Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-09-02

Of note This distinguished member Of the
solar family 10 steadily coming nearer, and has
so far advanced toward his nearest approach or
opposition that, at the end OF the month. his
serene face viii come glowing above the horizon
at O'Clock in the evening to be followed two
hours later BY that Of his brother Jupiter. Sa-
turn plays the second part In the picture Of the
September morning sky. Indeed for months to
come the two planets will be inseparably linked
In the attention Of the observer who will gladly
welcome their appearance In the evening sky.
though they are still included In the list Of
morning stars. Both Saturn and Jupiter re-
fleet more light than their immense distance
from the sun would warrant 1t lie not improb-
able that portion Of this light comes from their
own surfaces for the larger the planet the longer
1t takes to cool, and these giants OF the system
are supposed to be in q condition more nearly
resembling that Of the sun than the earth Sa-
| turn rises now q few minutes before 10 O'Clock
| IN the evening; at the end Of the month he rises
at O'Clock.
NEPTUNE
| Ii morning star and retains his place as herald
OF the morning trio, pursuing his unseen path
| among the stars without an incident to break
| the monotonous routine. Those who wish to
| trace his position on the star maps will find IL
on the LIST in right ascension 3h 7m., and in
declinatiOn 15o AZ north. Neptune rises now
about half-past 9 o'clock in the evening; d the
close of the month he rises about half-past
| o'clock.
| is evening star, and reigns with queenly and
acknowledged power over the morning and
| evening stars, as well as the mighty multitude
OF gstenlng suns that stud the celestial track.
No student of the skies will fail to grant her the
ascendancy, or fail to note her increasing size
| and brilancy. Her diameter now measures
| nearly twenty seconds, and at the end Of the
| month 1t will measure twenty seconds. 1t
must be remembered that the more her diam
eter increases and the more nearly she approaches
| the earth, the less Of her enlightened disc is
| turned towards US. II, when she passes between
us and the sun, her bright side were turned
| towards us instead Of her dark side she would
be a glorious planet, such as never was seen by
mortal eye
The progress Of Venus during September is
made specially interesting by the occurrence of
an important epoch in her course. On the 27th,
at o'clock in the morning, she reaches her
greatest eastern elongatiOn, or most distant
point from the sun on his eastern side. On the
10Th OF February, she was I'm superior conjunc-
ton with the sun. and became evening star. A
month or two later, she was visible as a small
star close to the sum- disappearing shortly after
sunset. Ever since, she has been travelling
eastward, setting later every evening, and
growing more brilliantly beautiful. On the
21th she Will reach the end of the invisible chain
| that binds her to the sun. Not second farther
can she swerve. The suns resistless attraction
| turns her course and directs her retrograde
steps westward, until, In our view she has
retrOd the whole eastward course and reached
her inferior conjunction and transit. Mil
lions Of observers are watching her re-
ceding steps with eager interest, for the goal
she is bound for ushers in the great astrono-
mical event Of the year II not Of the GEN.
fury. Venus at her elongation lie 400 80 east Of
the sun. As loo represents one hour of time It
will be plain that she can never be visible much
more than three hours after sunset; as the same
laws prevail In reversed order when she is morn
| Ing star. for the same reason she can never be
seen more than three hours before SUNRISE The
increased velocity Of the planets motion will
soon be apparent. While she has been nearly
seven months In passing from superior conjunc-
t1on to eastern elOngatiOn, she will be less than
three months in returning from eastern elonga-
tion to inferior conjunction. This most brilliant
portion OF her course will form planetary study
for the student OF the stars. as easily followed
as 1t is interesting, and illustrative of the laws
that govern the movements Ofthe Inferior planets
The uncertainty Of the weather In the north
temperate zone will prevent its being largely
chosen as an observing locality; but some sta
lions will be chosen there in order to bring the
observers at as widely separated points as posi-
Ole. 1t is discOuraging to think that at only
half OF these stations clear weather may be
reasonably anticipated, and that this expendi-
ture OF time, labor and money will be all in
vain as regards half Of the observers But the
other half may have their labor crowned with
brilliant success that will make up for the dis
appointment. and be rewarded by the gratitude
OF the generations that will tread the earth In
| the one hundred and twenty-five years that will
| elapse before another transit OF Venus recurs
| In 2O4. Venus sets on the LIST few minutes
after o'clock In the evening; at the close of
the month she sets about half-past 2 o'clock.
| MERCURY
is evening star, and contributes an unusual share
to the incidents that diversity the annals of the
month. On the 2Sth, at o'clock in the after
noon, Mercury reaches his greatest eastern elon-
cation, the day after Venus has touched the
same point in her course. He is then $50 81
east OF the sun, while Venus Is little less than
40 80. Although at nearly his maximum dis
lance from the sun, he is unfavorably situated
| for observation on account of his southern de-
clination; for the farther north the planets are
the better Is the opportunity for observing
| them. 1t is the last time during the year when
there is the least probability Of seeing Mercury
as evening STAR This will be an excellent Op-
portunity for comparing the respective limits of
the two planets as they travel eastward from
the sun. Venus will be recognized by any one
who looks at the western sky. Mercury will be
found about midway between Venus and the
sun, seven degrees farther north than Venus
He sets OR the 2Sth, about nalf-past o'clock
Venus sets on the same day about half-past z
o'clock. Mercury sets now a few minutes after
z o'clock In the evening; at the end of the month
he sets at half-past o'clock.
Is evening star and scarcely worth mentioning
for any part he plays among his peers. Con-
tented with the laurels won In August, when
he bore his part in the lovely evening pictures
with which, in conjunction with Venus, he d.
versifed the sky. he now hastens to retire into
a temporary eclipse in the suns bright beams.
We have already alluded to his conjunction with
Mercury on the 2lst. Mars now sets about
twenty minutes before 8 o'clock In the evening;
at the end OF the month he sets about half-past
o'clock.
URANUS
is evening star until the 11th, when, at o'clock
in the afternoon, he comes into conjunction
with the sun. He is the last Of the four giant
planets to reach the goal turning the point
when they are far on their way to opposition
At conjunction he is joined with the sun, rising
and setting with him, and as completely hidden
from human gaze as he was until 1871, when
Herschel introduced him to terrestrial obsery-
ers After the 18th Uranus is morning star. and
will hold his place on the list until his OPPOSE
ton. Uranus sets on the LIST about o'clock In
the evening; on the S0th he rises about half
past o'clock in the morning.
THE NOON.
The September moon fulis on the 9th at