Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-06-06

OnicIal Programme of the move
meats of Other worlds,

The most striking astronomical event OF
the coming month is the eclipse Of the
moon, which occurs on the night of the llth
and the morning Of the 18th. The times
given in the Philadelphia Ledger Almanac
are, for the beginning, Ills p. M, Of the
18th, and for the end, 4:30 q. m, of the 18th.
These are, however, the times when the
moon will enter and leave the faint
outlines of the earth's shadow, and
no change pereeptible to the eye will
occur then. 1t win not be till 1912 q. N. that
the moon will enter the real shadow OF to-
tai darkness, and that a notch will begin to
be visible on the southeastern edge OF the
moon. The moon will then be at about its
highest point In the heavens, on meridian.
From that time till 10 q. m. the darkness
will overspread the moon, as the umbra OF
the shadow OF the earth sweeps over 1t. At
2:34 q. m. it's eastern edge will begin to
show itself and at 1886 it will entirely leave
the dark shadow of the earth.
During the period of total eclipse the
moon is not usually entirely obscured; its
outline is visible, and its principal fea-
lures are lit up with a red light. This is
due to the fact that the dense strata of the
atmosphere turn the red rays from their
course so that they are bent into the
shadow, and light it up with their lurd
light. The blue rays are stopped In the air
and give it its color, while the sunset ttnts
are diverted from their course and passed
through. Sometimes the red light is not
thus bent, and the moon Is entirely OBJ
scured, and at others it is only family vlsi-
bic. These variations are due to some
changes in the character OF the atmosphere
Of the earth In the parts through which the
sunlight passes.
An eclipse of the moon, unlike that of the
sun, has no special scientific interest, and
its only value is to correct the tables of the
moon and thereby to predict its course more
accurately in the future; for the moon,
though the nearest to US of all the heavenly
bodies, is known less accurately than some
Of the planets.
The planets are now grouped together in
very interesting collection, though I'M
fortunately, as they are all morning stars,
they will not be studied as easily as few
months ago, when they were clustered in
the west in the evening. On the morning
of the 9th Venus and Saturn will be
less than a degree apart, while Jupiter
is few degrees to the cas-; on the
18th it will have caught up to Venus,
and after that date will slowly recede, so
that the three bright planets will be 10
close proximity all through the month, In
the early morning. Mars, also brightly
visible, is at the same time higher up In the
sky. 1t is working away from the sun, ris-
ing earlier every night, and, when 1t
reaches opposition, where 1t is most salts
factOrily studied, It will come above the
horizon at sunset and remain visible all
night. Ou the morning OF the 2lst will be
the most interesting planetary constells-
ton; the old Moon will be In close prox-
unity to Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Nep-
tune.
On the 3Oth the earth will be In that part
part of its orbit farthest from the sun. It is
an apparently contradictory fact that In the
midst OF the hot weather we are farthest
from the source of heat, while New Year
brings US nearest to 1t.
During the past month there have been
| announcements of the comets dis
covered. One of these proves to be
faint comet, never visible to the naked
eye, and which reached its brightest phase
on mo. 20, and Is now waning as 1t recedes
from the sun. It's orbit does not resemble
that of any known comet, so that it has
never been seen before. IL may have been
revolving about the sun in an orbit which
has never before brought it into favorable
view, or it may come to us from some other
system, now just paying US It's brief and
only visit. II is like faint cloud in the
telescope.
Inc OtleE COmGL WAS uiSCON6ItQ w EIOI'
Barnard. Of Nashville, about two weeks
later. He tells US that he was sweeping for
comets when he saw a faint object in a po-
sition where he was satisfied there was no
nebula. The morning came before he could
detect its melton amongst the stars "a sure
test OF cOmet), so that no announcement
was made. The next morning he found
the same object, though it had charged its
place in the meantime. He now felt justi-
fed In publishing the statement that he had
seen a comet; but neither he nor any one
else, so far as we have heard, has seen 1t
since. Whether it has really become
fainter, or whether Prof. Barnard has seen
ghost" "a luminous appearance. which
sometimes forms on the glass of tele4
scope) with which he was deceived, will
probably never be known, unless he or some
other chances to find it again.
Another interesting astronomical event
Of the past month was the formal compile.
ton of the great Vienna telescope, by
Grub, of Dublin. Our Washington o.
servatorY can no longer boast the largest
refractor In the world. Its aperture is twen-
ty-six inches, while the new one measures
enc inch more. This additional inch adds
considerably to its power aud also to the
difficulties Of its construction. II equally
well made, we ought to hear from it in the
near future. Nor can it long enjoy the
honor OF being the largest refractor, as
Clark, of Cambridgeport, is now making for
the Russian Observatory Of Pultowa a
thirty iuch glass, and has an order from the
trustees Of the fund belonging to the Lick
Observatory, of California, for still great
er one, thirty-six inches across.-Phad.
LedQer