being then in conjunction with the
sun and too near him to be visible during
the greater part of the month. lie is
af n IL "a, fro, A
more than ten hundred millions of miles,
and, for month or two, will be so over
shadowed by the suns all-poweriul rays
that he will be blotted out of existence to
terrestrial observers.
Jupiter is a morning star and fast emere-
ing from the temporary eclipse caused by
his nearness to the sun. He may be easily
seen by the middle of the month in the
southeast, not long before sunrise On the
3lst he rises at about half-past four, an
hour and three quarters before the sun.
and Il glimpse of his bright face when
1.-THE morning light is breaking" viii
amply repay the early riser for the effort
requisite to enjoy the scene. On the Goth.
Jupiter is in conjunction with the waning
crescent of the old moon two days before
the change. Planet, moon and rosy-tin-
gered dawn will make a celestial show
worth seeing. Our giant brother is COM
ing towards us and assuming larger pro-
portions. though he will have to make
more than another apparent circuit of the
skies before reaching in September, 1890.
his perihelion, an epoch that will be
watched with intense interest by the
physicists of this small sphere.
Mars is morning star though compara-
lively little interest is attached to his move
mcnts during the month. lie rises now Il
little after four. and at the end of the
month at half-past three. He is in the
constellation Sagittarious, and is visible
rs Il small red star in the southeast in the
early morning hours.
Uranus i evening star, and in good
position for observation. coming to the
meridian about ten O'Clock on the last of
the month. He can then be detected by
the naked eye on clear moonless even
ngs. in the constellation Leo. between
Regulus, the leading brilliant, and the
small star Rho Leonis.
The March moon fulls on the sth. She
will be near Uranus on the eth, entirely
eclipsing his faint light; near Mars on the
18th. when three days past her last quarter.
and near Jupiter on the 2Oth, when a slcr-
der wal ing crescent.
The Zodlacal light has been unusually
brilliant during many evenings in Februa-
ry. its vivid coloring making the surround
ing heavens dark in comparison. This in
teresting phenomenon may be seen ON any
clear, moonlcss evening in March. 1t be-
comes visible about an hour after sunset 20
a column of soft white light, the base OF
the cone resting on the part of the horizon
where the sun went down, and the apex
reaching to the PciadeS, The soft glow
of the mysterious light differs from every
other appearance in the sky, and no words
can descii ibe the ETHEREAL deicacy, the fil-
my texme and softened brlliancy of this
celestial visitor as strangely incompre-
hensble "a it is eXquisitely beautiful. -
| Prorid, nee JOHrHm.