Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-10-04
The Planets in October.
From the Providence Journal


Mercury is morning star throughout the
month, and viii be visible to the naked eye for
the last time during the year. Sharp-sighted
observers may succeed In picking him out for
week after his greatest western eIongation,
which ceases on TIE 9Th. Star-gazers should
try to get sight of the swift-moring planet. so
utterly unlike the other planets and so bril-
liantly beautiful, for they behold an orb where
the sun appears seven times as large as he does
to terrestrial view and where the heat is seven
times as great as that received on this more dis
tant planet. He must lie looked for an houl before
sunrise 81 north of the sunrise point and about
20O southeast OF Jupiter and Venus On the 9Th,
at 3 o'clock in the morning. he will be seen al
most in conjunction with Uranus though they
will be separated by eighteen hundred million
OF miles.
Jupiter is morning star and is conspicuously
brilliant in the eastern sky. ouiaBking and out
measuring his iair rival Venus. The paths Of
the two planets lie near each other during the
whole month, and their approach. meeting and
receding form one Of the most charming exhbi-
tons that the planetary brotherhood possess the
power TO marshal on the nightly plain when the
glitterlng host bestud the sky. The planets are
invisible at their nearest point of approach, but
they will be near enough together on the 9th 10
make fine appearance on the morning sky.
They will rise at nearly the same time. about 2
O'Clock, will be the brightest objects In the firm
anent, and will continue TO be visible long after
the other stars have raded away in the glowing
dawn. On the morning of the .th.they will pre-
sent new aspect. for they will then have
Changed places, Jupiter being west instead OF
east OF Venus The distance between them will
continue 10 increase as each planet travels in its
appointed 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 Venus is an
preaching the sun, growing all the while smaller
and less brilliant as she draws nearer to supe-
rior conjunction.
AS Venus recedes. Jupiter draws near. and
will soon be in the most favorable condition TO
reward the teleScOpists who make a speciality OF
the study OF the Jovian disc. Drawings OF the
huge planet will be made on every favorable
night, the changes in form and hue that are
constantly taking place in hiss belts will be
noted. the ghost OF the old red spot viii be
carefully looked foT, and new riffs and spots
viii he as 1rdently welcomed as the discovery
OF gold mines on terrestrial domain
Saturn is morning star. and as he rises now
about half past 8 O'clock in the evening. viii
soon be In convenient position for observation
HIS high northern deciination and increasing
brightness make him prominent object and
one easily recognized. He has wandered away
from the neighborhood Of his last years COM
ranions, Aldebaran and the Pleades but has
now established himself about midway between
two bright twinklers. Capella on the north. and
Beteiguese on the south. and is preparing for
Neptune is morning star, and il in good posi-
ton for telescope observation. lie nar be
found IN the constellation Taurus about z deg
south Of the Pleiades. and remains nearly sta
tionary during the month. good instrument
directed to the right point will reveal his pres
ence In Tie form OF small round disc Of a blue
sh tint
Uranus is morning star. He encounters Mer-
cury moving eastward towards the sun They
ale in conjunction on the 9th bat as both plan-
cts are invisible, observers viii not be tie wiser
for the meeting.
Mars is evening star. and enjoys tie distinc-
ton OF being the only planet on the suns east
err side his six companion being con-
gTegated on the suns western side as morning
stars. He may be found in the constellation L.
bra early in the evening, where he shines as a
faint reddish star.
The October moon fulls on the 9Th at 5o'clock
IN the evening, standard time. The moon i i'm
conjunction with Neptune on the 9TH and with
Saturn on the 9th. She makes her nearest ap-
preach to Jupiter on the 18th and to Venus on
the 10Th, when the bright planets and tie wa
ming crescent viii make charming pictures on
the morning sky. On the 10th the moon Is near
Uranus and the 18th near Mercury, the day be-
fore her change. Our fair satellite completes
the circuit 10y paying her respects 10 Mars on
the 2lst. when three DAYS old.
The moon VIII be totally eclipSed on the 4th.
The phenomenon VIII be visible a total eclipse
IN Europe, Asia. Africa, and Atlantic Ocean.
There viii be partial eclipse in this vicinity
The moon will rise ecipsed, and the observation
will end at 6 O'Clock.
The sun will be partially ecpsed on the 18th,
the phenomenon being invisible In the United
States. but visible in Western Europe and Asia.
Observers who wait patiently until the year 1900
viii only have to travel as far south a Virginia
sight ever revealed to mortal vision a total
eclipse Of the sun.