Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1883-10-04

be seen that five stars above the comets |
track form v opening towards the east.
These stars are In the head OF the Dragon,
and may be easily identified in the sky. The |
two brightest OF them are known as Etanin |
and Rastaben. Etanin is about 15o north |
west Of Vega. Vega il almost directly over
head at o'clock in the evening, and may be |
recognized both by its being the brightest OF |
the stars now visible, and by its forming a |
triangle with two small stars close to it Oh |
the east and south. The bright star near |
the starting point of the comets track is Eta I
Draconis; it is the central one of three in |
line, the one above it being Zeta and
that below it Theta.
Another attraction which October has in
store is a partial eclipse OF the moon, begin
ming shortly before midnight on the 18th, and
reaching its hight two hours later, when the
dark shadow will extend little more than
one-fourth across the moon. There will also
be two new moons during the month, the
first occurring 50 minutes after midnight on
the morning Of October lst and the second
at 6.54 p. m. of the 30th. The moon enters
first quarter on the morning of the 9th, is full
on the morning of the 10th, and reaches last
quarter on the evening of the 22d.
On October 30th there will be an annulaI
eclipse OF the Sun, which unfortunately will
not be visible in this longitude. The path of
the eclipse crosses the northern Pacific. The
only countries in which the eclipse may be
seen are Oorea and Japan. In an annular
eclipse the Moon is too far from us to
entirely obscure the Sun. Hence, in the
middle Of the eclipse, the outer edge Of the
Sun forms ring Of light around the dark
body of the Moon. Though a very interest
ing phenomenon an annular eclipse possesses
| no scientific Importance AZ compared with
total eclipse and therefore no astronomical
parties have been sent out to observe 1t.
| The visible OSCILLATIONS of stars by the
Moon during October are as follows Sc
| Virgins, October I'd, p. M, visibility
doubtfulD; M Scorpii, October 9th, 5.42 pm.
Kappa Aquarii, October 18th, 2.4S g. M.
Delta Tauri, October 18th, 9.16 p. M; l19
Tauri, October 10th, 11.30 p. M. 100 Tauri,
october 10th, 1890 a. m; 1877 Tauri, October
10th, $40 g. M; 20 Geminorum, October 20th,
l1.54 p. M; 26 Geminorum, October 2lst, 5.2J
a. M; 6S Geminorum, October 22d, ais am.
l6 sextantis, October 25th, 9.,4 a. III THESE
stars range from the s to 81 magnitude, ex
cept M Scorpi, whichHis composed Of two
stars, of the and msgnitudes respectively
and 40 seconds apart. Each of these star
may be subdivided by good. telescopes int
| On hat
Is really quadruple star. Its oocultatiol
promises to be rs interesting as that of Alph'
Libra, which occurred on September 9th
The southern limb of the young moon vii
pass 30 nearly in line with the stars posi-
ton that it is q little.uncertain whether tn
latter, or any OF its coinponents, will b.
actually hidden for few moments or merel
, grazed by the lower dark edg
OF the moon, and it is possible tina
such phenomenon az J. A. Brashear o
Pittsburg described in recent letter to tn
writer may be witnessed; an occultation i
which star disappeared and reappeared tw
or three times in quick succession. phenon
enon caused by mountain peaks on the edg
of the moon momentarily hiding it fror
sight. good spyglass, steadily mounted
may show this occultation.
All the outer planets, Neptune, Saturn
Mara, Jupiter and Uranus, are now on tn
i morning side OF the Sun, rising in the ordt
0 named.
d Neptune rises now about 8 p. NJ; at tn
Il close Of October he will rise few minut,
before 6. He lis about 15o south Of IL
Pleiades and rises 10 minutes before them. !
9.45 on the evening of the 18th he will be
Ii close conjunction with the moon. passing on
minutes-one-fourth the moons diameter
10 to the south, but it will take pretty goc
Is telescope to show the conjunction.
l. Saturn rises now about 8 p. M. at the clio
70 Of October he will rise before T. He is fe
u degrees to the northward OF the rudy Aid
to baran and presents to the naked eye pref
o. contrast with that star At AIT Of the 80
W he will be in conjunction with and ~ to Il
10 north Of the Moon. His widely openil
rings and attendant satellites make him Of
or of the most interesting objects Of the a
t. when viewed through the telescope.
al Mars rises now at midnight at the close
8, October he will rise at Ills. He plays an i
ID teresting role during the month. He is ne
u e. to the westward Of Jupiter and gainil
10 upon that planet, SO that at l p. m, Of t
10 18th he catches up with Jupiter and the t'
IS planets are then only Il apart. This d
e. lance will not be materially altered when til
p rise on the evening Of that day. Continui
Ill his course Mars passes the Moon, at neal
us Y distance, on the 22d and on the Gath pasi
ld right into that cluster of little stS
lg ini the constellation Cancer, known
rs Pr;esepe or "the manger." This cluster loo
like dim nebala to the unaided eye. II
rs, situated between two conspicuous stars cal
'st the Northern and Southern ASSET. The VIC
le- ASSET means "asses" and Presepe is
ce continuance which the fanciful ancients "
o. named these stars fixed up for the accomo,
1T ton OF the two long cared beasts whom Il
ell. honored with place in the skies. Two no
on after midnight OF October 3lst Mars COL
W. into quadrature with the Sun. He is
ar preaching us at a rate which will make
to quite brilliant object during the win
zee months.
DO Jupiter, peerless now among planets
at brilliancy, rises on the LIST half an hour al
Ter midnight; at the close OF the month he
DIS rise at 1890 p. m. He reaches quadrat
its with the Sun on the 9th, four days ahead
as Mars, although the latter has then pas
Iys Jupiter on the starry track. At 4 a. m. Of
,es 23d, Jupiter will be in conjuncti on with
lry 5S4o distant from the Moon.
IRE Uranus rises now at a. m.; on the {
he will rise at a. m. Since he passed fl
'od our view last spring he has moved eastw
red from the hind leg of the Lion into the h
ing OF the Virgin, and is now approaching
ut second brightest star of that oonstellat
(Beta Virgins or Zaviiava) no closely that
4 the early morning OF the 18th the star
* planet will be only five minutes apart
,kt the pair will rise about 4 a. NJ, thus CONT
fEi ton will he easily visible in the telescope
n good spy-glass.
Y azNlercury ID now evening star, but passes
Il ferior conjunction with the Sun on the
and becomes morning star. He reaches
"A greatest western elongation on the morl
ss3 OF the 22d and would then be easily Wis
ssssG to the naked eye but for his Tow south
declination. On the Goth he will be i
en- more than one degree south OF the
gees Gamma Virgins.
and Vepus is an evening planet no,y but has
The yet fallen far enough behind the Sun to b
NIX much Importance. She will ado IN the nj,
lere OF the winter months, however. in all
1rp | u1ory