The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-10-05
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Providence Journsl.l
Planets in October,

though for a month he has been seen rising
late in the evening, and is now conspicuous
object after 7 o'clock. But the outer planets
are morning stars from conjunction to opposi-
tion, when they are on the western side OF the
sun, and evening stars from opposition to con-
| junction when they are on the eastern side OF
the sun. Saturn in opposition, as the word
implies, is seen in the opposite part Of the hss-
vens rising when the sun sets, and setting
when the sun rises This, therefore, Is his
most distant point from the sun, and conso-
| quently his nearest point to the earth, being
one hundred and eighty-three million miles
nearer than when farthest away. The sun,
| the earth and Saturn are tnen in a straight
line with the earth in the centre. Intelligent
observers who know little Of astronomy as .
science can readily verify these statements for
themselves. If they look in the northeast on
the last evening of the month, they will see
| Saturn rising as the sun sets, the proof that he
is as far from the sun as possible, while bis
present wondrous size and clear light will
equally prove that he is at his nearest point TO
! the earth. The five superior or outer planets,
! Saturn, Neptune, Jupiter, Mars and Uranus
are now all travelling towards opposition. We
cannot see these huge planets rolling into line
with the physical eye. But the mental eye
Dierces the boundaries OF time and space, aud
sees at the time OF Saturn's opposition grand
and awe inspiring picture. A straight line
projected from the sun, and passing through
| the earth, will when extended. reach the Ss-
turnian system, and reveal TO the eye OF the
| imagination the superb planet Graded IN IL
| rings. Far out TO the s. stems remotest bounds
| Neptune will appear, approaching the goal.
| Jupiter vast sphere will be rolling into place,
| a few days travel farther on than Neptune;
| Mars moving at slower pace. is tagging two
months journey behind. Uranus, Just leaving
| the suns vicinity, will be seen in the distance
| bringing up the rear. Saturn, at the present
opposition and at the succeeding ones TIL 1900,
| will be- an object of increasing interest, and
| few of those who observe its magnificent pres
entation during this epoch will observe from
this planet when, thirty years hence, the same
aspect will be repeated. Three facts must %
borne in mind, that Saturn is approaching per-
ihelion, when it will be hundred million
| miles nearer the sun than when in aphelion;
| mis- rings are opening more widely; bis north
| ern declination is increasing. The most favor-
| aOle conditions for observing him are thus
| combined The consequence is that to the
naked sy the planet looks much larger and
brighter, with a color of pale gold instead OF
| the murky hue that seems TO % the origin OF
| its ill-boding influence in astrology Through
| the telescope the view is magnificent beyond
| words 10 paint. Saturn is in fine position for
| observers during the month. He rises row
| lew minutes alter O'Clock; at the end Of the
| month few minutes after O'Clock.
Neptune is morning star and wins the sec
ond place on be monthly record, for though
invisible TO the naked eye, he follows closely
in Saturn's track; Saturn now reaches the me-
rid an at seven minutes before 2 O'Clock in the
morning. and N.pIune follows or makes bis
transit at twelve minutes after2 O'Clock, which
suows that the planets are near together. Inc
present is a favorable opportunity for telo-
scopic view OF Neptune He now rises about
eighteen minutes after O'Clock; st the end OF
he month about nineteen minutes after D
| o'clock
Jupiter is morning star, and though preceded
| by Saturn anu Neptune in the order OF rising,
transcends every star In the armament in size
and brllliaucy. He will he beautiful to be-
iold for months 10 come, flashing like radi-
ant gem in the sky throughout the entire
uight Rising now in the early evening and
hanging almost midway between the SOFT
ight of the clustering Pleades and the ruddy-
.ued Aldebaran, he CASTS radiant glow over
the eastern sky on moonless nights, as follow
ing after Saturn aud preceding Mars he speeds
N his way, the brightest star among the my
riad host that spangle the celestial pathw-y
| With golden light. He will not bs as brilliant
at the coming opposition as he was last year,
tor ne was tliea IN perinenon -. aAarlp thA
same time and such Jupiter As was tnen
| seen will not be repeated for nearly dozen
years. Now is the time TO look ir his moons
one OF which may possibly be seen with the
unaided eye by observers with especial visual
powers, or which almost any one may see
through good opera glass. Now, too, is the
time for telescope observation. for those who
can have peep through the space. .annihilat-
ing glass IL is not strange that Jupiter looks
so much larger and brighter than Saturn,
when 1t is remembered that his bulk is much
greater and that he is only half the distance
away. Jupiter now rises about quarter be-
tore O'Clock; that the close of the month he
rises about quarter before 6 o'clock.
