Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-01-04

THE BRIGHTEST STARS yIsIBLE-PERIODIC vARI.
TONS QE AIGOI. NARS AMI 81 II-RN


TONS OF ALGoL. MARS AND SATURN.
During January and February the heavens
present the most interesting views to the
naked eye. Nearly all OF the brightest stars
and the most beautiful consultations are above
the horizon the greater part OF the long nights.
The glittertng orbs which guided the ancient
mariners: and by which the navigators of
modern times have been enabled to make oceans
the highways Of nations" can all be traced
without the assistance of the telescope the first
months of the year.
About the middle of January Capelia the
principal star In Auriga, win be neaIy OVER
head at 10 O'Clock. At the same time Hegulns
in Leo Will be almost due east about % ahove
on t horiI 20; BetelgmeX ard Rtgel, the bright
est stars In orion, Will be nearer the meridian
and in the northeast by north the stars com
PriSlDg Ine Dipper In the Great Bear may an.
pear, VINE The PleiadeS. Hy AIDES. Castor Pol
lux, and the diamond of Pegasus can ali he
Traced In the nocturnal sky In addition to
tEese the most Interesting OF the variable stars
Als0l, IN me head OF MeduSa, may be observed
lii me northwest, about 60 high The CHANGES
IN The brightness of the star when near
10 the times Of its greatest dtmness can
. oe ,ioq c with the unaided eye. and it is
salu lnat the French Astronomer Jal3nde
was In the habit of lingering on some of
me piidseS over the Seine and dIrectfnc- me
AZ a,eGoon OF the passershy to the varatl0Rs in
lhe ilght or this nocturnal sun In about three
and half hours Alrol passes from a star,f INC
second magnitude TO one of the fourth CON-
olllne5 less brilliant for about fifteen minu,es
fnrI, la h,Lte ana half hours returns 10 its
aoIineE brightness, which it retains for peri0d
vi petWeen sixty and siXty-One hours. Why
.ntSe changes occur are questions which scfen
t isen canot aully answer Some have supposed
theh TO DE caused by a semi-opague BODY m e.
ing at regular intervals around the star. waile
otheIS, with greater probability have adyaYcpd
.ne theory mat one portion OF Algol Is less lu-
!niiiouS tiian the rest. and that by the regDlu
tioh or that body on its axis the darker porrs
are turned at stated periods toward the elrfh
IL lhlS is The real cause Of the phenomenon il
SHOWS that those distant suns like the central
solar system
axis; and it also afford, another proof Of the
similarity between those orbs, which irrailate
to the earth
During January Venus will increase in bril-
nancy as the evening star, and Jupiter. which
mas shown with such beauty during the autumn
VII az the close of the month be near its con-
junction with the sun. ard will not appear
again as evening star until september.
Satufn though one of the most interesting of
the planets when viewed through the tele-
scope; reveals none of those wonders 10 the
naked eye which puzzled Calico. and which
IfuyghenS half century later found TO he fInn
to rings surrounding the planet Mars, " ltich
eighteen months ago attracted so much affen-
tloh by the discovery Of its moons, is gradually
increasing its distance from the earth, and i. he
coming jesS conspicuous. No planet exhibits Il
greater difference in briIfancT than Mars when
III opposition TO the sun, and when ne trs its
conjunction with that lurninarv when ~ lis
least distance from the earth this planet mas
been examined with more success than any
Gther OF the heavenly bodies. Numerous draw
ihes OF tie appearances presented by its surface
have been made. and striking proofs have been
Obtained OF q resemblance in the climatic
changes in rain and SLOW and in long narrow
cXpanses Of water similar to what is observed
on the globe which forms the residence Of man
But While tie earth may be regarded as humid
planet. tWO-thirdS Of its surface being covered
by water, at least one-haIf OF tue area OF Mars
is Cry land. It's period Of rotation on It's axis.
or its day, IS nearly the same as a day on the
earth: but its year. or period OF revolution
around the sun, is almost equal to TWO years on
tie earth. The seasons, therefore. on Mars are
ABOUT double the length OF those witnessed by
the Inhabitants OF this SublunaTy sphere
PFOCiGt nee J0urnak