The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-07-03
Planets I'm JAY.
Providence Journal

| yur .s mornino star, though he viii
soon be visible in the evening. ne sun re-
mains the most interesting MEMBER Oh Tue
shining motherhood, and the KIND OF see
saw play going on between tne SUI anu 'no
most famous of his sons continues 10 DC ah
ohiect of intense interest TO terrestrial CD"
sewers. II Jupiter is pulling upon the
sun with his mighty strength ana SURFING
mn black spots on his pbotosphere, the sun
il nulling upon Jupiter with vastly more
ogectual mower. and the huge rift in
his cloud-atmosphere may be que 10
Tho solar attraction increased by proX-
unity. The sun Is tbroDged with spots,
and the great red spot on Jupiter Sill
affords material for wondering observation.
Those who have observed the times and The
seasons during the last month will not fail
TO perceive evidences OF solar disturbance
| reflected in The elemental warfare recorded
On its annals. The forces OF electricity ana
m,onetism have escaped from confinement
like the winds of old Eolus, and the earth
Owes signs OF the disturbed equpose as
surely as the mercury rises In the ther-
mometer when the Dog star RACES. A sec
| ond wave OF heat, more intense imam tue
first, though not so marked, because more
seasonable, has rolled over this portion OF
the eartb's territory. A long-contlDueo
drought has thrown its pitiless grasp over
vegetation, and des0lati0n far and wlde
marks its track. The aurora has hung out
lis banners in the northern sky, ana rant
displays OF aurora light on two or three
nights are the advaDce-guard OF the coming
army. gorgeous with banners and glIttering
aims. Tornadoes, whIrlwInds, thunder
storms, and floods have been reported from
all ouarters, and though not equalling The
devastation OF the previous month, have
swelIed beyond the average the destruction
of life and property. Even the cold as
well "a the heat has been intense, and a
frost Is recorded that made the grass white
I'm the southeastern part OF New YORK, ana
snow fell in the billy regions on the banks
OF the Hudson.
But nature has her light as well as her
shade. and there is q bright side 10 the pic
ture even when the sun shows his angry
face at the maximum Of a spot-cycle.
Nothing can be imagined NOR serenely
beautiful than many OF the June days, with
their comfortable temperature, eXhllaratlng
| brecZqs, and sunny skies. We have bad
heat and drought, but storm and tempest
| have thus far passed us by. IL Is unwlse
phiIosOphy to borrow trouble, though we
are far from being out of the woods. JuDi-
Ter is still rolling on towards his perihelion
at the rate OF eight miles second, for the
nlanets move slower the farther they are
| from the sun. II will still be nearly three
months before he reaches the dreaded goal
on the rs h OF September. 1t will then be
| time to study tue influence OF the other
Qart planets in combination with their
chief, aud az the peculiar conditions do not
| end till 1885, there Is no need OF hurry IN
| the calculations. Observers must remem-
Der that never in their lives Will such an
epoch as the present recur, ana that De-
tween eleven and twelve years must pass
before another perihellon OF Jupiter and a
new sun-spot cycle will afford a renewed
study of the Interesting problem. Mean-
time this apparently serene and golden
tinted STAR ftly named for the father of the
gods and men, is coming towards us, and at
the end OF the month will be the brightest
OF the starry host in the late evening hours.
He now rises about midnight; at the end OF
the month soon after 10.
SATURN is morning star, follows closely In
the track OF Jupiter, snd must be looked for
a short distance 10 the northwest. The two
planets will be in flue position for obserya-
| ton during August and September, though
Saturn is not an interesting object 10 tue
naked-eye observer. Every one who can
should see this superb planet with tele-
scope, for he is coming toward us and his
rings are opening to their widest extent.
Saturn rises now at half.past II; at the end
Of the month about baf-past 10.
| VENUS will be evening star after the 18th.
She is then in superior conjunction with
the sun the planet, the sun, and the earth
being in a straight line, with the sun in the
centre. She passes then &c the eastern side
OF the sun aud commences her role OF eve
ming star for the succeeding two hundred
and ninety-two days. She will net be vis-
| Bile during the month on account Of her
nearness 10 the sun, but some time in Au-
gust the Queen OF the Stars will emerge
from her temporary ECLIPSE and be found
shining with peerless lustre amid the glow
| ing gold Of early twilight. No one Of her
phases is more fascinating than when, after
her long absence In fulfiment Of her role
as Luelfer, the LightbearG, she shines
again as Hesperus, the most radiant gem in
the starry crown Of night. On the first OF
the month Venus rises a few minutes be-
fore the sum- on the 18Th she rises and sets
with the sun on the last OF the month she
sets about q quarter OK an hour after the
| sun.
MERCURY il evening star, reaching his
|
point from the sun on the 9th. This is the
| second OF the three most favorable times
during the year for view OF Mercury. He
| IL visible now, aud will continue to be so
until the middle OF the month. He sets
about 9-neeriy an hour and half after the
sun-and must be looked for few degrees
south OF the point OF sunset. IL Will take
close observation to pick him up, and it is
useless to try unless the sky is cloudess and
the atmosphere serene and clear. But Il
sight OF our hright-eyed brother is worth a
great deal Of trouble aId is a memorable
| experience in astronomical observation. On
the 3lst, at midnight, Mercury and Venus
are In conjunction, when it is safe TO say
there will be no terrestrial witnesses OF the
celestial interview.
| MARS is evening star, travelling rapidly
towards conjunction with the sul. He Is
now in the constellation Leo, and about the
middle Of the month passes very near the
bright star Regulus. He sets now a little
later than half-past o; at the end OF the
month at half-past s.
| URANUS Is evening star, too far away to
be visible, and only OF importance 10 those
| who wish TO follow the track Of the planets
from month to month. He is still moving
slowly among the small stars OF Leo, setting
now about ten at the close Of the month
about half.past s.
The July moon fulls on the 2lst. On the
1st the old moon the second day after her
last quarter is near Saturn Just after mid
night. On the 7th. few hours before her
change, the moon passes very near Venus.
On the 9th the moon is near Mercury. On
the 10th the moon passes near Mars, and on
the 18th near Uranus. On the 9th the
waning moon will be near Jupiter, and on
the 2Sth near Saturn.
The influence OF sun-spots, "a manifested
| In elemental disturbances OF The earfh,s at