The Portland daily press., 1879-10-02
Providence Journal
Planets in October.

Saturn is evening star during the month,
with the exception of the first four days, and
it is his turn to hold the place OF honor among
the planetary brotherhood. He comes into
opposition with the sun on the 9TH, when the
sun, earth and planet are in the same straight
line with the earth in the centre. He Is
therefore at his nearest point of approach, and
takes on his brightest hue and largest dimen-
sions. Even now, he is more than eight hun
dred million miles away, and, at such an i'm
mense distance, the difference between his
greatest and least brilliancy is not large in
amount though plainly perceptible. Thus his
appar ent diameter is now a little more than
twenty seconds of degree; six months hence,
when farthest from us, it will be about four
teen seconds of degree. Venus, under the
same conditions, measures sixty-two seconds at
her least distance and only nine and half at
her greatest distance. Saturn rises now at six
O'Clock; on the 9TH at sunset, and on the 3lst,
about four o'clock He should be looked for at
present, in the east, an hour or two after sun
set, when sufficiently high above the horizon
to be easily detected, and will be found consid-
erably farther north than Jupiter and about
two hours behind him. His peculiar color OF a
dull yellow, steady light, and the absence OF
large stars in his neighborhood, will secure his
recognition as soon as the full moon is out OF
the way. Observers who have access to tele-
scopes should improve the present opportunity
for sight of the most charming telescope OBJ
iect in the heavens. The rings undergo a va
riety of changes during the thirty years rev.
olution. Just now, they are apparently rings
no longer, but lines of light projecting on each
side of this golden ball'of surprising loveliness
while the beauty of the picture is increased by
the beauty of the eight moons as their position
and the power of the instrument can summon
into the field.
Jupiter is evening star, and so superb an OBJ
ject in the evening sky that there is no need to
sound his praises or call attention to the grand
display he makes each night as leader and
king of the starry host But he is moving
away from our vicinity; before the month has
passed, his brightness will sensiby dsminish,
and at the end of the month he will sink below
the horizon about one o'clock, leaving the field
for lesser lights to take their turn for being in
the ascendant. He rises now at half-past four;
at the end Of the month at half-past two.
Mercury is evening star after the fifth, when
he comes into superior conjunction with the
sun and sets at the same time. On the 3lSt he
sets at about half-past five, only half hour
after the sun. He is invisible throughout the
month, and, safely hidden in the suns ray s.,
tracks his rapid course, secure from terrestrial
vision.
Venus is the morning star, .and is rapidly
reaching distance from the sun that makes
her the object of supreme interest among the
morning stars. She now rises at a quarter af-
ter five, about three-quarters OF an hour before
uDe sui, DuU Ill ull6 ldbtcr ptrl VI lllo
she will rise not long after three, more than
three hours before the sun. On the 3Oth she
reaches that period of her greatest brilliancy,
occurring thirty-six days after her inferior con-
junction Early observers will then be re-
warded by sight of the largest and most beau
tiful member Of our planetary system in her
most beaming phase. Those who desire to
watch her erratc movements will see by mark
| ing her course among the stars of Leo, that she
| is moving rapidly, as she does near her con-
l botl l,o.p c ratro do or
westward She.is seen now through the tele-
scope as waxing crescent resembling few
| days old moon; but though only small por-
| tion of her illuminated disc is turned towards
us, her increased size makes her appear brighter
than when at her superior conjunction nearly
| her whole enlightened orb is turned to the
earth. There is no better method of becoming
familiar with this planet than to follow her
phases from her present position just coming
| into view after her inferior conjunction; until
| she comes round to the same point again. This
period is called her synodic revolution, and is
| accomplished in five hundred and eighty-four
| days, or about twenty of our months, during
| which time she is alternately morning and
evening star. Those who follow her course in
| this way will find the study one of exceeding
| interest, and the crisp October mornings q de-
lightful season for making the effort.
| Mars is morning star, and is rapidly taking
| on phase that will make him a prominent
! object of interest among the members of the
more warlike proportions, his size increases,
| and as he darts above the horizon earlier each
| evening, he seems to beam with conscious
| pride as the time approaches when he may
| present again to mortal vision the tiny satel-
4 lites that crowned his appearance at the oppo-
| sition of 1877. The opposition occurring next
| month will not be as favorable for observation
! but the great telescopes all over the world will
| be scanning his ruddy discs before this month
| ends. and if it comes within the sphere of hu-
| man power new discoveries will be made.
| Mars rises now about 8 in the evening, on the
| 31st at half-past 5. He is in the constellation
| Taurus, and his movements may be watched
\ by comparison with the PleiadeS.
| Uranus is morning star, rising now at half
past g. at the close of the month at half-past l..
He is still too far away to be visible to the ma
I ked eve, and of little account to ordinary OBJ
| servers.
| The October moon fulls on the Goth. The
| old moon is in conjunction with Mars on the
| 4th, and the waning crescent and Venus will
| form brilliant picture on the morning sky OF
| the 18TH The new moon of the 18th will be
] in conjunction with Jupiter on the 24th, with
| Saturn on the 2Sth, and with Mars on the 31st
two days after tile full.
The planetary interest for the month centres
again around the movements of the shining
( trio, Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars. On the moon.
| less evenings during the middle of the month
| they will be beautiful to behold, marking out
| with golden points the position of the ecliptic
| and girdling the heavens. Jupiter will then
| be sinking to the west with diminishing lustre
| Saturn moving'ov overhead in his brightest phase
and Mars rising in the east with an increasing
| oIour Of ru6dy 1iobt