Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-01-03


Venus is morning star throughout the month.
sition she occupied at the time of the transit,
she is still the fairest and brightest of the starry
throng that makes the morning sky tremulous
with brightness. Nothing in the line of starry
glory can be more lovely than her appearance in
the eastern morning sky. while the interest in
her present movement is greatly enhanced to
those who witnessed the transit. They actually
saw with their own eyes the passage of the
planet from the suns east ern to his western side
the transition from evening to morning sta
The Hesperus and Lucifer of the ancient astron-
OmeTs were seen to be but one and the same star.
Venus makes suberb appearance now in the
eastern sky in the morning. Every lover of the
stars who behOlds her beaming lace about the
9th of the month will be fully repaid for the
trouble of getting up early, the price demanded
for the exhibition. She then reaches her period
of greatest brilancy on the western side of the
sun. She has two of these periods one thirty
six days before inferior conjunction. when she is
evening star. and the other thirty-six DAYS after
inferior onjunctiOn, when she Is morning star.
In the former case. seen in the telescope she APP
pears as waning crescent like the old moon.
In the latter she appears as a waxing crescent
like the new moon. Venus rises about quarter
before O'Clock in the morning; at the end of
the month she rises few minutes after O'clock
Mars Is morning star. but moves at so slow
Tie account. excepting to keep track of his
course. Mars rises a few minutes after 6 o'clock
in the morning: at the end of the month he rises
not far from half past 6 o'clock.
Uranus is morning star although rising before
midnight. For like all the outer planets he Is
classed as morning star from conjunction to OBJ
position, the path he is now travelling. Uranus
rises about quarter before IL o'clock IN the
evening: at the end of the month he rises about
half-past o'clock.
I'M &c ck, 4
among the gttering throng that adorns Nights
sparkling dIadem. He was nearest. largest and
brightest OH the 18th of December when i'm Op-
position, and since that time has been travelling
away from us and approaching the sun. But
his light has perceptibly paled, and no one can
behold the prince of planets, as he comes glow
ing above the horizon. rises with majestic tread
to the zenith. and descends slowly to the west
without a feeling of intense admiration and a
kind of faternal pride in his appearance For
he is our brother, the shOw-card of our system
the one nearest in size and condition to the
great central luminary which is the source OF
physical existence, the dependence for animate
life of every planet iii the system. The con-
course of stars surrounding Jupiter is also to
be noted. the most superb consultations and
brilliant stars that look down from the sky form
his retinue and grace his court. Jupiter sets
now ut a quarter after O'Clock in the morning:
at the end Of the month he sets a few minutes
after O'clock
H..
ming the second place among the evening stars.
His SOFT and serene light in his present aspect is
specially attractive when compared with the
dull. murky hue that distinguishes him under
less favorable conditions in his journey round
the sun. For this reason, he was considered bv
OminOus of evil to those whose hOr-
oscopes were cast when he was in the ascendant,
and was called il-bOding Saturn. If ancient
could have looked througha modern
telescope. and seen him Graded in his rings.
and surrounded by his moons. they must have
changed their views, and decided that human
beings born when such star reigned in the heav-
ems began life under happy auspices Since Sep
TENDER. Saturn has been retrOgrading or NOV
ing backward. Towards the end of the month,
he will begin to move forward or in direct
course. The planets all seem to move in this
way, sometimes forward or direct, sometimes
retrograde or backward and sometimes they
are stationary. If Saturn's position in regard
to the Peiades be carefully noted. the proof
that he travels in this way will be plain. Sat
urn sets about quarter after o'clock in the
morning; at the end of the month he sets at
twenty-five minutes past o'clock.
Neptune is evening star. and is the first of the
trio to disappear below the western horizon
He still keeps his place near Saturn there being
only ten minutes difference i'm the time of tran
sit. Neptune sets seven minutes after3 O'clock
in the morning; at the end Of the month a few
minutes after o'clock.
Mercury is evening star during the whole
CATION on the 22d at 3 O'clock in the morning,
and is then 49, 80 east OF the SUM- This is one
OF the three occasions when he may be seen
during the year with the naked eye. His south
ern declination at that time is 14o 81, which
will interfere somewhat with his being readily
found On the 22d, at elongation. Mercury sets
about half-Dast 6 o'clock. an hour and a half
after the sun. and may be found by bright-eyed
observers for a week before and after that time.
He must be looked for three quarters of an hour
of In ~
point. Fine views of Mercury are often OBJ
tanned in the winter evening sky. but it must
be exceptionally tree from clouds. or the quest
will De in vain. Mercury sets about quarter
after 5 o'clock; at the end of the month he sets
about quarter after o'clock.
THE MOON.
The January moon fuls on the 23d. at thirty
one minutes after 2 o'clock in the morning
The old moon is in conjunction with Venus on
the 9th, passing about three degrees south.
The new moon of the 9th is near Mercury on the
10th and near Neptune and Saturn on the 18th.
She passes two degrees north of Jupiter on the
10Th and Is at her nearest point to Uranus on the
9th. The moons passage eastward is pleas
antly studied by watching her cOniunctons with
the planets. Their is in perigee, or nearest
to the earth on the 18th. and she runs high
about the 10TH The clOudess winter nights
will then be superb the moon rising high in the
heavens, and being nearest to the earth, near
the full, and near to Jupiter.
January has little planetary excitement to Gre
ate stir upon its records But there are always
incidents enough to reward the research of
those who love to watch the planets as they roll
their ceaseless course around the sun. Mercury
is to be picked up in tie evening sky. Venus is
to be admired as in the morning sky she
heralds the dawn in her brightest phase, or
passes near the star Eta Ophuchi in her course
Jupiter and Saturn present pictures of marvel
lous beauty throughout the month. leading the
brilliant host that makes the January sky the
most charming of the year for it's exhibition of
starlit beauty. These are planetary aspects that
may be enjoyed by every observer of the
heavens. Those who have access to telescopes
will find the opportunity specially favorable for
beholding the gigantic Jupiter with his brilliant
belts, mysterious spots and quartette of shining
moons, and the magnificent Saturn with his
paer BELTS his marvellous rings, and his many
moons.
Uncle Kem"s' Christmas Ounce Song.
II his SOM is SUNG with what Uncle Remus would call
the knee racket" that is to say, it is ''pattng'
song i the reader viii bear in mind that the rhyth
ncal effect IS based t1leon recurring and nvaria-
BILE pausesthere Will lie difficulty in catching the