The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1881-02-25
PLANErs IN EEHRuARY.
interesting Information for Professional. and
- Amsteurs. laEs

f*
Interesting Information for Professionals and
- Amateurs. As
Venus Is evening star and easily wins the
place Of honor In the planetary presentation
that graees the February sky. Almost As
soon as the day is done anc before the twi-
light glow has faded, the fairest of the stars
peers from her hiding place and draws forth
from every beholder spontaneous tribute
of admisation for her increasing splendor,
her soft, pensile beauty and the regal grace
with which she wields the sceptre of the
stars. Two important epochs In her course
occur In this month. On the Goth she ar
rives st her greatest elongation or most dis
tant point from the sun. Il win be remem-
.berca IN the interior planets, Venus and
Mercury, as seen from the earth, seem to os-
cilate In straight lines alternately east and
west of the SUN. On the 18th of last July
Venus was In superior conjunction, being
then at the greatest distance from the earth,
and rising and setting with the sun, but too
near him to be visible She then passed to
his eastern side and became evening star.
She was far enough away to be seen in the wes-
tern twilight in September, and ever since
has been receding from the sun on her east
ern track, increasing sll the time In size and
brilliancy. On the Goth she reaches the end
of her invisible chain, and completed one
half of her course as evening star. After
this, reversing her movement, she approaches
the sun. until her inferior conjunction, on
the Bird Of May, when her role as evening
star is completed the process occupying
nearly ten months. Then passing to the
western side of the sun, she repeats the same
course In reversed order as morning star un-
til she again comes to her superior conjunc-
ton, and starts on a new course. Any in
telligent observer can follow the movements
of this'beautiful planet, and verify with his
own eyes the laws which regulate her SEEM
ing progress through the sky. Let him re-
member that until the 10th she moves east
ward; after this time she Is stationary for a
few days, and then retraces her steps, nov
ing radidly westward and glowing every
night with increasing splendor until next
May. Fortunately we need learn but one
thing ut time, and for two months we have
to note but her rapid approach to the sun,
her wondrous brilliancy making her plainly
visible in the daytime, and her perceptible
shadow on moonless nights. She moves
at apparently so slow pace, that once hav,
ing impressed upon the mind the prominent
points of her course, 1t is easy to keep heI
track forever after.
The other important epoch in the Febru,
ary phrases Of Venus Is her conjunction
with Jupiter, which occurs at exactly mid
night on the night of the 2lst. The two
planets will then meet and pass each other
Venus being little more than three degrees
north Of Jupiter. Last autumn Jupiter wa.
just. coming up in the east, while Venus
nearly at her most distant point, was descend
| ing In the west, the whole celestial arch in
tervening between them. Ever since, the!
have been approaching, and the distance Il
be accomplished before they meet, quickl!
to separate, is plainly apparent. If Venu
would only occult, or pass over Jupiter j
would be sight to be remembered for
| lifetime, but she wends on her restless patl
three degrees to the north, and the student
of the stars must be contented with compar
atively beautiful aspects when transcenden
ones are beyond their reach. Venus ant
Jupiter, therefore, divide the honors Of tn
month, and no one who looks above on star
| light can fail to detect the two most bril-
| liant stars that adorn the celestial sphere
Venus will be known at glance, as faires
and brightest of the twinkling train, and Ju
| piter, perched above her on the celestia
pathway, though shorn Of his brightest ray
as he travels far from earthly domains, !
second only to the starry queen. Venu
now sets at O.; at the end of the month abou
quarter before 10 o'clock.
Jupiter is the evening star, and, If he can
not carry Of the palm for the radiance Of hi
shining, he contributes to the annals Of th
month extraordinary illustrations Of contin
ued elementary warfare, which may reasona
bly, strengthen tkefaith of believers in thethe
ory of planetary influence as partial caus
of the sun-spot period. To be sure he pass
ed perihelion two months ago, and is nearl
al his greatest distance from the earth. Blu
when vast orb like the sun Is excited,
does not calm down to its normal conditio
in minute, for the influence continues afte
the cause is partially removed. If Jupiter
increasing his distance, the three planets bt
yond him are all approaching their periheli'
and pulling upon the sun with combine
though lesser attraction, and 1t will not b
strange II the present conditions of distul
ance continue In milder form for som
time to come.-Propidenc Journal