The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-05-05
Providence Journal
Planets in Nav.

lFrOvldence journal
Planets in May
Venus is the morning star after the Sd, and
holds the place OF honor among the planetary
host during the month. At five o'clock on the
morning of the Sd, Venus comes into inferior
conjunction. passing between the earth and
the sun, as the moon does at new moon Her
dark side is then turned towards us, and she
becomes invisible. In short time, however,
she will reappear on the western side of the
sun as morning star, and before the month
closes, her radiant presence will grace the
dawn for an hour and half before sunrise. Her
orbit is inclned TO the earth's orbit, and there
fore, excepting at her node or point of inter-
sec ton, she does not pass directly between the
earth and the sun. Such is the case at the
present conjunction, when she passes five de-
grees north of the sun and leaves no trace of
her pass ige But when, in December, 1882,
she comes round again to the same point, she
will be at her node and will be seen all over
America making transit or crossing the suns
disk Astronomers are already laying their
plans for the observation of this transit, the
greatest astronomical event anticipated in this
country in the present century. The last tran
sit occurred in 1874; millions of money were
spent in observing ii, and expeditions were fit
ted out 10 many portions of the globe whore it
was visible. The next transit after that of
1882 will not occur till 200i. Those Observers
therefore, fortunate enough 10 see the transit
of 1882 will witness rare phenomenon that
no human eye will behold for the succeeding
one hundred and twenty-five years. Venus
IL
phases of her course as evening star, on ac-
count of her great northern declination. Her
disappearance in the west will hardly be COM
pensated by her temperance in the east, for
while it costs little trouble to watch her course
after sunset, the virtue of early rising must be
put in practice to detect her bright presence
amid the breaking of the morning light. The
beautiful planet pays her respects to her broth
er orbs, coming nearest to Mercury on the Sth,
and TO Jupiter on the 11th. Venus sets. on the
first OF the month about a quarter after seven
o'clock; on the last of the month, she rises
about three o'clock.
Jupiter is morning star, close to the sun and
close to Saturn, rising now about eight minutes
after the sun and four minutes after Saturn.
The two planets are, however, receding from
the sun, 50 that they will rise not far from an
hour before him at the end of the month.
Their close proximity to each other still con-
tinues, but before the month closes their paths
will diverge, and twenty years will pass before
these giants of the system again appear side by
side. They are both travelling from conjunc-
tiOn, or their most distant point from the earth,
to opposition, or their nearest point. to the
earth, which Saturn will reach in October, and
Jupiter in November.
The theory of planetary action as disturb
ing element in producing sun-spots and conse-
quent meteorological changes on the earth,
finds confirmation in the events of last month
The planet on which we dwell has been stirred
to the depths by internal and external commo-
ton. The disastrous earthquake at Chic. re-
corded i'll its annals, is thus far the most
frightful catastrophe of this mOmentous year,
while lesser disturbances of the same kind have
been felt in the region around Agram, and
slight rumblings and tremblings have been
noted in one of the Western States Our Wes-
tern territory has again been the scenes of de-
stroying floods, the waters rising to heights
never reached before, and causing au immense
amount of suffering and destruction of proper
ty that can be little realized by those who are
not witnesses of the desolation and distress.
Whether gigantic Jupiter has anything to do
with it or not, he will speed serenely and safe
ly on his course at the rate Of eight miles
second, receding from the sun and power to
five o'clock; at the close of the month a few
minutes after three o'clock.
Saturn is now morning star, and keeps so
close to his more famous brother that little re-
mains to be said of his movements during the
month. 1t is to be hoped that his ill-boding
influence will be counteracted by the more
lucky auspices of his more brilliant neighbor.
Saturn rises now about three minutes before
Jupiter; at the end of the month about ten
minutes earlier, just before three o'clock.
NTaps 10 rrir cFo nd ha nutp
northward, will soon come into better position
for observation. He rises now few minutes
after three o'clock, being the first of the visible
morning stars TO make his appearance; at the
close of the month he rises about two o'clock.
Mercury is morning star until the 17th. when
he comes into superior conjunction with the
sun, passes 20 his eastern side and becomes ev-
ening star. He is very near Saturn on the 9th,
and still nearer Jupiter on the 7th, but they
are all too near the sun to DO easily seen. He
rises now at half past four o'clock at the end
of the month he sets at about twenty minutes
before nine O'Clock.
Neptune is morning star after the 4th, when
he comes into conjunction with the sun. He
rises and sets with the sum- at the close of the
month he rises not far from quarter after
three o'clock.
Uranus is evening star, the only one through
out the whole month, and reaches his quadra-
ture with the sun ON the 50th. He rises now
about quarter before two o'clock; at the end
of the month not far from midnight.
The May moon fulls on the 18TH She is in
con junction with Mars on the 23d, three days
after her last quarter. The most beautiful ce-
lestial picture of the month occurs OH the morn
ing of the 26th, for the waning moon will then
be near Venus, Saturn and Jupiter, though
she passed her conjunction with them all on
the previous day. AS Venus rises on that
morning about ten minutes after three o'clock,
Saturn ten minutes later, and Jupiter about
ten minutes after Saturn, if the sky is clear, it
will be safe to promise a superb planetary
show, we'll worth taking pains to witness. The
new moon of the 9th throws her shadow over
portion of the earth, and causes a partial
eclipse of the sun. 1t is invisible here, but Wis
ible in the northern part of North America
and in northern Asia The region of the great
est eclipse will be in the Arctic Ocean, where
nearly three-quarters of the suns disk will be
obscured.
| The great feature of the month is the mar
vellous planetary combination that distin-
| tinguishes its passage. No such marshalling of
| planetary orbs has occurred for centuries in the
| past, nor will be witnessed for centuries to
come. Five of the eight planets form an al
| most straight line with the sun and the earth.
| Starting from the earth on the third, our bril-
| liant neighbor, Venus, heads the grand array.
| The glorious sun comes next i'll view, while
| little Mercury on his western side, is speeding
| with rapid steps to join the ranks. The vast
| orbs of Jupiter and Saturn, little out of
| plumb, fill the ranks slightly to the west, and
| Neptune closes the show only one days travel
| eastward. These huge denizens of space span
| the inconceivable distance of nearly twenty