The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-06-08


SATURN.
,s From the Providence Journal
JUPITER IL morning star ana INC on,y
planet Of much account during tue 'nou s,.
Ia will he n brilliant object In the lovely
lime mornings. as he leads the starry hosts
ana holds his court without rival In lus-
ire. sixe. and brightness. Those who have
watched his movements will note bis In.
creaslnQ magnitude and brilIiancy, as with
accejerstiug speed he rolls malestically on
ward In his orbit toward bis perihelion and
imposition with the sun, travelling toward
the earth as well rs the great central
orb. whose disturbed condition may be
particularly owing 10 the attraction OF DIS
hinge mass. II the planet Neptune was dis-
covered or supposed to exist on account OF
certain psrturbations IN the movements OF
Uranus, and IL the cratic movements OF
Mercury reveal the presence OF planets
within his orbit, why should not the near
approach Of Jupiter TO the sun stir up q
commosion 10 his fiery elements? The sun
10 still diversified with spots, and the planet
IL near enough to perihelion to make his In
fluence felt. Astronomers have been wise
prophets thus far as to the influence OF the
commencement OF the sun spot cycle. Tor.
padoes and cyclones OF extreme severity
of the atmosphere, and q wave OF intense
heat. such as has not occurred for quarter
OF century at this season OF the year, has
confirmed the exactness OF previous obscr-
vations. We must still expect the usual
storms, waves Of heat, and auroral displays
that follow the maximum Of sun spots; we
have yet to learn whether the coincident
perihelia Of the four great planets will in-
crease and prolosg the elemental warfare.
This is one OF the most interesting pro-
blems Of the day, as well as one OF the most
practical and important. 1t will not meet
with hasty solution, for the period OF OBJ
servation extends to the year 1885. Her.
schel, the great astronomer, said that "sun
spots Influenced the price OF corn" This
assertion IL easily understood, for heat,
drought, and storms exert mighty lnnu.
epce on haryests, and II these are lessened
the value OF what remains Is increased.
students OF astronomy will therefore regard
with especial interest the movements OF
Jupiter in the morning sky, while they
ponder upon the mysterious link that unites
In one harmonious whole the members OF
the solar family. The planet now rises at
3 O'Clock; at the end OF the month about
midnight.
SATURN is morning star, aud holds bis
place not far away from bis more brilliant
rival. He, too, the second 10 size OF the
gisnt members OF the brotherhood, is ira
yelling toward bis opposition with the sun,
and more slowly toward perihelion, so that
he is increasing in size and DOMINIC clear
er tint than the murky one that has marked
bis presence. lie rises now at half-past 2, a
half hour after Jupiter; at the end OF the
month, about half-past II.
L. ~.,.<x cd - 10 en-
near the sun as to be entirely hidden from
mortal vision. She rises now q few mi
pufes before 4; at the close Of the month
only about quarter Of an hour before the
sun. The beautiful planet in this portion
OF her orbit is. therefore, apparently blotted
out OF the celestial map, but she IL only
eclipsed in the solar glow, and will re-
appear before the summer has fulfilled its
course.
MARS is evening star. His rudy glow is
paling and his size diminishing as he wends
his way toward the sun and increases his
distance from the earth. He sets now
quarter before IL; at the end OF the month
about hali-psst 8.
URANUS is evening star, ,stiil wandering
among the small stars OF Leo, and too far
from the earth 10 be visible without the aid
of the telescope. He sets now about IL
at the end OF the month not far from 10.
MERCURY Is evening star after the 2d,
when he reaches his superior conjunction
with the sun. He then rises and sets with
the sun, being apparently Joined 10 him, as
the word conjunction implies. He sets,
therefore. about half-past q, and CON-
mences his oscillation eastward from the
sun in the straight line in which he seems
TO move, being TOO near TO be visible.
The June moon fulls on the 22d. On the
9Th, one day before her change, she will be
near Venus. The new moon OF the It'll will
be near Mercury on the 9Th, Mars on the
11tb, and Uranus on the 14th; and the
waning moon on the 30th win again pay
her respects to Jupiter. On the 22d there
will be total eclipse OF the moon, which
will be invisible In this portion OF the globe,
but will be partly visible in the western
part OF the United States, and entirely visi-
bic In the Pacific ocean.
Events are somewhat monoton0us on
the planetary records OF the month. The
visible planets are evenly divided-Jupiter,
Saturn, and Venus doing duty as morning
stars; Uranus, Mars, and Mercury being
numbered as evening stars. Jupiter takes
the lead In interest, and we may expect TO
hear the report OF observers concerning the
great red spot that CLOVIS upon bis disk.
Sun spots are still to be studied In connec-
ton with meteorological changes, those oc-
curing during the last month having been
OF marked importance. Auroral displays
may also add their weird testimony to prove
the ex isfence of solar disturbance