Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-07-07
Four Planets I'm pcr,h.,,o,

JUPITER. URANUS, sarrRS .~p xxr7,,~, a,
1lsE IN la YEARS. '
Astronomers tell us that we Are entering
upon period when an cccurrancn Nh ,apSS
pace In the heavens which has MOI haep tnorSe
ior more than eighteen centuries. The Sour
ansesS Oh lhe planetary bodies. Jupiter. Tr.
anus, saturn, and Neptune, are annroachtnr
thelr perfhelion point In space are sweenint. iSS
lneir gigantic orbits nearer ana nearer 10 ~
sun, ana thelr simultaneous approximation 10
tne central mass OF the solar system has in
splred some minds with fears as 20 the possihle
results 10 that particular planet on when wa
dwell There is no need for any anxiety. how
ever. as such an event has happened several
times before, and probably will happen often
again, without causing the smallest inconVe-
nience 10 any human being. The perihelion OF
a planet being that point In its orbit where II
Genes nearest 10 the sun. and all the planets
being AZ different distances from thai lunl-
nary. IL follows that some OF them approach
the Sun-or are In perihelion-more frequently
IMAM others. Neptune. the most distant OF all
taheS lbi years 10 complete It's movement
round the sun; while Jupiter, IN size the King
OF The planets, he whom the Greeks called
PhaethoD. and the Egyptians 1.-THE Brilliant"
sweeps round In less than twefth part OF that
tme. The last occasion when a stellar phe-
homenon similar TO that which is about 10
happen occurred was at the beginning OF last
century, when all four OF these WANDERING
worlds neared the sun almost OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
ina was In l'os andLhe following years. and
ii tnefe were any ground for surprising that
earthquakes and plaques attended these nm
usual events. history ought TO inform us n
dire calamities at that time af,llcting the glohs
Yet there is no satisfactory proof OF the eartb
having been disturbed about that period. On
the contrary, she seems 10 have adopted an az
tltude OF perfect Indifference, In spite of the
proximity or the major planets The Greai
flague happened In the year 1905 and can
hardly, therefore. be put down 10 The maliC-
haIt influence OF planetary periheiia; more es
peclally as IL can be accounted for by other
causes. such as unSanitary conditions OF life
ara an absence OF sufficient amount OF fruit
ana 1feSh vegetables In the popular diet OF the
age. III there are any who would attribute the
war OF the succession TO these resplendent
heavenly bodies, they should. Ia common fair
ness 10 Jupiter and Neptune. remember that
the peace of Utrecht, which ended the contest
was happily cemented in the year liza. al a
lime when. according TO astrology. not only
"the dogs OF war but the more terrible wolves
oil famine, TO say nothing OF earthquakes and
tempesls, ought 10 have been revelinC in
slaughter all over the world Why should we
ascrlbe baleful powers 10 any conjunction OF
The countless host OF heaven? There is really
no shadow OF astronomical ground for beliey-
Ing that the other planets exercise any sensI-
Ole sway over the meteorological conditions
under which we live. The perturbing power
Oh these bodies Is limited to slightly altering
the elliptical orbit OF the earth. and bpyond
mat they have assumed toward our smaller
planet an attitude OF perfect complacency.-
London telegram.