The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-04-05
WEDNESDAY MORNING, APRIL 5.

the morning; at the end of the month, at
quarter before one o'clock
Uranus is evening star, and the fifth and last
on the list of planets moving towards con1unc-
ton. He still retains his interest for observers
as an object of telescope and naked eye re-
search, for he has just passed perihelion, and
has not yet advanced very far from opposition'
Those observers who have access to star maps
or charts can mark his position, and then hnd
the corresponding place among the stars IL Is
/; necessary to know the right ascension and dec
lination to find his place the map, for these,
in matters celestial, are as important as latl-
tude and longitude in matters terrestrial. On
the east his right ascension is llh. I'M,
and his declination 60 ~ north. de
will be found as a little star of the sixth
magnitude in the constellation Lao, west of
Regulus and about the same distance southeast
of Denebola, the two brightest stars of the con-
stellation. A telescope will quickly prove his
existence to the observer, for he Immediately
develops disc of delicate sea-green tint, and
is beautiful object when thus brought to
view. His position changes slightly during the
month. Uranus sets now few minutes be-
fore O'Clock in the morning; at the end of the
month he setsabout 3 o'clock.
Mercury is morning star, and worthy of no.
tice for little else except the fact that he is the
sole representative of the solar family in the
morning sky, for he is too near to be visible
during the month, excepting, perhaps, on the
first few days. He, like Venus, is an inferior
or inner planet, and his chief aspects are supe-
rior and inferior conjunction, and eastern and
western elongstion. His synodic period is one
hundred and fifteen days, and in this short time
he passes through his many phases He is NOV
ing from his western elongation to his superior
conjunction, when he will pass to the eastern
side of the sun, and become evening star. He
rises now about O'Clock; at the end of the
month he rises nearly at the same time.
Venus is evening star, and though we place
her last on the list, she far transcendS in pres
ent importance every member OF the planetary
family. The other planets are all travelling
from the earth and clustering near the sun,
while she alone is emerging from his rays and
approaching the earth at pace that will soon
make her the most beautiful star in the heav-
ems. She is moving or oscillating IN straight
line eastward from the sun, which she will
continue to do until she reaches her greatest
eastern elongation in September. Any observ.
or can verify her course. She is now small
brilliant star, to be looked for soon after sun
set, and about four and a half degrees north OF
the sunset point, and an hour or fifteen degrees
east of the sun. Every evening she will be
seen little longer above the horizon, and a
little farther eastward of the sun. She COM
mences this month succession of coDjunctions
with the other planets, which will eharmingly
diversity her progress, for as she is moving
eastward and five other planets are moving
westward, she must pass near them on her
path. On the 10Th she is in conjunction with
Saturn and on the 21st with Neptune. We
have already called attention to these conjunc
tons. Venus sets now a few minutes after
o'clock; at the close of the month she sets about
q quarter after o'clock.
The April moon fulls on the 4th. She holds
the most honorable position on the yearly list,
being the first full moon that occurs after the
vernsl equinox, and thus determining the time
when Easter Sunday shall fall, and ruling con-
sequently the movable fasts and feasts of the
church. The new moon of the 18th commences
her course with brilliant record. On the 18th,
one day after her change she is in conjunction
with three planets, Venus, Saturn and Nep-
tune, on the same evening. 1t is difficult tc
see SO young moon, for the crescent ie but q
slender thread. But it is possible; if the even
ing be exceptionally clear the crescent will be
found about two degrees north of Venus, and
three and half degrees north of Saturn. The
most beautiful exhibition of the month, and
one that will be plaiuly visible, will occur on
the 18th, when the two-days old crescent will
degree north OF him. Moon and planet will
be above the horizon till after 9 o'clock, and
the celestial picture will be fair to see.
A season of planetary activity after long
lull is commencing. Ccnjunctions of planets
with each other, with the sun and with the
moon, will now be frequent on the dial plate
that marks the restless movements of the sun
and his family of worlds. The moon ranks
first among the actors on the April sky, for
she pays her respects to three planets, Venus,
Saturn and Neptune, on the same evening,
and will charm every beholder as she hangs
her bright crescent near the brighter Jupiter
on another occasion. Venus commences her
charming role by passing near Saturn and
Neptune. Saturn, Neptune and Jupiter clus7
ter closely near the sun, and six planets play
the role of evening stars But the noteworthy
feature OF the month is the grand combination
of planets in the sign Taurus, for Jupiter, Sat-
urn, Neptune, Venus and the moon are all
found there together during portion of the
month. The meeting of SO many celestial dig
nitares foreshadows events of unusual inter-
est, and students of the heavens will not lack
employment il they follow the track of these
wanderers among the stars