Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-12-06
Planets in December.

Venus is morning star, and the most interest
Ing OF the planetary brotherhood during the
month. The darkest hour is just before the
! dawn, and in the midst of this darkness, three
| hours before the sun, Venus comes darling
| above the eastern horizon, vision of celestial
beauty, ontshfntng every member of the starry
hosts, beaming with brightness as the glowing
dawn puts out the lesser lights. and rising half
way to the zenith before the all-conquering sun
compels her radiant beams to melt away into
the light OF heaven. This planet rises now
about3; at the end OF the month, a few minutes
before 4.
Mars is evening star, and gradually losing the
prestige that made him the observed Of all OBJ
servers during his opposition In November;
though as far as we know, his moons have per-
sistently refused to appear, and astronomers will
be compelled to wait for a more favorable OPP
portunfty for a glimpse of the tiny satellites.
But the planet, though shorn of his most fiery
glow, will still be an object of exceeding in
tereSt, coming to the meridian earlier in the
evening, and forming the central point Of OBJ
! servation with the Pietades, Hyades and Orion
following In his track. Later i'll the night his
rudy tint may be compared with the white
light of the brilliant Sirius, star without its
peer in the northern heavens. Mars could not
be more favorably situated for general Obser-
walton: Rising now about 3, and being well
above the horizon at sunset; at the close OF the
month rising about 1.
Saturn is evening star, rising about l. an hour
before Mars; at the end OF the month he rises
about noon and sets about midnight. He is be-
coming more interesting as telescope object,
as his rings opens and the space between them
and the disc slowly widenS.
Jupiter Is evening star and though, like Saturn
and Mars, travelling from U.s. and becoming per-
ceptibly smaller, is still brilliant object as he
holds his court in the western heavens. Ae sets
now about II; at the end of the month he Will
set obout half-past9.
Mercury Is evening star until the 10th, When
reaching his inferior conjunction, he passes to the
west side OF the sun, and commences his
short course as morning star. He arrives at his
greatest western elongation on the 2Sth and
may then be looked for shortly before sunrise a
few degrees north OF the point where the sun
will appear.
Uranus is morning star, rising on the 1st of
the month at half-past II, and at the close Of
the month at half-paSt9. He was in a quadra-
ture on the list, or half way on his course to-
wards his ppoSition with the sum- and is still
creeping along among the stars OF Leo, and
growing slightly brighter as he approaches the
earth.
The December moon fulls on the 2Sth. The
old moon Is in conjunction with Uranus on the
9th. On the morning of the 10th, Venus and the
waning crescent Of the moon will rise nearly
together, the moon being south Of the planet.
On the 18th. the new moon of the 18th will be
near Jupiter; on the 21St near Saturn, and on
the morning OF the oath near Mars, passing the
planet at distance of three degrees. on the
2Sth there will be partial eclipse OF the moon,
the only one OF the year. 1t will be visible In
United States. but will be seen in Asia, Austria
liza and the Pacific Ocean.-[ Providence JouJ'na,.
KILLED IN AN ELEvATOR.-LiZZle Faek, d laun-
dry girl in the Russell House, Detroit, Michigan,
while descending in the freight compartment of
the hotel elevator yesterday, was caught be-
tween the elevator and projecting beam, and