Morning journal and courier., 1882-09-05

same laws prevail in reversed order when she is morning star, for the same reason she can never be seen more than three hours be- fore sunrise. The increased velocity of the planets motion will soon be apparent. While she has been nearly seven months in passing from superior onjunctlon to eastern elongation she will be less than three months in returning from eastern elongation to infe- rior conjunction. This most brilliant portion of her course will form planetary study for the student of the stars, as easily followed as it is interesting, and illustrative of the laws that govern the movements of the inferior planets,
 The work of getting ready for the observa- tion of the transit goes on with increasing order as the time for the occurrence of the phenomenon draws near. At moderate es- timate nearly hundred transit parties have reached their destinations, are on thear way thither, are making ready for distant observ- ing points, or are strengthening their sources for work at homo. American as tronomers are perfecting their plans. The commission having the matter in charge has been obliged to delay action for want of the necessary appropriation. But matters are now in train for action. The stations have been selected and the leaders of the different parties chosen. There will probably be four stations in the southern hemisphere. One is at the Cape of Good Hope, under Professor Newcomb's charge; one at New Zealand, un der Edwin Smith of the coast survey; one at
 
 one in Santa Cruz. Patagonia, under Lieuten- ant Very of the United States navy. The principal observing stations in the northern hemisphere will be Cedar Keys, Florida San Antonio, Texas, and Fort Thorn, New Mexico, under the charge of Professors Hall Hardness and Eastman of the naval observa- tory, and Professor Davidson of the coast survey. The United States will be represent ed by some of her most famous astronomers, who will do valiant work for the cause. Photography is the weapon with which they will make the attack upon the sun and the fairest of his daughters if human skill can be relied upon, the sun himself will be made to record every feature of the transit. The French, who will observe at eight stations in the western world, depend upon contacts as their means of attack as also do the English and Belgians, while the Germans hope to &C., complish successful results by the heliometer. The Germans, thus far, have selected two stations farther north than those of the other foreign nations one at Hartford, Conn.,, and the other at Aiken, s. c. The uncertainty of the weather in the northern temperate zone will prevent it's being largely chosen observing locality; but some stations will be shosen there in order to bring the observers at as widely separated points as possible. It is discouraging to think that at only half of these stations clear weather may be reasona- bly, anticipated, and that this expenditure of time labor and money will be all in vain as regards half of the observers. But the other half may have their labors crowned with brilliant success that will make up for the disappointment and be rewarded by the gratitude of the generations that will tread the earth in the one hundred and twenty two years that will elapse before another transit of Venus recurs in 20O4.
 Venus sets on the 1st few minutes after o'clock in the evening; at the close of the month she sets about half past o'clock. Mercury is evening star, and contributes ko %Ia %Io&x sify the annals of the month. On the 18th, at o'clock in the afternoon, Mercury reach- es his greatest eastern elongation, the day after Venus has touched the same point in her course. He is then 250 54 east of the sun, while Venus is a little less than 460 36'. Although at nearly his maximum distance from the sun, he Is unfavorably situated for obser vations on account of his southern de- clination for the farther north the planets are the better is the opportunity for observ- ing them. It is the last time during the year when there is the least probability or seeing Mercury as evening star. This will be an ex- cellent opportunity for comparing the re- spective limit of the two planets as they travel eastward from the sun. Venus will be recognized by anyone who looks at the west ern sky. Mercury will be found about mid way between Venus and the sun, seven de- grees farther north than Venus He sets on the 2Sth about half-past six o'clock. Venus sets on the same day about half-p seven o'clock
 On the 20th Mercury is in conjunction with the first magnitude star Alpha Virginis or Spica. The point of nearest approach oc- CUTS at II o'clock in the morning, when they are twelve minutes apart, Mercury passing north. On the evenings of the 18th and 2Oth the planet and star will be near, and an opera glass small telescope will bring them into the field, Mercury's position differing little from that marked out for the 2sth. Mercury rests on the 18th, about three quarters of an hour after the The prospect is therefore not very good for get ting sight of him. On the 2lst Mercury is in conjunction with Mars. It Is barely pos sible that bright eyed observers may obtain a view of the conjunction if the sky be excep- tionally clear the evenings of the goth and 2lst Mercury is then ten degrees south of the sun, eight degrees north of Venus, and two and half degrees south of Mars. Besides reaching his eastern elopgation and playing part in two conjunctions he is in his descending node on the 9th, and in aphe- lion on the 18th. Thus it will be seen that the swift winged planet is a busy member of the family during September. Mercury sets now a few minutes after o'clock in the evening at the end of the month he sets at half past six o'clock.
 Mars is evening star and scarcely worth mentioning for any part he plays among his peers. Contented with the laurels won in August when he bore his part in the lovely evening pictures, with which. in conjunction l with Venus, he diversified the sky, he now hastens to retire into temporary eclipse in the suns bright beams. We have already al l luded to his conjunction with Mercury on the 21st Mars now sets about twenty minutes before o'clock in the evening at the end l of the month he sets about half past six l o'clock.
 | Uranus is evening star until the 11th, when, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, he comes into conjunction with the sun He is | the last of the four giant planets to reach l the goal, turning the point when they are far
 on their way to opposition. At conjunction l he Is joined with the sun, rising and setting l with him as completely hidden from human | gaze as he was until 17S1, when Herschel | introduced him to terrestrial observers. Af' | ter the 11th Uranus is morning star, and will hold his place the list until his opposition l Uranus sets on the 1st about z o'clock in the 1 evening on the 3Oth he rises about half fpast four o'clock in the morning.
 THE MOON.
 The September moon fulls on the 27th al
 twenty-six minutes after midnight. It is ths l beautiful harvest moon, and possesses spec1a
 claims to the distinction. For owing to the | position of the ecliptic in regard to tho
 equator at this season, the moon rises fo,
 several consecutive nights with only com
 paratively small interval between the success
 sive risings. The short autumnal days seen
 thus to be prolonged by the floods of silver,
 moonlight GnaG maK6 the ukuG D6Hudlkul ha
 day. The phenomenon is as easily explained
 as the axial rotation of the earth. But il
 the older times, when man was nearer to ma
 ture, the harvest moon was considered di
 rect interposition of Providence to assist thu
 husbandman in gathering i'll the harvest The waning moon is in conjunction witl
 Neptune on the 1st with Saturn on the Sd
 with Jupiter on the 9th, and with Uranus oi the 12th. The new moon of the 18th is il conjunction with Mercury and Mars on tn
 1+th and with Venus on the 16th, passing degree and a half north of her.
 Thus during one short month the observe
 of the planets will find material of unusua interest. Venus and Mercury will reach thei eastern elopgations Mercury will be in clos conjunction with Spioa and make near ap proach to Mars; Jupiter will be in quadrs ture; Venus and the crescent moon will shin
 together in the western sky, and the full har vest moon will be the crowning feature o f the nights of the early autumn. Ever , night the aspect will vary. Never in tn
 n