The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-01-07
Planets in January, 1880

Gallery.
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Planets in January, 1880.
providence Journal.l
Mars is an evening star, and though decreas-
ing in size and brilliancy, and increasing his
distance from the earth, is still an interesting
object for observation. He is moving apidly
eastward in what is called direct motion; as
his path lies in the vicinity of several first
magnitude stars they will serve as measures of
his progress. He is now approaching Aldaba-
ran, one of the brightest OF the red stars and a
fine opportunity will then be afforded for MAX
ing comparative studies of the fixed star and
planet that closely resemble each other. The
regularity of the starry arch formed by the
three planets, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter, will
soon be broken. Jupiter will approach Saturn
and Mars will run away from them both at
rapid pace. Those who have traced the wan
derings Of this trio of planets during the Sum-
mer and Autumn have enjoyed delightful IL
lustratons of planetary movements, and can
easily comprehend the laws that regulate their
course. 1t must be remembered that Mars ap-
pears to pass through one of the consultations
of the zodiac in about two months, while it
takes Jupiter year, and Saturn two years and
q half to accomplish the same amount OF celes-
tial space. But the observer on the earth who
is watching the movements Of the planets, is
moving at the same time and this accounts for
the oscillatng planetary motion, sometimes di-
rect, sometimes retrograde, and sometimes sta
tionary, whose brilliant changes have charmed
the eyes of star-gazers. One morning last May
Mars overlook Jupiter in the Eastern sky, and
for few hours the fiery hue of the one and
the golden glow of the other cleaned side by
side On the last morning of June Mars came
close to Saturn and there was near approach
to that marvellous and rare celestial phenome-
non, the occultation of one planet by another.
A month or two later, Mars still plunging east
ward, and Jupiter moving westward, starry
g1Idie partly spanned the sky, marked out by
tae planetary trio at nearly equal distances
Mars kept on his eastward course until the
equilibrium was destroyed, and turning his
starry feet westward, the planetary arch once
more reappeared in its former beautiful pro-
portions, attracting, during the last few weeks,
the attention and drawing forth the admiration
of every beholder. The change in the position
of these planets will be perceptible during the
month for they are all moving eastward; Jupi-
ter will be seen to come a little nearer Saturn,
and much wider space will intervene between
Mars and Saturn. AS Mars rises about noon
dav. he will be near the zenith in the early
evening, and well situated for observation. He
sets soon after 3; at the end of the month about
2, in the morning.
Jupiter is evening star, and rapidly approach
ing his conjunction with the sun, as his posi-
ton in the Western evening sky bears witness.
He sets now about half-past nine: at the close
of the month about eight. Though travelling
far away from the earth, and shorn of his
brightest beams, he is superb to behold, as,
sinking maiesticaly below the western hori-
Zon, he asserts his claim to the proud title OF
king of the stars.
Saturn is evening star, and has little that is
noteworthy for observation during the present
month. He is travelling from us, his murky
light is growing more dim, and he has all that
he can do to take care of himself with Jupiters
mighty sphere plunging towards him on one
side and fiery Mars outraclng him on the 9TH
er In spite of the opposing forces he moves
serenely on his way, setting now about mid
night; at the end OF the month, about TO-
Venus is morning star, and though less bril-.
liant than in December will be beautiful to see
throughout the mornings of January, while re-
tracing her steps, she each day draws nearer
the sun. as any observer may see by watching
the time of her rising. She rises now about 4;
at the close of the month about 8, only little
more than two hours before the sun.
Mercury is morning star throughout the
month, rising about six, at the close OF the
month about seven. He is not very favorably
situated for being seen, though as he now rises
an hour and half before sunrise, he may pos
sibly be picked up few degrees north OF the
point where the sun will appear
Uranus is morning star, rising about hall
past nine, and slowly making his way among
the small stars of Leo, while growing slightly
brighter and coming into better position for OBJ
| Servation.
The January moon fulls on the 9th. The
old moon is near Uranus on the I'd. On the
| morning of the Sth the eastern sky will present
picture worth getting up early to see, for We
nus and the waning moon will then be in con-
junction, the moon being to the right OF the
planet; on the 9th there will be q new exhibit
ton Of the same picture, with the parts re-
yersed, the moon being to the left OF the plan
ct; on the 10th, the moon and Mercury Will be
near each other, but they will be hidden by
the suns rays from the brightest-eyed observ-
ers. The new moon of the 11th will be very
near Jupiter during the evening hours OF the
18th; near Saturn till they set on the evening
of the 18th; near Mars, on the right of the plan
et on the evening of the Goth, and near Mars,
on the left of the planet, on the evening OF the
21st.
The planetary events of the month are not
so startling and brilliant as those that some
times are recorded on celestial annals, but the
interest will not wane to the Jealous student
of the stars. The winter mornings Will be
graced by the presence OF Venus, the falreSt
and brightest of all the host that keep watch
tally on the mornings OF the Sth and 9Th Will
she be fair to see, with the slender crescent of
the old moon now on her right and now on her
left Jupiter aid the four-days-old moon will
be close together on the evening OF the 10Th,
and if the clouds are kind, the celestial fir
tation' will rank as one of the most delightful
starry pictures of the month. Jupiter, Saturn
and Mars throw their planetary arch over the
western sky for the last time for many months
to come. Changes are constantly occurring
among the beaming stars that stud the sky
as among the more prosaic elements that
make up life on the earth. The map of the
heavens, as spread nightly above our heads, is
never the same to mortal vision, Tor the time
that has passed since man became living
soul would not measure the fraction of a sec
ond in the great cycle that marks a revolution
of space The month is marked by the grand
est of all phenomena, total eclipse OF the
sun on the 18th, invisible to us, but visible in
the western part of the United States and the
Northern Pacific ocean.