The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-04-05
Planets I'm April.

4
| SATURN Is evening star until the 2ls,
when at o'clock in the evening he comes
into conjunction with the sun and becomes
morning star. His conjunction with Jupi-
ter has already been described, ana his
movements are 30 nearly allied with those Of
bis brother planet that the portrayal Of the
one includes that OF the other. Saturn sets
now about 8 O'Clock. At the end OF the
month he rises not far from quarter before
O'Clock, very neatly at the same time with
Jupiter.
| VENUS is evening star, and having just
passed her period OF greatest brillancy, is
| now fair TO see AS, piercing the etberlal
| depths before the sun has sunk below the
| horizon, she shines In bewiching loneliness
| amid the glory OF the dying day, increasing
| in SIZE and radiant glow as the sun sets and
| the evening shades advance. No member
OF the starry host can now compare With
| her ia size or delIcacy OF cOoring, or in the
soft, pensile beauty peculiarly her own.
| But change Will come over the queen
of the stars, for the greatness OF her
| glory as evening star il passing away. A.
she approaches the earth the illuminated
portion OF her disc grows more slender, and
soon her light and size will pcrceptibly de-
crease. Each evening she will set earlier
| than on the preceding. until. at the close Of
the month, she will set so soon after the .un
as 10 be invisible, and we shall lose the RI
dant evening star that eraeed the sky du.
ring the passage Of autumn, winter, and
spring. Venus sets now about 10 O'Clock,
and at the end OF the month little before
half.past : O'Clock.
URANUS is evening s'ar, and may be seen
bv the naked eye on clear, mOonless nights.
His position has changed but little FROM
that Of las. month, and be still may be found
near small star IN the hind leg OF the Lion,
and forming a triangle with Regulus and
Dembola, the leading stars OF the cODstella-
ton, being few degrees south and nearly
midway between them. He rises nov
about q quarter before 4 O'Clock; at the
close Of the month, about quarter before
O'Clock.
MERCURY Is morning star, and reaches his
greatest western elongation, or greatest dis
lance from the sun, on the TN. For "A week
before and after that time he may be seen
with the naked eye, this being one OF the
three favorable periods for picking him up
during the year, though his southern deci-
nation increases the difficulty OF finding
him. He must be looked for about an hour
before sunrise, about twelve degrees south
OF the sunrise point. Those observers who
have the good fortune to obtain q glimpse
OF the only planet that twukes will be well
paid for early rising. Mercury rises now
not far from quarter before o'clock
nearly an hour before the sun; at the end
OF the month he rises at half-past O'Clock.
MARS Is morning star, and Is not yet near
enough 10 be an object OF Interest, though
he Is coming towards us, and will soon at
tract attention in the morning sky. He rises
now about ten minutes after o'clock at
the end Of the month about ten minutes
after 3 O'Clock.
The April moon fulls on the 18th. The
new moon OF the Goth OF March comes into
conjunction with Venus on the 1T, passing
about three and half degrees south Of the
radiant planet. The waning moon pays her
respects 10 Mars on the oath, aud TO Mer-
curry on the 26tb. The day before her
change she is in conjunction with Saturn,
and she closes her circuit by passing near
Jupiter, her coniunctiOns with the new. born
morning stars being doubtless beautiful TO
behold, but hidden from view In the suns
eclipsing rays. The new moon Of the 2Sth
passes near Venus, but this picture Is also
invisible.
The planetary studies for April are more
for the mental than the physical eve, the
most important being those that are inyisi-
Bile. The conjunction OF Venus and the
moon will form the loveliest picture OF the
month, and will possess an additional inter-
est, since for nearly year to come the
fairest Of the stars and the silver crescent
will not be seen together In the evening sky.
Mercury will shine In the morning dawn
for two weeks, and any observer who dis
covers him amid the brightness OF the suns
advancing steps will never forget the bril-
liant picture, for seeing Mercury Is on even,
TO be remembered for lifetime. He reaches
ut the present elongatiou bis extreme dis.
lance from the sun, more than twenty.seyen