The Portland daily press., 1880-03-05
providence Journal.l
Planets in March.

Mars is an evening star, and holds the place
of honor as the most interesting member of
the planetary brother hood during the month
for he plays an important part in beautiful
celestial phenomenon that occurs in the early
evening of the 18th. An occultation of Mars
by the moon will then take place under condi-
tions favorable for observation. The occulta-
tion will commence about half past six o'clock,
and the planet will be hidden for more than an
hour. Mars will be about an hour past the
meridian, and at an altitude above the horizon
uIIaJ VIII ensure good view, while the moon
will be within day of her first quarter. If
the weather is propitious there will be no draw
back to the perfection of the show. At forty
four minutes after six Mars will disappear be-
hind the dark side of the moon this is called
the time of immersion. At thirty-four seconds
after eight he will reappear on the western
edge of the moon; this is called the time of
emersion. The duration of the occultation
will be an hour and sixteen minutes. A good
telescope will increase the interest and gran
deur of the phenomenon. The eastern or un-
enlightened portion of the moon will first pass
between us and the planet. The instant Mars
he will apparently be blotted out of the sky.
After an hour and sixteen minutes have passed
the ruddy star will suddenly start forth from
his hiding place, trembling for second ON the
moons western verge, charmingly illustra ting
the contrast in colors between the red light oi
Mars and the silvery hue of the moon; then
the show will be over, and satellite and planet
will roll on in their respective paths. The po-
sition of Mars should be thoroughly fixed by
those who would witness the occultation~ He
has passed the Pleides and is now almost di.
rectly north of Aldebaran. His size and bright.
ness are slowly diminishing as he travels from
us and towards the sun. Mars now sets short
ly after one in the morning; at the close OF the
month, about a half hour after midnight.
Jupiter is evening star for part of the
| month, and merits attention for the occurrence
! of an epoch in his history. He comes into con-
| junction with the sun on the 10Th, when sun
| and planet set at the same time, he is at his
| greatest distance from the earth, and takes on
| his smallest dimensions. After the 18th he
| will reappear on the western side of the sun
! and commence his role as morning star. Bright
eyes may pick him up now in the west, soon af.
| ter sunset, and at the end OF the month bright
| er eyes will be required to catch a glimpse Of
| him before sunrise. He sets now about hall
| past six; at the end of the month he rises al
| twenty-Six minutes after five. Everyone who
| has watched his movements in the evening sky
| will mourn the departure OF one of its most
| brilliant adOrnments.
| Mercury is evening star for almost the whole
| month, reaching his great eastern elongation
or most distant point from the sun on the 10th
| He is in inferior conjunction with the sun Oh
| the 2Sth, when passing between us and the sun
he becomes morning star. Mercury. about the
| 10th, will be in one of the three most favorable
positions for being seen by the naked eye that
occur during the year. He must be looked fol
soon after sunset a little north of the point
about Z, little east Of Jupiter. AT the close
| of the month he rises about half-past in the
| morning.
| Uranus is evening star, and is now in his
best position for observation, coming to the
meridian about midnight, and high enough
above the horizon to show himself in his best
phase. He still keeps in the near vicinity of
the star Rho Leonis. He rises now about five
at the end of the month about three.
Saturn is evening star, presenting nothing
| noteworthy in his record for the month
He looks a little brighter now that his rival
Jupiter is out of his way, but he takes on his
| palest aspect as, slowly sinking to the west
in the early evening, he travels towards hi:
| conjunction with the sun, in whose bright
rays he will soon be eclipsed. He sets now
| at half-paSt eight; at the close of the month al
| about seven.
Venus is morning star; the sole planet to
be seen in the morning dawn throughout
the month. She is slowly advancing towards
the sun and growing less brilliant as hel
| distance from the earth increases But ever
in her least beautiful phase, she will not fai
to attract attention from all who watcl
the eastern sky before the sun puts out the
lesser lights: She rises now few minute!
after five; at the end of the month, few
| minutes before five, less than an hour before
| sunrise.
| The March moon fulls on the 26th, and hold
| the honor of determining the time for Easter
| preceding the festival by only two days. Tht
old moon pays her respects to Venus on thu
| Sth, two days before her change, the near ap
proach of the slender waning crescent and tn,
beaming star forming bright picture on tn,
celestial canvas OF which the observer neve
tires. The new moon of the 10th will be il
conjunction with Jupiter ON the 11th and will
both Mercury and Saturn on the 18th, thu
moon and two planets being visible in the ear
ly twilight. On the 24th the moon will b.
near Uranus.
A charming phenomenon will therefore ado
special interest to the planetary annals o
March. The occultation of Mars by the moor
is something to be remembered for lifetime
for the moon does not often deign to put ou
out the light of planet The last occurrenc,
of similar phenomenon was the occultatiol
of Saturn by the moon, which took place twic'
in successive months, the first occultation oc
curing on the 9th of August and the secont
on the Sd of September, 1876. The dazzlin.
beauty of the grand show dwarfs those of min
or importance. But there are other interest
ing studies besides those of the Martian oocul
tation. Uranus continues in his smost favora
BILE position for observation, Jupiter and Mer
curry will join the morning stars before th
month closes, leaving the sun with three plan
cts on his western side and three on the east
ern. The waning moon and Venus may b.
seen on the morning of the Sth. and the wax
ing moon with Mercury and Saturnl will form
trio of stars on the evening of the 12th