Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-01-04
Planets i'm January.

From the Providence Journal
Mars is evening star and wins the place of
honor during the present month as well as the
month that has just passed. His opposition
with the sun occurred on the Goth of December,
and he is therefore within few days of his
brightest phase. Throughout the nlonth.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 observer 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 i'm size star of the first magni-
tude. yielding the palm to only one star in the
sky. and that the lordly Jupiter. 1t is well also
to note his great northern declination, and his
change opposition in regard to the twin stars
Castor and Pollux. as we'll as the ma
iestic grace with which he rises towards
the zenith. following in the track of his
brother planets. and reaching the meridian as
they descend in their western course Heis also
In favorable position for telescope study, and
observers who are privileged to behold his face
in telescope will have something to remember
for long time We had charming view OF
our nearest neighb0r through the Telescope in
Mr.. Seagrave's observatory the night preceding
opposition. A full moon rising through ruddy
haze, nearly as large as our moon to the naked
T..
brother, as he almost filled the field of vision.
and gave forth brilliant light. painful TO the
eye The bright portions Of his beamng face
were OF deep orange hue. covered in some
parts by network of dark lines, varying great
ly in tone and delicate as cobweb Around the
northern pole was circle of glaring white. the
orange, the white and the dark brown and
gray fnts forming striking contrast and
presenting the celestial coloring inimitable
Dy earthly tints. Such is the appearance of
the req planet Mars as seen in the telescope,
at even the present unfavorabe opposition,
and astronomers have discovered key to these
strange markings Eagie-eyed observers see in
the bright orange portions of the Marian disc.
continents and islands, in the neutral tints,
oceans and rivers and in the white polar cans
zones OF ice aud snow like those on our own
globe. The explanation u.s. however not en-
treiy accepted by the most cautious students
and. like many other astronomical theories,
waits for confirmation. Mars makes far less
distinguished appearance in the telescope than
Jupiter and Saturn, but we see him on a much
larger scale, and obtain much better view of
him than OF any object in the heavens excepting
the moon. This small planet, only twice as large
rs the moon and half as large as the earth, is
very interesting neighbor especially when the
earth overtakes him. once in a little more than
two years, and he turns towards us his broad
round face. illumining the sky from sunset to
sunrise. If the ancient astrolOgers had seen
Mars as the telescope reveals him, they would
aspect at opposition. 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
one feature of special interest, He reaches his
gUadraturc with the sun ut o'clock on the
afternoon of the, 25th. This is the half way
house in the progress from opposition to con-
junction, being ninety degrees from each. He
then makes his transit at O'Clock in the even
ing. rising about nOOn-day and setting about
midnight. The telescope Saturn is still lovely to
behold Even this bright moonlight has no
power to lessen the beauty of this picture as
Graded i'll his rings and surrounded by his
moons. this magnificent planet illustrates the
exquisite handiwOrk that fashions the worlds
which people space. Saturn is the first Of the
planetary quartette travelling towards conjunc-
ton to reach the midway point. and after quad
nature, he will be seen in the western
sky during 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.
Neptune is evening star and follows closely
in the track OF Saturn. He is invisible to the
naked eye, and dull and l-defined in the teIe-
scope But what can we on this little earth eX-
pect 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. 1t is a triumph of human skill that the
position OF this far-away planet is SO accurately
its place in the Ephemcris. point his telescope
to the spot ia the heavens Indicated when as
if by magic spell. Neptune's pale disc starts
into being from the measureless depths. Nep-
tune sets now little before 3 o'clock in the
morning; at the end of the month, about ]
O'Clock.
Jupiter is evening star. following closely after
Neptune on the celestial track, reaching the
meridian about ten minutes after O'Clock in
the evening. nine minutes later than Neptune
harn iS nntn fh,iY Il
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 diminishing. but the
change is SO gradual as to be scarcely percerti-
Bile. He still retains his proud eminence as
leader of the starry host the most brilliant star
in the heavens. and will continue during the
month to attract attention from every observer
of the heavenly hosts that glitter and twinkle
on the azure canopy of night Jupiter now sets
few minutes after o'clock in the morning; at
the end OF the month. not long after o'clock
Mercury is morning star until the 9th. when
he comes into superior conjunction with the
sum- and plays the role OF evening star for the
rest of the month. His movements are of tie
Importance on the monthly record Mercury
now rises about half past clock in the morn
ing: at the end of the month he sets about half
past o'clock in the evening.
Venus is morning star. and so nearly approach
ing the sun that she is almost hidden i'm his all
from Us her beanng presence. but it is only for
season, for when she energies from her seclu-
sion, she will become an object of intense inter-
est all over the civilized globe. Her path this
month is ilneyentfu She rises now few min
utes before Z O'Clock. about half hour before
the sun: at the end of the month she rises q
few minutes after o'clock, and only few min
utes before the sun.
Uranus is morning star, and approaching Wis
Utility 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 minutes after
8 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 of the 10Th
is in conjunction with Mercury on the Goth. and
pays her respects to Saturn, Neptune and
Jupiter On the Goth. passing nearest to Jupiter
and nearly three degrees north.
1t is not a field day among the planets on the
January record. Saturn, Jupiter and Mars. are
alone visible but they are in superb position for
observation as they pursue the even tenor of
thelr way among the most beautiful stars and
considerations that ever adOrn the heavens,
The january sky on moonless nights will pre-
sent studies Of SURPRISING loyeliness The jan
uary MOON in full Orbed splendor. when she
runs high in the heavens, may be pardoned
for UuttiD0 out the stars as She nonrs forth .bar