Mars is morning star, aud the fourth In the
line of the planets travelling towards opposi-
lion. There is little noteworthy In his aspect
during the month He seems to move very
slowly on his path, is slo..iy growing brighter
aud assuming redder tint, and his high
northern declination is increasing. He is now
i've degrees farther north than Jupiter, and
passes the meridian at half-past O'Clock,
nearly three hours after Jupiter. Mars rises
now not far from 10 o'clock; at the close of the
month he rises about quarter before 9
| o'clock.
Uranus is morning star, and the latest menu
Jer of the grand procession travelling tow ards
he sun. He has not advanced far on the jour
pey as he started on the track on the 9th OF
| September when he was in conjunction with
Ae sun. He is, therefore, still too near tnc
.reat Iuminary to maxi his movements OF
| much Importance TO terrestrial observers. On
| he 10Th he is in close conjunction with Venus,
,assiug thirty-twO seconds s0ath. He rises now
| It O'Clock; at tue close Of the month about
| ten minutes alter O'Clock.
| Venus is morning star and the last OF the
| brotherhood to appear above the horizon.
/ She is still travelling from her western elongs-
/ ion to her superior coajunctlol, and growing
smaller and less brilliant as she approaches the
! sun. Jupiter now exceeds her In size ana lus-
| re, his disc measuring forty-tiye seconds OF .
| iegree, while that OF Venus measures only
slirteen seconds Venus now rises about elev-
| .n minutes after o'clock in the morning; at
| The close of the month, at quarter after
o'clock.
Mercury is evening star during the whole
| month. On the 10Th, he reaches his greatest
/ eastern elonRation, or more distant point from
| she sun. AS he 10 then nearly twenty tve de-
| srees east OF the sun, he may be- seen Tor lev
laws before and alter that time, though his
| yreat southern declination is uLfayorable Tor
| observation. He must be looked for eleven de-
srees south of the sunset point, and the SKY
| nust be exceptionally clear 20 give the least
,robabil ty Tor success in picking him up.
| FMS will berthe last opportunity Tor seeing
,im as evening star during the present year:
/ He sets now aOout twenty-five minutes after o
| 'ci,e k A. he close of the month about half
past o'clock
Iu. uutoO.r moon fuls on the 7lh. On the
| Jtn two days after the Iull, she is IN conJanc-
| non with Saturn and Neptune. Ga the 10Th
sue pays her respects TO Jupiter, passing Two
| degrees and a h Ill south. Oa the l3'h she IL
rear Mars, and on the 18Th she Is pear Jupiter,
,Ju Tie 2Otl. two day before her change, she
avs homage TO Venus, aud waning moou aud
,lanet will be lovely 10 behold as they antlci.
,ats the dawn. On the 24th the two days
I'd moon will pass degrte aud hail nor
/ ii Mercury and serve To point uut Ills positlon'
| ~ - Oc,uber fuil ;Eoon rs slinctlnes called tao
In, ser's Moon, as her consecutive early rle-
80, ~. supposed To be a help 10 the sports-
nc. in continuing the night TO help hun on
~ w.u There is nearly tue some deviation
rom the av, siage difference III risng as there
- 80 ~, mn h III the Harvest Moon. For
80 ,,,sh,s ,.tt, NJ The full, tue moon rises with
svas.vs diffs, 'eDce OF thirty -eight minutes,
shicn is 1ar,Icular y acceptable al TINS season
Snion rS.. lr - When ere is scarcely any twi-
ughJ. ...;,, IN tho
October planetary auuass. Thls,s tue opposi'
| s,,lon OF Saturn, tue m,st interesting object
,or study during the month When tue luli
| moon has taken on its waning piss the moon,
less nights Will be glorious Nlth starry ana
| planetary beauty. Saturn wiz lssn the Dro.h-
erhood that will shine among tAe clustering
stars throughout khe serene Oetoeef hlsnIs.
| rrooping alter him tn unswervlhg step,
| Jupiter and ruddy Mars will follow, wilA nn-
| seen Neptune and Uranus to til IN the Wsver.
/ the same goal, All