Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-02-14
THE STARRY HEAVENS.
Something About the Planets 10 Feb
ruary.

journal writes
Venus, the queen of the stars, will
be the most interesting planet fol-
observation during the month. She
was in superior conjunction with the
sun on the 9th Of last December.
when she passed to his eastern side.
and commenced her role as evening
star. She has been too near him ever
since to be easily visible, but is ow
far enough distant to be detected in
the twilight, half an hour after sun
set. The planet must be looked for a
little to the north of the point where
the sun went down, and as her dis
lance from the great luminary is
increasing, and the time of her setting
is later every evening she will soon
become the distinguishing feature of
the early evening sky, darting from
the midst of the twilight glow.
and increasing in beauty till she
sinks beneath the horizon. She
sets now about halfpast six, a little
more than an hour after sunset (:
at the end of the month she
will not set until about half-past
seven. There is no better opportu-
nifty in her whole course to follow
the erratic movement, mysterious to
ancient astronomers, but simple and
comprehensive, even to the unscien-
tifc mind, under the teachings of
modern science. To an observer on
earth, the nearer planets seem to oscil-
late in straight lines on each side of
the sun. Venus is now passing
through this phase on his eastern side.
constantly receding from him until
the 10th of July, when she reaches
her greatest eastern elongation. She
will then approach the sun, increasing
in brightness, until the 23d of Sep
TENDER, when, at her inferior conjunc-
ton, she passes between the earth and
sun, closing her role of evening star.
and reappears on his western side in
due time to become visible as morning
star, and repeat the process in reversed
order. Any intelligent observer of
this planet can keep the run of her
movements, and, with a little help
from an astronomical textbook, learn
to comprehend the laws that guide
her course, as well as admire her
transcendent beauty.
Jupiter comes into superior con-
junction with the sun on the Sth of
the month. He then rises and sets
with the sun, and, passing to his West
ern side, becomes morning star. He
is too near to the sun to be visible
during the month. Admirers of star
lit beauty will miss the planet that
has lent a brilliant lustre to the even
ing sky since last July. He is now at
his least size and greatest distance.
Saturn is evening star, and is easily
recognized, though diminishing in size
as he goes farther from us, and APP
prOaches his superior conjunction. He
sets now at nine, and at the end of the
month will set at half-past seven.
Mars is morning star, but not IA
vOrably situated for observation, and
he is far south among the small stars
of Sagittarius. He rises about four,
nearly three hours before sunrise, and
can be seen tothe best advantage early
in the morning.
Mercury is morning star, speeding
his way from his western e~longation to
his superior conjunction. Even the
brightest eye will fail to catch a
glimpse of him during the month. On
the morning of the 10Th, Mercury.
Jupiter and the slender crescent oil
the waning moon will be near together.
but the vicinity Of tina sun will conceal
the celestial phenomenon from the
view of terrestrial observers.
Uranus is evening star and better
situated for observation than anv
other planet during the month, for he
comes into opposition with the sun on
the 10Th, and rises nearly as the sun
sets. 1t is a tiny star on account of
its immense distance, but may be
found on a clear, moonless night near
the star Rho Leonis. A small tele-
scope will reveal a disc of a light. |
greenish color, and prove that the OBJ
ject is a planet and not a star. Uranus
is the smallest of the four great
planets hat revolve in what is con
sidered at present the outermost por-
tion Of the solar system, his volume
being only seventy-two times that of
the earth. Though he is at his near
est point, he is more than seventeen
hundred millions of miles distant.
and yet the human eye is so delicate
ly constituted that the waves of light
bridge over this vast space and plain
ly reveal the planet to the unaided
vision.
The February moon fulls on the
9th, and the new moon of the 10Th ex-
hibits on the evening sky of the 22d
one of the most charming pictures in
her repertoire. 1t is the conjunction of
the two-days-old crescent with Venus.
the brilliant evening star. Every one
can behold the phenomenon, if the
weather is propitious. No one who
commands a view of the portion of
western sky where the sun went below
the horizon, will then need directions
for finding the planet, and no one can
look upon the surprising loneliness of
the pale crescent and evening star
without being d~eeplyand reverentially
impressed with the exceeding beauty
Of the celestial picture"