Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-03-29
TEFE SPRING EXHIBITION.
What the Sky will Disclose in April,


From the Providence Journal
Neptune is evening star. AS all the planets
are evening stars during the entire MONTH we
shall present first the outer planets in the order
OF their nearness to the sun on the 1st of the
month and then the inferior planets in the same
order Neptune enjoys the distinction of lead
ing the outer ncighborhOOd in being nearest to
the sun. He is also the only planet that ia not
visible to the naked eye, during some portion of
the month.
Saturn Is evening star, and contributes q
charming incident to enliven the monthly rGu-
tine. On the 18th, at II o'clock in the evening
he Is in conjunction with Venus. being degrees
Is minutes south at the time OF nearest approach
The two planets will then be below the horizon.
tut they Will he near enough together in the
early evening to form n lovely picture. Observ-
ers will have no difficulty in recognizing the
actors in the celestial scene Venus will be
known almost as readily as the moon and a
little more than degrees south OF her beaming
presence. bright star Of pale golden hue,
sercnely shining amid the twinkling mysteries
around. will reveal the presence of Saturn. AL
denaran will be about degrees south of Saturn
and the PleiadeS,will be less than half degree
west Of Venus, planets, star and cluster conbin-
ing as elements In the starry picture Those
who desire ocular proof Of the conjunction will
find Saturn east of Venus on the evening of the
12tn, and west of Venus on the evening Of the
18TH. showing that the planets have changed
places. Things are not what they SEEM for
though Venus looks larger and brighter than
Saturn. 1t would take nearly nine hundred
planets OF her size to equal in volume the grand
dimensions OF the superb rlng-grdled planet.
Jupiter Is evening star and takes his full share
In the varied events of the month Rising at
MONDAY. looking down from the zenith at 6
O'Clock. and setting at midnight, the princey
planet is in one of his most superb aspects. He
Is even more interesting than when at opposi-
tiOn he rises ut sunset and does not make his
transit till midnight. while his brilliancy is au-
parently but little dimmed. He will be an OBJ
Ject fair to see during the month, outrivalling
every visible star In the broad cOncave eXcept
venus to whom he ia unwillingly obliged to
yield the supremacy. though he holds the seen
tire of sovereignty for about two hours after her
setting.
Mars is evening star. follows closely in Jupi-
ters train, rising about hree-Guartcrs of an
hour later and afrording, by his proximity. fine
study OF the contrast in color and general ap-
pearance of two of the major planets The oh
server will also notice how rapidly the Iu6dy
hue il fading in Mars and how quickly he will
subslde into comparative insi2niicance The
telescopists have been diligently observing this
planet COth before and since his opposition but
no noteworthy results have yet been recorded
uranus Is evening star. the fifth of the outer
planets in ncarncss to the sun. and the farthest
south.
Mercury Is evening star, and is busy mem.
Der OF the solar community during the month.
lie makes his appearance in q position where he
may easily DC picked ply painstaking observers.
he not only reaches hia greatest eastern elonga-
tion but is "a: UP lii the north a: the same time.
and thus presents the most favorable conditions
tor visibility as evening star that will occur dur
ing the year. Mercury reaches his eastern
clongattOn. or greatest distance from the sun.
on the 18th. at O'Clock i'm the evening being
then 20 degrees and 80 minutes east of the sun
At that time and for week before and after.
he is visible to the naked eye. On the 25th. he
sets an hour and three quarters after the sun
Those who wish to behold this interesting
planet about the time of elongaton will find
the Plcades sure guide to his position in the
sky They should commence the quest three
quarters OF an honr after sunset, about half
past seven o'clock. and first find the Pleiades in
the northwest: then scan the heavens degree
ana three-qnarters south OF the cluster and
slight distance west After patient OBJ
servat:n. the planet called by ancient
astronomers The Sparkling One from
the wonderful brilliancy OF his light. win
suddenly flash into being. shining with a pecu-
liar uster in the glowing twilight. When once
found, the observer will be surprised that he
could fail in his search, and will be able to fol-
low the planets course, until he draws so near
the sun as to be hidden in his light. Before the
Both. Mercury will be farther south, and after
the 10Th. farther north. for the little planet
moves with wondrOus speed. Astronomers of
the present day seem to devote little attention
to this member OF the planetary family, his
heafhess TO the sun rendering him very diff
cult OBJECT to observe with accuracy. The GER
talnty that he revOves on his axis in twenty
four hours. his lofty mountains his dense at
mosphere, his deviation from spherical form
described by observers in the early part of the
century. have failed to be substantially con-
frmed by close examination in the more power
ful telescopes OF the present day and must be
considered as doubtful. Copernicus, the famous
astronomer, regretted On his death bed that he
had never seen Mercury. but the foggy atmos-
phere OF the Vistula where he lived probably
accounted Tor his disappointment. He may al
ways be found in this climate under favorable
conditions at the spring elon9ation
venus is evening star. Though last on the
llst she is the largest, fairest and most brilliant
In the grand array of planets, playing the same
role. that Ofevening stars. All the planets are
on the first grouped on the suns eastern side In
the following order of ncarness to the great
lumlnary: Mercury, Neptune Venus, Saturn
Jupiter, Mars and Uranus. Before the month
closes the order will be changed. for Mercury
meets and passes Neptune, and Venus changes
place with Saturn. 1t il unusual for all the plan
cts to be evening stars through the entire
month. But planetary movements like kaeid-
oscOpe. forever presents new aspects, and
never repeat the same program. We shall never
again behold the exact cOnfguratiGn of stars
DO the planets deserve the name of wanderers
from tfler unceasing movement over the celes-
tlai track, blind maze to the unscientifc OBJ
server. wondrOus eXemplifcation of heavenly
harmony and obedience to physical law clear as
the daylight to those who comprehend the laws
that bind together the solar family Little do
the stars deserve to be called fixed stars
1hOugh they look mOtiOnless and impertubabe
they are IN state OF constant change. Some
are fusilin9 towards us, some are recedng from
us. Stars are dying; stars are being born Ne
buH are qnckening into life and systems are
going to decay. Even the great sun himself
with his attendant worlds is speeding through
space, around some unknown center few
thousand years hence the familiar consultations
Will have changed their forms, and the present
polar star will no longer point to tine poll of
The earth And yet how peaceful is the picture
that on starllt nights is unroiled over our
heads How fixed and mmOvable the stars an
pear! How serenely the fairest of the planets
trcads her may path, just now so rarely beau
tnul as size oScillates eastward from the SUM-
While so accurately have human observers
mapped her course that the moment when she
turns her steps towards the sun is as reliably
computed as the increase of the days or the
changes of the moon
THE MOON.
The April moon fulls on the 10th at III minu-
ties after 6 O'Clock. standard time, and wins the
honor of being the Easter moon and thus de-
termining for the year the dates for the NOV
able fasts and feasts of the church. On the Sd.
the day after the first quarter the moon is i'm
with Jupiter. on the 4th she Ia Mt
her nearest point to Mars. and on the Sth to