Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-07

From the Providence Journal
Mars is morning star till the 26th, and
then evening star the rest of the month. He
wins the place of honor for the month. for he
reaches during its progress the most interesting
epoch in his course, his opposition with the sum-
This event. so suspicious for terrestrial
observers. comes off at midnight on the evening
Of the 26th. Mars then dOns his brightest
phase for he is at his nearest point to us, the
earth being directly between him and the sun,
the three bodies being in straight line. When
we say that Mars Is nearest to us at opposition,
We speak IN general terms. the fact being that
at some OppOsitiOns he is much nearer than at
Others. The reason for this is that Mars move
in very eccentric orbit, and when i'm perheliOn
is twenty-siX million miles nearer the sun tn an
when in aphelion. If. therefore, an opposition
occur when Mars is in perihelion, he will
be just as much nearer the earth and only
about thirty-fve million miles distant, the
nearest approach the two planets ever make. II
an opposition occur when Mars is in apheliOn he
will be just so much farther from the earth,
about siXty-twO million miles distant The pres
ent opposition or that of 1884, its name on astrO-
nOmcal annals. ia of medium character the di-
ameter Of the planets disc measuring nearly
seventeen seconds Of a degree the maximum
being twenty-fOur seconds. Mars will. how
ever, be near enough and bright enough to at
tract attention, throughout the whole month,
from every observer of the starlit Skies His
fiery red disc now comes beaming above the
eastern horizon at quarter before o'clock in
the evening. and his rudy glow illumines the
heavens almost the entire night Every even
ing he will rise earlier but not till after sunset
until the 10th, when, being opposite the sun, he
appears In the east as the sun sinks in the west
he then passes to the eastern side of the sun
takes his place on the records as evening star,
and travels from the earth and towards the sun
until his conjunction, on the 10th Of December,
1882
Jupiter is evening star throughout the
month. Though his luster is growing dim. and
his distance from the earth is increasing, he is
by far the brightest gem in nights starry crown
Rising an hour before sunset. he comes yrandy
into view rs soon as the sun has sunk behind
the western hills, and regns supreme till it is
nearly time for the breaking of the morning
light. Jupiter now sets about q quarter after
nye o'clock in the morning; at the end of the
month, he sets about quarter after three
O'Clock.
Saturn il evening star and ranks third On the
list in comparative brightness, being now
obliged to yield the palm to rudy Mars as well
as Jupiter. He passes the meridian or point
overhead at half-past nine o'clock and then
commences his westward course. Neptune fol-
lows quickly on the track. making his transit
about ten O'clock Jupiter looks down from
the meridian heights at twenty-one minutes
past ten o'clock Mars lags far behind making
his transit about quarter after two O'Clock in
the morning. There is nothing new or import
ant in the movements of Saturn during the
month to the naked-eye observer. excepting to
note that his light is growing dim as be draws
nearer to the sun. although the difference is
barely perceptIble at present. One who wishes
to be impressed with the wondrOus beauty of
Saturn must observe him as revealed in a tele-
scope. three-inch aperture will show his
rings and some of his moons Saturn now sets
not far from quarter after four o'clock in the
morning; at the end OF the month he sets about
after in
Neptune is evening star, and is only interest
ing as telescope object
Venus Is morning star. and makes uD for ber
low rank on the list by getting I'D special ex-
hlDitlon OF her own with which to reward star
gazers who anticipate the dawn. On the morn
ing ol the 10Th she passes near bright star in
the constellation Scorpio 1t is known az Ratta
Scorpn. or Graflias, and is star of the second
magnitude In the head of the Scorpion abOut
eight degrees northwest of the well-known red
star Antares. the leading brilliant of the con-
steilafion- The two stars approach very near
to each other. Venus passing five minutes of a
degree south OF Beta Scorpii. The conjunction
occurs at MONDAY on the 10th but the st airs
VIII De close enough together on the morn
,ng oi 1he Gay TO make charming picture
venus tnen rises few minutes before O'Clock
nearly an hour and half before the sun
and about three degrees and a half north of the
sunrise point. On the morning of the 4th Venns
is in conjunction with Mercury, passing degree
40
within few minutes of each other ON that morn
ing. about quarter before o'clock. Venus be-
ing easily seen and serving as guide to Mer-
curry short distance to the east Venus rises
now about half past o'clock; at the close of
the month she rises about nine minutes before
z o'clock.
Mercury is morning star during the whole
month, and keeps close to Venus throughout its
course, both planets being bound for superior
conjunction with the SUM-
Uranus is morning star. He reaches his quad
nature with the sun on the 10th, being then
ninety degrees distant, having advanced half
way on his passage FROM conjunction to opposi-
ton. At quadrature, he rises at midnight,
reaches the meridian at 6 o'clock. and sets about
sunrise He rises now about quarter Of an
hour after midnight: at the close of the month,
he rises about quarter after 10 O'Clock in the
evening.
The December moon fulls On the 5th. She Is
near Saturn on the ID. near Neptune and Jupi-
ter on the Sd, near Mars on the It'll. and near
Uranus on the 18th. On the 18th she comes in
| close conjunction with Venus, passing twelve
| minutes south. Planet and slender crescent
| will be near enough on the 20th to make . lovely
picture on the morning sky. On the 29th the
new moon Of the 2lst paws her respects to Sa-
turn, and on the Goth to Neptune aud Jupiter,
On the 9Th . nearly total eclipse Of the moon
occurs. 1t Is invisiblein New England but NAV
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