The Portland daily press., 1881-03-04
THE PRESS.
The Planets in March.


ments Of this radiant member of the solar
family. She leads off in the starry annals of
March by coming near Saturn on the first day
of its advent. The conjunction is not close
one, Venus passing between five and six de-
grees to the north, and henceforth vending
her way at an increasing distance from her
rivals, and dissolving the planetary trio which
has long delighted the eyes of students of the
stars. The grand event of the month, how
ever, occurs on the Sd, when the crescent
moon, only three days old, is in conjunction
with the planets Venus, Jupiter and Saturn
nearly at the same time. If the night is fair,
the western sky will present magnificent pic
tare which will never in similar phase be re-
peated to charm the eye of any living behold
er. The height of the show will occur about
eight o'clock in the evening, when the moon
passes one degree and six minutes north of We
nus having passed her nearest point to both
Jupiter and Saturn in the daytime. Observers
should commence their watch as soon as it is
dark enough for the starry quartette to nut in
ap appearance, for the moon will then be seen
to recede from Jupiter and Saturn and ap-
proach Venus till the conjunction takes place
the silver crescent hanging north of the bril-
liantly beaming queen of the stars, Jupiter
and Saturn shining with paler glow in the
south west, and the lovely starlit picture con-
tinuing till moon and planets have sunk be-
meath the horizon. Charming as will be the
view to American observers, the sight will be
far more wonderful in British territory, for
there the moon passes over Venus and entirely
hides her from view. The occultation will be
specially interesting as the moon moves with
her dark edge foremost and the planet disap.
pears behind the dark part of the intercepting
body as If it were suddenly lost in the clear
sky.
On the 9th Venus reaches her period of
greatest brilliancy, and her radiant beauty as
evening star eliminates. She has been NOV
ing rapidly westward since her eastern elonga-
ton on the Goth of February, presenting in the
telescope the phase of the moon passing from
the last quarter towards new moon. She is,
however, so much nearer that, though the il
lumined portion of her disk is decreasing, she
will apparently increase in size and brightness
until the 9th, when her crescent becomes SO
Slender and her approach to the sun SO near
that she falls from her highest estate. When,
face of Venus is turned towards us, she is 16O,-
600, 600 miles distant, and the diameter of her
dusk is only ten seconds. When at inferior
conjunction she is % 000, 600 miles distant and
measures sixty seconds; thus we may expect to
ind great variations in her aspect and m.gni.
tude. The present period of greatest brilliancy
is very favorable for picking up Venus in the
daytime, on account of her great northern )ati-
tude. Note carefully her distance and bearing
from the sun, and if the right spot can be
fOuud a hlt of flaacu olo1I1 xull obox
the planet shorn of her glory in the sunlight
Another point of interest at this period is to
note the shadows cast by objects iIlumined by
the planets light. Venus diversifes the month
with other incidents of minor interest She is
in perihelion on the 9th, a million miles near
or the sun than when farthest away; in con.
junction with Neptune on the 23d, and reaches
her extreme point of distance north of the sun
on the 18th. Venus sets now about a quarter
before ten O'Clock; at the end of the month
about ten o'clock.
Jupiter is evening star, but he is only sub
ordinate actor on the celestial arena, yielding
the palm to his bewitching rival, who easily
wins the honors due to the leading star. His
role is somewhat monotonous, for his golden
glow is fading, his size diminishing and he is
fastening to hide himself from observation in
the suns all-powerful rays. He is still beau
tiful telescope object, the great red spot re-
tanning its undiminished proportions on his
disk, his belts glowing with prismatic hues
and his attendant moons moving in harmoni-
Gus obedience to his sovereign will. Whether
he has anything to do with it not, spots and
rosy protuberances on the sun are on the in
crease, and the maximum of meteorological
disturbance is probably not yet reached on the
earth. The elemental warfare did not cease
in the early portion of February, though there
was nothing specially new in its manifesto
ton. Shocks OF earthquake in many direc-
tons, with ansoutburst of volcanic action in
Virginia, marked the earth's internal commo-
ton, while blockaded railroads, avalanches on
the mountains, snowdrifts in the valleys
threatening ice-gorges, floods inundating the
Pacific coast, cattle perishing by thousands in
farming districts of the West, a temperature
marked by forty or fifty degrees below zero,
and frost and snow in the sunny South are in
cluded in American territory among the ex-
traordinary list of calamities from storm and
bitter blasts that are recorded on the February
annals. Henceforth, under the suns more
genial sway, the manifestations of disturbance
will take on a milder form, and probably dis
plays of auroral light will flame from spring
and summer skies. Jupiters approach to Sat
urn is point for observation; at the end of
the month they are so near together that
there is only about ten minutes difference in
the time of their setting. Jupiter sets now a
little after nine O'Clock; at the end of the
month about twenty minutes before eight
O'Clock, more than two hours after Venus.
Saturn is evening star and follows in the
footsteps of his illustrious rival as he has done
for several months; next month there will be a
change, and the brother planets will pass each
other and separate to form new Combinations
Saturn sets now at half-past nine O'Clock; at
the end of the month about ten minutes before
eight O'Clock. u 1Adlt7E
Mercury is evening star until the 18th, when
he comes into inferior conjunction with the
sun, and Is morning star for the rest of the
month. As this is the most favorable time of
the year for seeing Mercury, and he is above
the horizon an hour and a quarter after sun
set, he may possibly be found about eight de-
grees north of the point where the sun disap-
peared. he sets now a few minutes after
seven o'clock; at the end of the month he rises
about quarter before five O'Clock
Uranus is evening star, for on the LIST he is
in opposition, and, as the word implies, his
place IN the heavens is decidedly opposite the
sun. He is now at his nearest point to the
earth, Uranus, the earth and the sun being in
straight line with the earth in the centre.
This is therefore the time to look for him with
the naked eye, He may be found in the con-
steliation Leo, near small star in one OF the
hind legs, and forms triangle with Regulus
and Denebola, the brightest star of the constel-
lation, being south and about midway between
them. Uranus rises now about quarter be-
fore six o'clock; at the close of the month
about quarter before four o'clock.
Mars is morning star, and the only visible
planet enjoying that distinction during the
whole month. There is nothing of special in
terest in his movements, though he is slowly
coming toward us and increasing in SIZE He
rising now about five O'Clock; at the end of the
month about quarter after four o'clock
The March moon fulls on the 18th The new
moon OF the 18th of February comes, on the
Sd, into a triple conjunction with Jupiter,
Saturn and Venus, which we have already de-
scribed. She is in conjunction with Mars on
the morning of the Goth, when her waning
light will be in fine contrast with his ruddy
hue. The new moon of the 29th is near Jupi-
ter and Saturn on the 31st. The March full
moon holds the honor of determining when
Easter shall be celebrated. AS the moon fuls
five days before the vernal equinox, she fixes
the time for the Easter festival upon the Sun
Gay following the next full mooa. AS this oc-
ours on the 14th of April, Easter Sunday will
follow on the 18th.
Observers of the March skies will have de-
ligbtfnl studies presented to their notice. The
tho oil planets Venus, Jupiter and Mars, with
their companion for the time, the crescent
moon, wall be the actors in a celestial scene
that will long be remembered for its rare and
lovely combinations Venus will say goodbye
10 Saturn and go on her way, rejoicing in in
creasing beauty, till she reaches her creates
briliiancy, when her waning glory commences.
Jupiter aud Saturn will draw nearer each 9th
er and tread the western path with Fastening
steps as they speed towards the sun, and the
planetary panorama will form gorgeous pa
gesnt, in which variety, beauty and constant
change will combine to make the nights glori-