Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-10-21
Providence Journal. I
Planets in October.

Providence Journal
Planets in October.
Jupiter is evening star. in regular stand.
ing after the Ith. and will be in his bes, and
brightest position for observation through
the month OF October. one Of the mos, fav-
orable seasons Of the year for ENJOYING the
glory of the star-spangled armament That
mush-dreaded epoch in his revolution. his
perihelion, was safely passed on the 18th of
September and his vast bulk will sweep on
in resis,less course farther and farther from
the sun for six years to come. Not till 1891
will he appear again 10 his presen, size and
brillianey. Therefore dilgent heed should
be paid to his superb appearance in the
eastern sky, where, az soon as the sun has
set and the short twilight fades. he reigns
supreme among the twinkling mysteries that
! form his brilliant court. Ii is not tiattering
to human pride TO reflect that one-third OF
the inhabitants Of the earth will have passed
away before our giant brother shall have
made another revolution round the sun
On the eth. Jupiter is in opposition when
he Is a. the nearest point to the earth, the
earth being directly between him and the
sun. Thus he is now about one hundred
and eighty miles nearer the earth, and a,
the same time nearly forty-six million miles
nearer the sun than when at his extreme
distance from each. The combination Of
the two conditions makes him a glorious OBJ
| Jcct of planetary study. Observers who have
access TO telescopes should improve the op-
portunity to behold him in his present SUI
/ perb aspect. with his moons. belts, and ruddy
| spot, and note the exquisite sonncss and
| dellcacy of his celestial eoloring Those
who cannot ENJOY a telescope view will find
with good opera glass a Lowell, picture of
the planet and his moons. the disc Of the
/ planet being plainly visible. and the moons
looking like minute points Of gold in the
azure blaekncss Of the sky. Whether this
great plane; is pulling upon the sun with
disturbing force that is distinctly felt or not
II Is certain that an unusual commotion exists
in the great luminary. Elementary warfare
Is still going on. Snow four inches deep in
Western State. prevalent malaria in re-
gions where II has not before existed for
many years, and unusual magnetic and elec-
trlcal disturbances manifested in violent
detec,ions Of the magnetic needle. and bril-
liant auro!al displays, are some m the re-
cent forms IN which the storm agItatcd sur
face Of the sun has found expression in ter
rcstrial territory. Metcors Of unusual size.
duration. and dazzling brilliancy are also to
b. ranked with the phenomena of the sea
son. The face Of the sun - still darkeued
with spots Of great numbers and immense
proportions, and tongues of fame are play
my over his fiery surface i usual at thi,
maximum of the sun-spot cycle. The epoch
of aururai light and magnetic storm has ey-
identity commenced. and brilliant shows Of
Northern lights NAV now bc looked for.
Meantime storm has alternated with sun
shine, bOuuteous haTyeSi- have rewarded
the husbandmAn, and the perfection Of Au-
tumnal weather has crowned the season in
heat and waves Of cold. has little reason
thus far TO complain OF Jupitcr's pcrihclon
the great spot-cycle. IL seems a stretch
of imagination To think OF our sun n
small yellow star twinkling in the heaven
with variable light 10 gaxers from the re
mot. region of space. Such is doubtless
It's appearance, while the planets, including
great Jupiter, can no more be seen than
we can see dark planets eircling round the
stars IN our nocturnal sky.
Saturn will be evening star according to
astronomical records after the 18th He
then comes into opposition, and like Jupiter
is at his nearest point TO the earth. The
reason be is not conspicuous is that he is
not as large and is twice a. far away. He
j., however, in unusually favorable ejrcum-
stances for obsery alton. Besides his being
al the nearest point, he IS travelling toward
perihelion, his rings are opening TO their
widest extent, and he is IN Northern declIn-
alton. II Jupiter was out OF the way he
would command more attention. He far
surpasses him IN telescope view, and moth
ing can be imagined more magnificent than
a sight of this planet, as he now lies cradled
in his rings. An opera glass will show an
elonga,ion in Saturn's disc, caused by the
rings. The two planets are moving south,
but Jupiter moves faster, they will be
slightly further apart at the end Of the
month than they are nov, Saturn being still
northwest Of Jupiter, and rising little more
than half an hour later
Venus is evening star, aud is now far
enough away from the sun to be distinctly
visible after the sunset, shining in the twi
light glow with serene loyeliness that
gives promise of what NAV be expected
when she reigns supreme IN the West in the
Winter months while the eyanescent spleen
dors of Jupiter and Saturn slowly fade. She
must be looked for about eight degrees
south of the point where the sun set.
Thus the October nights will afford
grand opportunity to study the stars. The
oppositions of Jupiter and Saturn show two
prominent planets under peculiarly favorable
conditions for observation, a. well as IN
their brightest phase. Astronomers will
not be idle in taking notes, and it may be
that the world wil be electrified by some
brilliant discovery like that of the moons Of
Mars in the opposition Of 1871 According
to mathematical graduation there should be
more moons to be discovered in Saturn's
retinue, for if the earth has one. Mars two.
and Jupiter four. Saturn should have six-
teen. A few more moons for Saturn or an
additional ring, or a fresh spot on Jupiter,
giving peep of his interior beneath his
twenty thousand mile deep blanket of clouds,
would nobly immortalize the eventful year
1880.