Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-10-04
SWEEPING THE HEAVENS.
IT, fiasess IN Observation-Disclosures Mer.
ssry, Jupiter, ssd venas-rhe san and
fprcyldcnce Journal

Providence JournslI
MERvpY "a morning. star throughou
che month, and wins high standing on IL
records. For In It's course he will b.
visible 10 The naked eye rs morning sta
fer the last time during the year. II,
reaches his greatest western eiongation
or most distant point from the sun. OF
the 9Th. at 8 O'Clock ia the morning. beins
then lie So west OF the sun. Sharp
sighted observers may succeed In picking
him up at e'ongation, and for week be
fore and after the event. Star.gazer.
should try 10 get q sight Of this swift.
moving planet. so utterly unlike the other
planets. and so brilliantly beautiful; for
they behold an orb where the sun appear,
seven times ~ large as he does TO terres-
trial view, and where the heat Is seven
times a. great as that received on this
more distant planet. He must be looked
fer an hour before sunrise. 50 north OF the
sunrise point and about zoe southeast OF
Jupiter and Venus. lie rises &C el0nga,ion
about an hour and halt before the sun.
On the oh, at 5 O'Clock in the morning,
Mercury is In conjunction with Uranus,
the latest conner among the morning stars.
seeming to pass 10 i0 north OF his distant
uoiehbor. Fittings are not what they
SEEM" for though the two planets are side
by side as we see them, they are in reality
separated by an intervening space OF nearly
1850 million miles.
The right ascension Of Mercury on the
let u ilh. 33m.. bis deciinatlon is % So
north, and his diameter is ~.
Mercury rises on the lat At hali-past 4
O'Clock in the morning; on the 3lsi he rises
about BALI past 6 o'clock.
JUPITER Is morning star, and is a con.
spicuously brilliant object in the eastern
sky, outranking and outmeasurlng bis fair
rival Venus. The paths OF the two planets
lie near each other during the whole month.
and their approach. meeting and recediag
form one Of the most charming exhibitions
That the planetary brotherhood possess the
power 20 m;rsha on the nightly plain
when the glittering host bestud the sky.
Jupiter now rises about fifteen minutes
after Venus. AS she Is apparently moving
westward end she Is moving eastward, II
IL easily seen that with each success
sivc rising the space between them will
lessen until they meet. This event occurs
on the 9th, at II O'Clock in the morning.
when Jupiter is ~ north of Venus. The
p'anets are invisible az their nearest Doiu; 81
approach, but they will be near enough TO-
gether on the 9th to make fine appearance
on the morning sky. They will rise at
nearly the same time, about O'Clock. will
be the brightest objects in the armament.
and will continue 10 be visible long after
the other stars have faded away in the glow
ing dawn. On the morning OF the 1th they
will presenta new aspect, for they viii then
have changed places. Jupiter being west
instead Of cast Of Venus. The distance
between them will continue 10 increase
y,ta In I'd
course in an opposite direction from the
other. Jupiter is approaching the earth in
his progress towards opposition, growing
all the while larger and brighter, and We
nus is approaching the sun, while receding
from the earth, growing all the while
smaller and less brilliant as she draws
nearer TO superior conjunction. AstrOno.
mers will soon have a rest from the close
observation OF Venus through the tele.
scope, for she will be too far away TO make |
response 10 the closest scrutiny. Distance |
IN her case will not lend enchantment TO |
the view. for II will eGectualiy hide her |
white spots and her delicate markings |
from terrestrial vision.
There Is. however, a compensation for |
those who delight in the study OF this en-
noblng science. When one planet re-
Iires from the field another cones into
As Venus recedes, Jupiter
jraws near, and will soon be in the mos.
favorable condition to reward the tele-
'copists who make q specially OF the
iudy OF the Joyian disc. Drawings OF
be huge planet will he made on every
avorable night, the changes in form and
lue that are constantly taking place in
lis belts will be noted, the ghost OF The
id red spot will be carefully looked for
nd new riffs and spots will be as ardently
MS the discovery Of gold mines
n terrestrial domain; for these are all in
hcaiions. in Joyian language, Of the pro-
ess Of matchmaking which millions OF
ges hence will make the soil OF the prince
I planets blossom rs the rose, and be-
ONE the abode Of animated life. OF one
hing we are sure. that we shall learn all
bat the best instruments Ia the hands Of
PRACTICAL observers can reveal.
When we speak Of conjunctiOns. we !
Dean that two heavenly bodies have the
ame right ascension or longitude. but not
he same decllnatlon or latitude. They will
ben rise together or be on the same mer-
ian. but one NAV be north or south OF the
Their. az in the present case OF the cOniunc- I
on OF Jupiter and Venus, where Jupiter !
10 iJ north OF Venus. Ii right ascen-
on and decllnation are the same, in the
ise OF planets, stars, and the moon,
here will be an occultation. In the
ise OF the sun and moon, the phs- {
Dmenon Is called an eclipse. which is IN
ccutatiOn on larger scale. These varied
pects are all illustrated on the October :
". Within the Limits Of a month there 9
i'll be Two coniunetons Of planets. con- I
motion Of planet and star, the oeculta-
on OF large star by the moon, an eclipse :
the sun, and an eclipse OF the moon.
The right ascension Of Jupiter on the 3lst
! Oh. 5sm., his declinaiion is 100 l3/ north,
nd his diameter Is Sl".
Jupiter rises on the LIST NJ hai-past
clock In the morning; on the 3lst he rises
! few minutes before O'Clock.
VENUS Il morning star. She is still fair J
o see, though her soft light is growing
i'm. Her path during the month lies so
ear that Of Jupiter that the history OF the
ne planet includes that OF the other. We
ave fully described the conjunction OF the
larry king and queen on the 9th. The two
rincipal actors have companion OF lesser
,nown. The first magnitude star Alpha
eonis or RegusJS. Is n near ncighbor
both Venus and Jupiter during !
le first part OF the month. the !
GLOW star contrasting finely in tint :
18th the deep gold OF Jupiterand the softer
ut 81 Venus. The fair planet is in con-
melton with Regulus on the 9Th. at :
clock in the evening. being then So south '
the star. At this time the bright trio J
Ill be almost in line. Jupiter being farthcst |
crih. with Regulus nearly between him 4
nd Venus. 5
The right ascension OF Venus on the LIST !
Oh. iim., her declinatlon Is l2o AG/ north, |
1d her diameter is 2t.6."
Venus rises on the Isl soon after 9 O'Clock
the morning; on the 3lst she rises
Iou, O'Clock. {
SATURN Is morning star, and as he rises |
DIV about hali-past o O'Clock in the eve a
Ing will soon be In convenient position :
r observation. His high northern decl;- O
stion and increasing brightness make him ;
prominent object and one easily recog. U
zed. lie has wandered away from the .
eighborhood OF his last years compln- y
ns Aldebaran and the PIeiades, but has :
DIV established himself about midway be- !
seen two bright twinklers, Capella on the !
prth, and Beteiguese on the south, and is !
repairing for brilliant career during the
infer.
The right ascension OF Saturn on the lst
5h. and 35m., his declination il 2lo 81 /,
orth, and his diameter IL 1T.e". !
Saturn rises on the LIST at half-past
clock IN the evening; on the Slst he rises
half-past o'clock. !
NEPTUNE Is morning star. and is in good '
osition for telescope observation. lie l