Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1882-08-04

ElrSt WAru, COURTHOUSE, oOcl k,pM.
Second Ward. Police Office, IS
JAMES BUMGARDNER, JR.,
Chairman County Committee.
The Heavens for August.
THE SHOWERS OF METEORs Te COME
NEXT WEEK.
This month, August. affords an unusual
field for the student of the heavens, as we'll
as the annual surprise of the meteoric show
ers. First came the conjunction of the
Evening Star Venus, with Mars last Wed
nesday evening at 6 o CLOCK when the god
dess of Beauty was only five minutes dis
tant from the god of War. So close a
conjunction between planets will not be
witnessed again until June, 1884, when
Mercury and Saturn will be one minute
apart.
On the 10th Of the month Venus is in
her descending node, something at ordinary
times which would not be worth noting, but
when this beautiful planet passes, the next
time, to her ascending node, she passes also
between the earth and the sun, and makes
the long-anticipated transit which science
all over the world is preparing to note. If
the orbit of Venus we're on the plane of the
ecliptic, We should have transit at every
synodic revolution /; but rs it is inclined
nearly three and half degrees, she is
either above or below the ecliptic, except
ing when at her nodes or crossing points.
AS the earth and Venus are both moving
with different velocity, it is only at rare
intervals that Venus is at one of her
nodes at the time Of inferior conjunction.
As she will then be in line between the
earth and sun, she must pass directly be-
tween them, and make q transit, just as
the moon under the same conditions at
new moon causes an eclipse of the SUM-
The same laws govern both phenomena.
Venus is so far away that she looks like a
black dot passing over the sun g face. The
moon Ia so near that she sometimes entirely
hides the majestic orb.
On the nights of the 9th. 10th and 18th,
there will be displays of celestial fireworks
that never fail in their exhibition. The
earth then plunges through the broad do
mains of an cratic member of the system
known as the August meteor-zone. This
zone is gigantic ellipse or hoop, whose
perihelion point is within the earth g orbit,
and whose aphelion point reaches far be-
yond the orbit of Neptune. 1t is mysteri-
ously associated, as Schiaparelli discover
ed. with the second comet of 1852, or has
been gradually formed from its substance.
The meteors are now distributed through
every portion of the avast ring. though
somewhat unequally. Therefore, every
year, when about the 10th of August the
earth crosses this zone, there is a shower
of meteors. more or less abundant, accord
Ing to the density Of the cosmical cloud
The August meteors shoot forth or radlate
from the constellation Perseus, which is
therefore called the radiant point, and the
meteors are called Perseides. Sometimes
the showers are very brilliant, almost RI
vallng the famous November ones. At
ordinary times an observer may be reason
ably sure Of counting several hundreds on
the nights mentioned. These meteors are
usually yellow, aud leave behind trails
OF luminous vapors that often last several
seconds.
The meteoric downfall may be easily ex-
planned. The earth. travelling with q yeloc-
ity Of eighteenmiles second. plunges into
anass of eosmical atoms. whose velocity is
increased by her attraction to thirty miles
second. The meteors impings upon our
atmosphere with this tremendous velocity
become vaporizsd by the conclusion, and
leave train of luminous vapor behind
them when they fall. This ring of mets-
ors is calculated to be nearly eleven thou
sand million miles in diameter, and four
million miles in breadth. These are figures
Of which finite powers can have little idea.
But If We cannot grasp dimensions of such
extent. we may be thankful for the capac.
ity to enjoy the beautiful picture the
heavens afford when these blazing stars
wander in all directions through the infn-
lite depths.
The fiery tears of st. Lawrence is the
name given to the August msteors by the
poetry and superstition of the past, be-
cause they fall on the anniversary of the
day made memorable by the martyrdom of
the famous saint. The constellation Per-
ssus rises late in the evening IN the north
east and may be known by circular
row of bright stars marking the sword of
the hero. Observers who watch for the
meteors will be rewarded for their pains if
there be only the usual display, while it
may be that their watch will he rewarded
by shower Of golden rain OF unusual bril-
liancy.