The Portland daily press., 1882-01-06
Planets in January.
providence Journal

| tion with the sun occurred on the 26th of De-
cember, and he is therefore within few days
| of his brightest phase. Throughout the month
he will be the most interesting study the starry
| heavens present, and the opportunity for
| watching his movements should be improved,
for his light grows dim more rapidly than that
of Jupiter and Saturn. The naked eye OBJ
server will quickly recognize the planet in the
northeast as soon as the twilight fades, for he
rises now shortly before sunset. His color is
fiery red, and he exceeds in size a star of the
first magnitude, yielding the palm to only one
star in the sky, and that the lordly Jupiter.
1t is well also to note his great northern decli-
nation, and his change of position in regard to
the twin stars Castor and Pollux, as well as
the majestic grace with which he rises towards
the zenith, following in the track of his brother
planets, and reaching the Meridian as they de-
scend in their western course. He is also in
favorable position for telescope study, and OBJ
servers who are privileged to behold his face in
telescope will have something to remember
for long time. We had a charming view of
our nearest neighbor through the telescope in
Mr.. Seagrave's observatory the night preced-
ing opposition. A full moon rising through a
ruddy haze, nearly as large as our moon to the
naked eye, was the aspect taken on by our &C.
lestial brother as be almost filed the field OF
vision, and gave forth brilliant light, painful
to the eye The bright portions OF his beam
some parts by network Of dark lines, vaifsyJ'ttng
greatly in tone and delicate as cobweb.
Around the northern pole was circle Of glar-
ing white the orange, the white and the dark
hron and ipfc f0rnniuo a striking
trast aud presenting the celestial coloriDg in
imitable by earthly tints. Such Is the appear
ance of the red planet Mars as seen in the tele-
scope, at even the present unfavorable opposi-
tion, and astronomers have discovered key to
these strange markings. Eagle-eyed observers
see in the bright orange portions OF the Mar
tian Disc continents and islands; in the neu-
tral tints oceans and rivers; and in the white
polar caps, zones of ice and snow like those on
our own globe. The explanation is, however,
not entirely accepted by the most cautions stu
dents, and like many other astronomical theo-
ries, waits for confirmation. Mars makes far
less distinguished appearace in the telescope
than Jupiter and Saturn, but we see him on
much larger scale, and obtain a much better
view of him than of any object in the heavens
excepting the moon. This small planet, only
twice as large as the moon and half as large as
the earth, is a very interesting neighbor, espec-
tally when the earth overtakes him, once in
little more than two years, when be turns to
wards us his broad, round face, illumining the
sky from sunset to sunrise. If the ancient as
trologers had seen Mars as the telescope re-
veals him, they would have found no 1ll-bod-
ing influence in his smiling aspect at Opposi-
tion. Mars now sets soon after O'Clock in the
morning; at the close of the month he sets
about o'clock.
Saturn is evening star, and develops but ono
feature of special interest. He reaches his
quadrature with the sun at o'clock on the af-
ternoon of the 25th. This is the halfway house
in the progress from opposition 10 conjunction,
being ninety degrees from each. He then
makes his transit at o'clock in the evening,
rising about MONDAY and setting about mid
night. The telescopic Saturn is still lovely to
behold. Even this bright moonlight has no
powerto lessen the beauty of the picture, as
Graded in his rings and surrounded BY his
moons, this magnificent planet illustrates the
exquisite handiwork that fashions the worlds
which people space 3 Saturn is the first of the
planetary quartette travelling toward conjunc'
ton to reach the midway point, and after quad
rature he will be seen in the western sky dur
ing the evening instead OF the eastern, where
he has reigned SO long Saturn sets now few
minutes after o'clock in the morning; at the
end of the month about a quarter OF an hour
after midnight .,... ~ 81 Il, ....-..,.
Neptune IS evening star and follows closely
in the track of Saturn. He is Invisible to the
naked eye, and dull and ill-defined in the tele-
scope. But what can we on this little earth
expect to see on the face of planet travelling
on the systems remotest bounds, at distance
of more than three thousand million miles
from the sun. IL is a triumph of human skill
that the position of this far-away planet is 50
accurately determined that the astronomer has
| only to find It's place in the Ephemeris, point
his telescope to the spot in the heavens indi-
Gated when, as if by magic spell, Neptune's
pale disc starts into being from the measure
less depths. Neptune sets now little before
three o'clock in the morning; at the end OF the
month, about one o'clock. nmM s.ffr
Jupiter is evening star, following closely
after Neptune on the celestial track. reaching
the meridian about ten minutes after eight
o'clock in the evening, nine minutes later than
Neptune. There is nothing noteworthy in his
movement during January. He pursues his
wandering path among the stars, approaching
the sun. and increasing his distance from the
earth. His brilliant lustre is slowly diminish-
ing, but the change is so gradual as to be
scarcely perceptible. He still retains his proud
eminence as leader of the starry host, the
most brilliant star in the heavens, and willcon-
tinue during the month to attract atteation from
every observer Of the heavenly hosts that glitter
and twinkle on the azure canopy OF night
Jupiter now sets few minutes after three
O'Clock in the morning; at the end OF the
month, not long after one o'clock. aaG aydE
Mercury is morning star until the 9th, when
he comes into superior conjunction with the
sun, and plays the role Of evening star Tor the
rest of the month. His movements areof llt-
tie Importance on the monthly record. Mer-
curry now rises about half past seven O'Clock In
about half past six o'clock in the evening"
Venus is morning star, and so nearly ap-
preaching the sun that she is almost hidden in
his all-powerful rays. The queen OF the stars
turns from us her beaming presence, but it is
only for a season, for when she emerges from
her seclusion she will become an object OF in
tense interest all over the civilized globe.
Her path this month is uneventful. She rises
now few minutes before O'Clock, about
half-hour before the sun; at the end OF the
month she rises few minutes after O'Clock,
and only a few minutes before the sun.
Uranus is morning star, and approaching
visibility as he draws near opposition. he
rises now soon after 10 o'clock in the evening;
at the close of the month he rises few min
utes after o'clock.
The January moon fulls on the 4th. She is
near Mars on the 3D., Uranus on the 9th, and
Venus on the 18th. The new moon
on the 10Th is in conjunction with
Mercury on the Goth, and pays her re-
spects to Saturn, Neptune and Jupiter on the
26th, passing nearest to Jupiter and nearly
three degrees north. FaA3t Htee
1t is not field day among the planets on
the January record Saturn, Jupiter and
Mars are alone visible butlthey are in superb
position for observations as they pursue the
even tenor of their way among the most beau
tiful stars and consultations that ever adorn
the heavens The January sky on moonless
nights viii present studies of SURPRISING loveli-
ness The January moon, in full orbed splen-
dor, when she 'runs high" in the heavens,
may be pardoned for putting out the stars, as
she pours forth her floods of 'silvery light over
the earth, and etches with inimitable skill the
shadoUa that diVerSifV its FROST bound surface.