The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-05-03
Planets in May.
The Starry Heavens for This Month
Providence Journal.


plays an unusually prominent part on the PLAN
etary annals of the month of May. On the I'd !,
he comes into superior conjunction with the
sun, when, passing to his eastern side, he COM
mences his short course as evening star. He
then follows in the track of Venus, oscillating
in straight line east of the sun towards his
eastern elongation. He, however, travels much
faster than Venus, being nearer the sun. For
the law is unyarying that the nearer the planet
is to the sun the greater will be the velocity,
Besides, on account of being nearer, he is new
er SO far from the sun at his elongations. We
nus is sometimes forty-seyen degrees from the
sun at elongation. Mercury is never more than
twenty-nine degrees distant at that epoch in
his course. The swift-footed planet therefore
overtakes Venus on the 30th, and the two plan
cts will make a charming picture at their con-
junction or nearest approach, Mercury being
degree and three-quarters west northwest of
Venus Observers will find no difficulty in
recognizing the planets, for the brilliant Yenus
will be guide to point out the brother planet,
who is difficult to find. The planets must be
looked for in the northwest, Mercury four de-
grees and Venus three degrees north of the
ouueot-pOlut, uOtu piduoo DOiuS oDOue oWoAoy-
three degrees east of the sun. As they are
above the horizon an hour and half later
than the sun, there is every reason to antici-
pate rarely beautiful conjunction.
Mercury is in conjunction with both Saturn
and Neptune on the same day, the 4th, passing
two degrees north of them. The conjunction
is invisible, for the three planets are hidden
from sight in the suns rays. On the 18th he is
in conjur ction with Jupiter about two degrees
north. Jupiter will then be plainly visible'
and Mercury far enough from the sun to be
possibly picked up by the brighteyed observers,
as the planets do not set till after s o'clock.
Thus it will be seen that Mercury is in con-
junction with four planets in one month, pass
ing in turn Saturn, Neptune, Jupiter and We
nus. The most favorable time in all the year
for seeing Mercury as evening star with the un-
aided eye commences about the middle of the
month and continues through the first part of
June. Any painstaking observer will be sure
to find him east of the sun, and about three de-
grees north of the sunset point, while Jupiter
on the 18th and Venus on the 3Oth, will point
out his position without fail. Mercury now
rises about o'clock in the morning; at the
close of the month he sets at about quarter past
o'clock in the evening.
Saturn is evening star until the 9th, when
he reaches an important time-mark in his
course, and is the first of the five planets trav-
cling on the same road to reach the goal. On
the 9th, at o'clock in the morning, he is in
conjunction with the sun, rising and setting
with him, and completely hidden from sight in
his bright beams. The earth, the sun and
Saturn are then in straight line, with the
sun in the centre Saturn is at his greatest
distance from the earth, being more than ten
hundred million miles away, instead OF about
eight hundred and thirty million miles, his dis
lance at opposition. At conjunction, Saturn s
distance from the sun and the earth's distance
from the sun must be added to get his distance
from us, the planets being on the opposite
sides of the sun. At opposition the same num-
bers must be subtracted, the planets being on
the same side of the sun. 1t these aspects OF
the outer planets are understood, 1t is easy to
follow their movements. Conjunction finishes
Saturn's course as evening star. He then
masses to the western side of the sun, becomes
morning star. and month hence will emerge
from his temporary eclipse in the suns rays
and may be seen shining family in the east Q
short time before sunrise. He will rise earlier
and grow brighter as he recedes from the sun
and approaches the earth, until in the Summer
months he will appear before the dawn. Every
one should follow his course, as he will present
a noteworthy aspect far careful study, while ne
travels from conjunction to opposition. His
approaching perihelion, his widely opening
rings. and his great northern declination will
make him appear larger and brighter than he
has done for nearly thirty years. Some OF the
new telescopes that will shortly be in working
| order may gain renown by making discoveries
in the Saturnian system, for something new is
always illustrating the capabilities OF the most
hopeful of all the sciences.
An interesting planetary event of the month
is that Saturn and Neptune reach conjunction
on the same day. the former at o'clock in the
morning and the latter at six O'Clock in the af-
ternoon. If, therefore, straight line should
be drawn from the earth through the sun and
Saturn, it would, if extended, pass near the
huge planet that travels farthest from the SUM-
Another event, in which the same planets
are actors occurs at o'clock on the morning
of the 18th. Saturn and Neptune are then in
close conjunction, Saturn being twenty-five
minutes south. Neptune for months has been
slowly gaining upon Saturn's tracks, and has
at last oyertaken him. After the conjunction,
he will take the precedence and be the first of
the morning stars to make his advent in the
eastern sky. But as he is never visible to the
naked eye and only worth looking at in tho tel
Escape when near opposition, observers must be
| content with knowing that though unseen he is
surely pursuing his slow course among the
stars, and that his path is as plainly marked
out as if he were the brightest star in the heav-
ems. Saturn sets on the first OF the month
few minutes after o'clock in the evening; at
the end of the month he rises not Tar from
half-past o'clock in the morning.
Neptune is evening star until the 9th, and
then morning star for the rest of the month.
He is in conjunction with the sun at 3 O'CLOCK
on the afternoon of the 9th, when in his turn
| he comes into line with the sun and the earth,
| the sun being in the centre: His distance then
| from us is more than twenty-eight hundred
| million miles, figures that our finite powers
can form little conception Of. It is more than
| probable that other planets will DO found far
| ther off than this distant member of the sys-
| tenn. Indeed, there are observers who have
| mapped out the portion OF the SKY where tnese
| wanderers may be looked for, and who devote
| themselves to the search for ultrarNeptunlan
| planets The movements of Saturn and Nep-
tune are SO closely associated during the month.
that the history of the one includes that OF the
| other. They travel almost side by side as they
| arrive at conjunction with the sun on the same
| day: come into conjunction with each other a
few days later; and then change places on the
| celestial track, Neptune preceding and saturn
| following. Neptune sets on the LIST OF the
month about quarter after O'Clock Ia the
evening; at the end OF the month ne rises
| about half-past o'clock in the morning.
| Jupiter is evening star until the 30th, when
| at o'clock in the m rniDg he takes his turn
| in coming into conjunction with the sun. y u
piter, the sun and the earth are then IN q
straight line with the sun in the centre, the
| huge planet being about five hundred ana
| ninety million miles from the earth. lie VIII
/ continue to be visible about half OF the month !,
after which his lesser beams will be eclipseo
| by tie more powerful suns He is SO iar away
that his moons cannot be seen during May anu