The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-06-03
Lively Times Ahead in the Planetary
SEsfem.

Jupiter is morning star, and by far
the most important object for observa-
ton among the planets during the
month. 1t cannot be too strongly i'm
pressed upon the minds of students Of
the stars that the four great planets are
all approaching their perihelia, and
bringing about a condition of planetary
affairs that has not occurred for 1000
years. Jupiter reaches the goal first,
arriving at perihelion on the 25th of
September. Such is the eccentricitv of
this orbit that he will then be 46, 600, 600
OF miles, or about half of the whole dis
lance of the earth from the sun, nearer
to the great central fire than when far
thest away. He is also at that time al
most at his nearest point to the earth,
coming into opposition with the sun
eleven days after periheiiOn. The earth
is then directly between him and the
sun; but the earth is farthest from the
sun in july, and will be at considerably
more than her mean distance in Sep
TENDER, when Jupiter is 46.000,000
miles nearer. 1t may easily be seen
that when at opposition the earth is at
or near her greatest distance, and Ju-
piter at his least distance from the sun,
the two planets will be almost as near
together as they can be. Such will be
the case next October, and the giant of
the system will soon give evidence of
the fact in his increasing size and brill
fancy, being brighter than he has been
for nearly twelve years. The difference
will not be so marked as in the case of
Mars under the same conditions, for
nearly 400, 000,000 miles of space inter-
vene between the earth and the huge
planet even when nearest. Jupiter,
therefore, will be a source of intense in
terest during the coming months as he
approaches and recedes from his peri
helion and opposition. The great prob
lem of the effect of his approach upon
the mysterious spot period of the sun
will be first in Importance. Many as
tronomers scout the idea of such an in
tluence. Many more find nothing i'm
probable in the theory that the approach
of a huge mass to the sun should pro-
duce disturbance in his blazing ele-
ments, evidently in commotion from
some cause, while the near correspond
ence in time between the maximum of
the spot period and the revolution of
Jupiter favors the argument. No one
doubts that the disturbed condition of
the sun will be reflected on the earth in
waves of intense heat, severe storms
and auroral displays, or that the same
influence will be felt in the same way to
the SYSTEMS remotest bounds. Gigan-
tic Jupiter, as his mighty mass plunges
toward the sun. gives evidences of
mighty forces at work among the chaot-
ic elements of his cloud-surface. A spot
has been seen on his disk for nearly a
year, elliptical in form, red in color, and
with a diameter of 10000 miles. No
observer understands the cause of this
huge rift. 1t may be an opening in the
cloud atmosphere disclosing the more
solid matter beneath and it may be
something beyond human ken. About
the 22d it is hoped that the planet will
be again in favorable position for the
observation of the red spot, and patient
investigators will not be wanting to
make the best of the opportunity. This
beautiful planet may now be seem in
the eastern sky, serenely unconscious
OF the excitement induced by his move
ments, rising at 3:4j; at the end of a
month he rises at two o'clock, nearly
two hours and a half before the sum-
Providence (R. l. Journal