Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1880-04-07
PLANETS in April.

| issActS III aVEhs
Sstuin ia he cvcuiog star, thouQh cny for
for few days, and Wias the first pIec, duriog The
month on c,unt Of an important epoch in his
curse. This event is bis ooriunciiou with the
sun CO. the 7th aftor which he jyios tho morn
ing stars. At this time Ssturp, the sun, aud
the earth are 10 straight line, with the sun in
tho centre. lie is thea at his greatest distance
from the carth-more than ten hundred mil
lion miles-sets with the sun as the word "sou.
JUNCTION indioStas, and is invisible. being
ec;ipsed BY the solar radiarc,. Siuic, 1876
Saturn has been below his average brightness,
o"Ing to the rings being seen nearly edgewse
But from tho present time till 1885 he will con-
s'a1t!y grow brighter for, during this interval,
he passes bis periholiou, bis point of greatest
| northern deoiuatiou, and bis rings open out to
their Wdtss extent. Those who have access
to telescopes will eri,y matchless views of the
NEST magnificent object in tho solar system.
| Observers with the naked eye will fnd great
| isterest in Watchiog bis movements from the
| tlmc when he emerses from his proximity to
| the sun and becomes visible as morning star,
| about mopth hence, until ho reaches bis op.
position in October, when ho will be 10 his
brightest phase, his seeming COURSE around the
suo being about half afconpleted. Those who study
| the stars vii! have plenty of occupation 10 the
coming years. The index hand Oh tho celestial
| dial plato points to events of momentous import.
Tho four great planets reach their nearest point
| 10 tho sun moro nearly together than they have
doao for almost two thousand years. 1t is not
| unreasonable to suppose that With their strong
pull and pull all together they will create some
| uuusua! disturbarc, in tho chaotic elements
| that MAKE up tho suns Gory MSS. The foIc,s
CT the reW spot cycle are now in active operation,
| and those who have closely watched the ibfu.
| etc, CT the solar disturbance 90 climatic oondi
| Ilons predict hot summer fron the heat waves
| that follow the commencement of the tremend-
| Gus solar outbreaks. This hidden chambers of
| the great ryramG have given forth in oraeuar
| fashion moueutoUs propht ces for 1881 to the
lew disciples who have faith 10 their tesohiogs,
| and astrolOgers cast strange horoscopes from the
| unusual rlauetary combinations Moanlino
tho celestial panorama uDiolds it's interesting
scenes slowly and strenely before admiripg and
| terrestrial eyes. The Disturbances that s!artIe
The finite powers oftbe human rscc arc but as
| the dust OF tho balsrc, 10 the order aud har-
| monY that rule 10 the realms Ct io6nite space,
| aud millions OF years must elapse before the
suns hires ccass to burn. Saturn sets now
about I; at the cose Of the month he rises
abou. half past 4.
Jupiter is morning star. and will soon be an
Interesting object for observation as be il crcases
his dlstaucs from the suo. He reaches bis
| perlhellon 10 September at nearly the time of
opposition so that he is c,miug nearer to us
| tran nc has been for more than ele yen years,
| and will therefore bo souu iu his brightest phase
IN the summer and autumn months Oa the
Stn. Jnclter Is noar Mercury. and again on the
lS.6. Va The 18Th, Jupiter, Veous, aud Msr
cary ate nehr together, aud possibly visible 70
b,Ignt eyed observers. Jupiter rises now ab2ul
:iilt past hv,; at the cod of The mooth he VII
| llSc about quarter b. tor5 f9ur, uosIly al hour
ao4 qasrter before the sno.
Vttus Is m0rniog star With rothiug specially
noteworthy 10 h-r history during the mouth.
Sac is approaching the sua aud recsdiny fror
ne earth, sud is shoru of Lef brip htest bssms.
i, Va s5o mcro:us OF the 80 q beautiful plauet,
-ry tfi1 msy b. iotkcd tor cousisliug of Venus
! Sa!uEp, aud VI raufy. They viii bs visible
aoaut Sc hour before .uorise. Venus tiscs now
| bout hvr; at toe ED Of the uorth about "a
quarter alter tou!.
Alerclrs Is morning Star, aud reaches his
gre 4tes! Western elonsatio1 90 the 26 b, He
msy Dc seen for few days before sod sf,er that
rVeor. as IL Is ooe OF the thr.o favors
1
vis!bIA to the naked eye IS moroing star
Mercury is az active MEMBER of the solar
brotherhood dutlvg tho mouth. He divides
| bis ah"nlun bst~een the moon sud Ja!itsr
% tins st, starts 90 his desc -ndog uode co
'"' 90, Is stationary among the stars 90 the
| ~ b, approaches Venus on the l5b, AID
Jupiter second time en- the lStb; is at his
great, 81 dsisrcs from the sun on the 10 b,
| and at his greatest Western elInsa,ion 90 the
25th. This busy and swift footed planet rises
now about hs!f-past 6v at the erd of the
mocth about fur.
Mars is eVepiog star. and eliJya tho dis.
rice ion cf being the ouly paoet vlsibls at night.
H. is leaving Aldebaran bshiud, and p:upgipg
10 h'5 head!oog career amo0g the smaller stars
Of Taurus and Gemiri. 90 the 26.h be will
he directly north Of the brilliant star Sirius
Mars sets now about q half hour after midnigh;;
at the end of the month be sets about ousrter
of an hour before midnight.
Urauus ls eVetlog star, but travelling 90
tar away as to bscome q difficult objecs for
naked eye observation. He keeps 10 the
pear vicinity of Rho Leonis, and telescope
will bring them bath into the same field of
vision, the s'ar still shining like . brilliant
point, and the planet being transformed
toto young moon, With disc of delicate
| ssa Rteeu tlut. n uue opportunity l6 thus
afforded for study of the difference between an
immeasurably distant star and 8 comparatively
near plsnet-the one remaining q point under
any msgnifying power yet reached, the other "A
surely developing a disc. Uranus rises now
shout at the close of the month about /.
The April moon fulls on the 24.h. The wan.
ing moon is near Venus on the 7th and near
Mercury and Jupiter on the 9th. The new moon
of the 9th is near Saturn on the dav of her
change: , near Mars on the 18th, and near Uranus
The interest of the month concentrates on the
morning stars for after the 7th Venus, Jupiter,
mercury and Saturn are all numbered on this