Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1883-12-06

In the above cut II E represents the
orbit of the Earth around the Sun, which Is
some 1876, 900, 900 miles in diameter; the dotted
line represents the path Of the comet, which
is long ellipse Of which is part Of the
major axis, (the entire length of this axis ia
over 5000, 900, 900 miles); is the line Of the
nodes lying in the plane of the ecliptic n,
descending node through which the Earth
passes on January 10th p, perihelion or
nearest point Of approach of the comet to
the Sun about 72,00O 600 miles) on January
25th Q, place of the Earth about September
Gath, moving towards at the rate Of some
thing over 100000 miles per day; b, Earths
place about November goth; F, Earth's place
about January 6th;D, comets place about the
same time, though the Earth and comet will not
be 80 near each other as they appear, because
the orbit OF the comet is inclined at an angle
of about TAO to the Earth's orbit. At its
nearest approach the comet will be some
SO, 600, 600 miles from US.
The time given for the phenomena below is
corrected to the standard Of the 18th meridian,
the railroad time Of the Atlantic belt.
The Moon was new at l. "a p. m. yesterday;
first quarter, December 7th, 6 Al q. H.; full
Moon, December 18th, 1928 p. M. last
quarter, December Dist, 3.08 a. m.; new
Moon, December Goth, y a. m. There are no
important occultations OF fixed stars during
December.
ht q " DioCh Ou thS efoulDR u DtCSulDtT
18th, the Moon passes within 55 minutes of
the planet Saturn, the closest approach for a
long time to come. This conjunction will be
well worth looking at and can be watched by
the unaided eye. There are no other planetary
conjunctions during December worthy of
note.
Mercury il an evening planet now, but
| invisible during December.
Venus has now fallen u hours behind the
| Sun and will set hour and 40 minutes be-
| hind him at the end OF the year She would
be easily visible now, but for her tremendous
| southern declination. She reaches her
| southernmost point on the 9Th and then
| swings into her path toward elongation
which she will reach on May I'd.
Mars is now approaching near enough to
| be worth looking at, and will grow steadily
IN interest up to opposition, which he reaches
on the early morning of February LIST. His
diameter, which is now 10 seconds increases
to ID seconds by the end OF December, and
will be Is seconds at opposition, when Mars
Will be more fayorably situated for obserya-
ton than for two years to come. A fair
telescope will even now show the snow CAPS
at the poles of the planet, and faint traces Of
the more prominent markings. Mars rises
now about 10 p. NJ; at the close. Of the
month he will rise two hours earlier
Jupiter rises now shortly after o'clock
at the close OF the month he will rise about
6;45 p. m. During December and January
| this brilliant planet will be at its best Its
polar or shortest diameter ia now 40 seconds
1t will increase to "A seconds by the middle
OF January. Jupiter is now apparently NOV
ing backward, very slowly, in the constella.
Cancer. The visible transits of his satellites
are as follows;
Satellite (the nearest to the plsneD;
December 9TH. l.36 a. M; December 18th.
. ~ a. M; December 14th, 9.49 D, m,
December 2lst, IL "a p. M; December 29th.
Lis a. M; December 3Oth, Z 46 p. m.
Satellite II December oath, $40 p. M;
January LIST, 0.04 g. m.
Satellite III December 4th, l.39 a. m.
Satellite "; December 3d. 1922 p, m.
During the night of the Sd, two satellites
on and IV) will be transitng the planet
together. During the night OF the 2sth,
satellites.lll and w. will be ocouted while
satellite |. il in transit and Jupiter will seem
through small telescope to be attended only
by satellite H.
Saturn is now at his best his diameter
slowly diminishing during December. He il
now very close to Epsilon Tauri. the upper
star IN the OF the Hyades during Decem.
Der he will move slowly along the upper arm
OF the V for about half its length. His ringt
are so widely opened now that the outside
ring extends beyond the southern pole of the
planet.
Uranus rises now about LIS a. M. at the
close OF the month he will rise at H. is d. m
lie Is moving very slowly along the stars il
the neck of Virgo.
Neptune il very favorably situated for OBJ
aeryation, but is only interesting in first elias,
telescopes. In an ordinary instrument ht
presents small. ill-detined greenish disc.
On December Dist, at 10 p. m., the Sur
enters the sign Capricornus. This marks tn,
beginning OF winter. Owing to the procession
OF the equinoxes the signs and constellation,
no longer coincide, and, although the Sur
enters the sign Capricornus on that date, his
real place in the heavens will be among the
small stars in the bow of Ssglttarius.