The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-02-06

the occasion. European astronomers will come
over the sea by the hundreds, and choose the
most eligible localities for utilizing their fine
instruments and finer brains. Intelligent OBJ
servers who are not scientifically trained, and
who care nothing for contacts and mathenati-
cal nceties, will bring into use every accessible
telescope and spyglass. Observers who have
keen eyesight will view the great luminary, de
prived of his glare by smoked glass, and per-
haps discern with the naked eye a tiny black
dot making its slow way over his face. The 9th
of December will find more eyes upturned to
the sun and the little world crossing his do
mains, than were ever gazing upward at any
one time before.
The question naturally arises as to the rea-
son why we do not have a transit at every in-
ferior conjunction. 1t is because the orbit or
path of Venus round the sun is inclined to the
suns path or eclptic, and unless she is at or
near one of her nodes or crossing points, she
passes above or below the sun, and we do not
see the passages. The transit at the descending
node occur in December; those at the ascend
ing node in June. The intervals between two
transts at the same node are eight and two
hundred and thirty-fve years. Thus the tran
scending node. After the coming one has
passed, there will not be another at the same
node until the year 2l17. The last transit at
the ascending node occurred in June, l769i the
next one at the same node will occur in 2OO4.
The principal reason SO much Importance
is attached to the transit of Venus Is that it af-
fords one of the best means for determining
the suns distance from the earth. 1t Is sup
posed that a mistake of three million miles was
made in former estimates, and even now there
is a probable error of one or two hundred thou
sand miles. 1t is hoped that the observations
at the coming transit will set the question at
rest, and give an accurate measuring unit for
use in celestial mathematics. The superior adj
vantages of the coming transit over the one OF
1874 are that 1t is visible on our side OF the
world, and that all former observations and ex-
perience can be utilized for present use. Those,
therefore, who would be prepared to intelli-
gently enjoy the grand phenomena which will
immcrtelize the annals of the closing year
should begin to study the laws that regulate
the movements Of the most beautiful member
of the family Of planets, and follow her course
from the time she emerges from her present se-
clusion in the suns rays to the elimination of
her course as evening star, jim the rare phenom-
enon of the transit.
Venus now is too near the sun to be visible,
though at superior conjunction her whole en-
lightened face is turned towards US. But she IS
then about one hundred and sixty million
miles away, and does not look nearly so bril-
liant as when, at inferior conjunction, she is
only twenty-five millions miles distant. She
now rises few minutes after O'Clock; at the
end of the month she sets few minutes before
o'clock.
Mercury is evening star until the ed, when
he comes into inferior conjunction with the sun
and isimornin. s.tar for the rest of the month.
He reaches his greatest eastern olongation on
the 9Th, when he is in one of the three most
favorable positions of the year for being seen in
the west soon after sunset as evening star. On
the 9th, and for few evenings before and af-
kar hav he md xuh
tionally clear. At that part of the month he is
above the horizon an hour and half after
sunset. The best time for observation is three
quarters of an hour after sunset. He must be
looked for about seven degrees north OF the
sunset point, and his beautiful appearance will
reward the effort required to find him. On
the 21st, an interesting conjunction takes place
between Mercury and Venus, the former being
within day of his inferior conjunction, and
the latter having passed her superior con1unc-
tion the day before. Though Venus Is at her
most distant point, and Mercury at his nearest
point, they seem to be not far apart in the sky,
as we look at them from the moving observa-
tory, the earth. Both planets are, however,
too near the sun, to allow the conjunction to
be seen. Mercury sets now about halfpast 6
o'clock, an hour and quarter after the sun,
long enough to become visible to keen-eyed
observers, who should now begin the search
for the swift-footed planet. At the end Of the
month, he rises few minutes before o'clock
in the morning.
Saturn is evening star, and may be num-
bered among the blessings that brighten as
they take their fight For when midnight
comes, he disappears below the horizon, and
when the month closes he is missing among
the stars nearly two hours earlier. There is
nothing noteworthy in his movements during
the month. He still retains his position as
leader Of the four planets that are travelling
towards conjunction with the sun, and he will
be the first to reach the goal. Saturn sets
now few minutes after midnight; at the end
of the month he sets about half-past 10 o'clock
in the evening.
Neptune is evening star, and follows Sat
urn's lead, making his transit or passing the
miridian a half-hour later. He comes into
quadrature with the sun at o'clock vn the af-
ternoon of the I'd, being then ninety degrees
from the sun, and half way between opposition
and conjunction. He therefore rises about
midday, comes to the miridian about O'Clock,
and sets about midnight, being eight days be-
hind Saturn in reaching this point OF his
course Neptune sets now not far from
o'clock in the morning; at the end OF the
month he sets few minutes after IL O'Clock In
the evening
Jupiter is evening star, and still keeps
close to Neptune in his course, reaching the
meridian now at eleven minutes after D O'Clock
in the evening, only twelve minutes behind
his brother planet. Jupiter reaches his quad
rature at / o'clock ON the morning OF the 9th.
On the evening of that day, at 3 O'Clock, the
prince of planets may be seen shining sereney
from his proud position on the meridian, the
leader of the starry host, the peerless star
among the giitterlng ranks, while ruddy Mars
in the northeast, and glowing Sirius in the
southeast almost dispute his preeminence
Jupiter sets now at few minutes after
O'Clock in the morning; at the end OF the
month he sets not far from half-past IL o'clock
in the evening.
Mars is evening star, and beautiful to see as
with ruddy hue he tracks his wandering way
among the stars. He is travelling away from
the earth, and there is already percepuble
diminution in his brightness. His disc now
measures but thirteen seconds OF degree In
diameter, while at opposition in December 1t
measured nearly seventeen seconds. Mars at
his recent opposition was not OF much account,
as far as astronomical research was concerned
His moons were seen in some of the large tele-
scopes, but nothing new was added to our
knowledge of the Martian globe. We must
wait till 1892 for an opposition under the most
favorable conditions. Meantime, Mars pur-
sues his way toward conjunction, tagging be-
hind his three brother planets, but like them
obeying the laws that rule their movements,
each and all fulfilling their parts in producing
the heavenly harmony that binds together the
sun and his family of worlds. Mars now sets
about quarter before O'Clock in the morn
ing; at the close of the month he sets about
o'clock.
Uranus is morning star, the sole planet en-
loving the distinction throughout the month.
He rises now few minutes after o'clock in
the evening; at the end of the month he rises
soon after o'clock.
The February moon fulls on the Sd. The
new moon of the 18th is in conjunction with
Mercury on the 18th, with Saturn on the I'D,
with Neptune and Jupiter on the 23d and with
Mars on the Goth. The moon does not pass
very near any of the planets She comes near
est to Jupiter about 10 o'clock on the evening
of the 23d, passing little more than two de-
grees north of him.
Thus the shortest month of the year intro
duces the most important actor in the starry
hat q Vgnu9 at
superior conjunction will pass from the west
ern to the eastern side Of the sun and COM
mence the brilliant course as evening star that
will close with the grand act of the transit.
Mercury will be seen between the LIST and the
10th in the evening twilight, q white star with
rosy tint, resembling Sirius, though smaller
and less brilliant, and the only twinkler among
the planets. Mercury and Venus will seem TO
be close together, though in reality Venus has
just made her appearance on the eastern side
of the sun, having passed outside Of him, and
Mercury is just ready to pass to the west OF the
sun on his inner side. Neptune and Jupiter