The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-11-05
The Starry Heavens.
FACTS CONCERNING THE PLANETS
NOVEMBER,

The Providence Journal says:
SATURN Is evening star, and though Z
lesser Hight than the glowing Jupiter
surpasses him in interest during the
month. He has passed his opposition or
nearest point to the earth, but is still
travelling towards his peribelion or
nearest point TO the sun. which he will not
reach ill 1884. Therefore he Will appear
brighter than he did this year at the mex Op.
position OF 1881, and still brighter at each
succeeding one ill 1884, when he will be a
hundred million miles nearer the sun than
at his most distant point, and put on his
most glorious phase. The rings will continue
TO open until 1885, when they reach their
widest extent, ana the planet will also reach
the point OF greatest northern dcclinaIi0n
within the same period. The years 1881
1885 are the golden season for astronomers
OF the preeent 10 make a special study OF
Saturn. When in 1907 the conditions OF the
present are partially repeated, the vision
that il now clear and faT-seeing will be-
come dim by the passage OF time, and, il
twenty five years ia the average length for
an astronomers vigorous power Of obser-
walton. when Saturn sweeps around again
towards peIiheliOn, new race OF
observers will take The place Of those
who now wonder and admire as the
glory OF the Suurnian system Is re-
vea!ed TO their enchanted eyes. Per-
haps by that time continued observations
and improved instruments may determine
whether there is a triple ring besides the
dusky ring; whether the rings are made
up of clouds Of satellites too small to be
seen separately, and too close together to
allow The intervals between them to be
visible, or whether the rings are approach
| ing the planet. We never see this magnif
cent planet through the telescope without
wishing that the picture OF surpasSin" love-
! illness could be painted on the nightly sky,
and that all who gaze upon the starry depths
might behold the enhancing spectacle-a
glorious orb, eucircled by golden rings and
surrounded by glittering points OF light,
the cOloring so clear and softly toned that
the brightest earthly tInts seem muddy in
comparison, the grandeur OF the spectacle
! transcendng the power OF the pen to paint.
! Saturn and Jupiter are both moving south,
and Saturn's slower motion will increase
| the distance between them, so that he rises
and sets about fifty minutes later through
out the month. lie sets now not far from
. O'Clock iU the morning; at the end of the
month about 3.
NEPTUNE is evening star after the All,
when he is in opposition. Though too dis
tant to be seen with the naked eye, he is in
excellent position for telescope obserya.
ton, showing a decided disk and cOloring
OF blush white. He also is travelling to-
wards perihell0D, which he reaches in 1884.
II we had eyes TO see the other planets as
they roll, we should behold three OF them
Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune-amost in a
line with the earth and sun, their masses
uniting in pull upon the central orb. The
disturbance in the movements OF Uranus
was the means OF the discovery Of Neptune,
for this most distant member of the brother.
hood was not really introduced to our ac-
quantance till 1916, and will take till
POLL to complete his first circuit round
the sun since his existence was de-
tected With our present conditions OF
being, we shall not be in haste to mi
crate TO Neptune. The sun at that dis
tance appears little larger than
Venus at her greatest dimensions, and gives
one thousandth part Of the light with which
the earth is blessed. The planets, as seen
from this distant point, are all inferior.
moving like Venus and Mercury in straight
lines, approaching and receding from the
sun. I he Neptunan astronomers, with
eyes like ours, may, perhaps, see Uranus,
Saturn, and Jupiter as stars OF the sixth
magnitude, but the other planets are invisi-
bic. They bave, however, one advantage
over US. They can measure the distance OF
the tixed stars without much trouble, for
their base-line is thirty times as long as
ours but it takes one hundred and sixty
five years, the time OF the planets revolu-
ton, to complete an observation. AstrOno.
mers are signing for more worlds 10 con-
quer. Neptune has perturbations indicating
an outside brother, and systematic efforts
are being made to gather the far.away wan
derer INTO the system.
MERCURY is evening star till the 23d, when
be is in inferior conjunction with the sun,
and passing TO his western side, joins the
morning stars. His movements during the
early part OF the month demand special at
tention. He reaches bis eastern elongation
or most distant point from the sun on the
4tb, and is more favorably situated for being
seen as evening star than he will be for the
rest OF the year. The best time to look for
him Is on the evening OF the 4tb, soon after
sunset. Venus and the crescent moon will
help to point out his position, which N
about one degree, or twice the diameter OF
the sun, south OF Venus. The moon is in
close conjunction with both Venus ard
Mercury on the 4th, being when at
his nearest point only seventeen minutes
south OF Venus and forty-nine minutes
north OF Mercury. The difficulty in
seeing this planet lies in not knowing
where to look, but with Venus and the |
moon TO point the way, careful observer |
NAV hope 10 be rewarded with sight we'll |
worth watching for, brilliant white star, |
shining with light resembling Sirius, and |
vet so bard 10 find that astronomers like |
Tycho Brahe and Copernicus have died |
without The sight. IL must he remembered |
that Mercury may be found one degree |
south OF Venus, between her and the hori-
z0n, and the moon will be between the two |
planets. Mercury will set about an hour
after The sun, the moon and Venus within
few minutes Of each other, about quarter |
after O'Clock. Ii the weather be unpropi- |
tious on the 4th, the planet may be found |
for few days before or after.
JUPITER Is evening star, and though shi- |
ning with royal grace as he mounts grandly |
to the zenith, presents no new phase nor |
perceptible elimination. The great spot |
still lights his disk with its rudy hue, and, |
though he has passed periheli0n, believers |
In the agency Of the planets Ia producing |
solar commotion will see evidence OF re- |
treating pull In The battalions OF snowilakes |
that in mid-October overwhelmed the west |
and blockaded the trains with snowdrifts |
ten feet high; in The terrific sea that ragged |
on the western lakes In the unreasonable |
severity OF Canadian snow-storms; In the |
shocks OF earthquake on the Spanish penin- |
sua; and In the frigbtful warfare OF the |
elements in Buenos Ayres that caused the |
mi1.Septembcr. Jupiter Is now more than |
I.<.. ,I. gAf At.A