Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-08-06
THE PLANETS IN AUGUST.

Venus is morning star throughout the
month, and easily wins the honor OF being
at the head of the planetary list, for she is
the most beautiful object that adorns the
eastern sky before the all-conquering sun
commences his daily course. On the 18th
she reaches her period OF greatest brillianey
as morning star, when she is so transcen-
IDENTIFY lovely that the trouble of rising carly
is more than rewarded by the beauty of the
exhibition Venus makes her appearance
at that time soon after two o'clock in the
morning, nearly three hours before sunrise,
that objects ilumined by her rays cast
shadows, and even the great sun himself
has no power to Lide her entirely from
mortal view. She may easily be seen after
sunrise, and even at monday, if her posi-
ton in the sky is known. Venus has two
of these periods of greatest brilliancy, as
thcy are called. One of them occurs thirty
six days before inferior conjunction, when
she is evening star, Us was illustrated on
the Sd of June. The other will take place
on the 17th tnirty-siX days after inferior
conjunction, when she is morning star.
Between the two periods she is nearer
to the earth and larger in dimensions,
hut the ilumned portion OF her disk
is less, and the loss Of light more
than counterbalances the increasing mag
nitude. 1t is difficult TO find words to
express the matchless loveliness Of this be-
witching star, as she hangs low in the hea-
vens in the soft summer mornings. She is
rapidly receding from our neighborhood,
and many months must wax and wane be-
fore she will again put on her glorious ap-
parel.
Jupiter may almost be numbered with the
morning stars, for he is only evening star
until the 7th. On that day at l o'clock in
the afternoon, he reaches ono of his great
epochs, being then in conjunction with the
sun, rising and setting with him, and en-
tirely hidden from view in his eclipsng
rays The planet that beamed so brightly
in the evening sky has departed but he is
not lost. He has fulfilled his mission on
the SUMS eastern side, only to reappear on
the SUMS western side, where he will soon
emerge from his transient eclipse to become
the second brightest gem of the planetary
trio made up of Saturn, Venus, and the la
test conner among the morning stars.
The earth, as we'll as the other planets,
are products OF the great nebulous mass
that once extended far beyond distant Nep-
tune. This chaotic mass, Us ages rolled on,
quickcncd into life, and threw of concen
trio rings. These, in turn, condensed into
tho sun, planets and satellites. aId, accord
ing to laws, not yet plain III all their bear
nss, took varied form in the great central
or.,, in the four giant spheres, still
holding portions of their primeval fires, on
the outposts Of the system, in the four inner
planets, more advanced in development be-
because smaller in size, and in Il somewhat
promiscuous sprinklng Of asteroids, moons
and rings among the larger orbs. We are
prouc TO fancy that the earth is special
l:lyoritc in the suns family. 1t is well to
lh;nl; SO. for it is not likely that the position
will be disputed in the present attainments
of astronomical science.
Jupiter has degned to give us little in.
formation concerning himself in his last
synodic circuit. Even the red spot, The
peep.hule into his glowing nucleus, is but {,
ghost of its former self. The cloud-atmos
phere has nearly closed over it, and there
will be no more tidings until another rift
shall arise and show farther glimpses of the
chaotic mass, cooling and condensinS into
form and shape. We must wait till 1892 for
Jupiters next perihelion, when being 49,
O00, 900 miles nearer the sun than at aphelion,
we may hope that the improved telescopes
Of the period will pick up something worth
knowing. The process Of world. making
will be a slow one OH this giant planet, and
the earth may have cooled down to desola-
tion before the first suspicion of inanmate
| life shadows forth the surely coming perfec-
| tion of his development
| Saturn is morning star and is growing
brighter and more conspicuous as he ap-
| proaches the earth. 1t is, however, the day
| of small things in his history. On the 18th
| when Venus is brightest, he may be found
about so degrees northwest of Venus.
Neptune is morning star aud leads the
planetary choir in being the first to make
| his appearance above the horizon. On the
18th, at 11o'clock in the evening, he reaches
the halfway house between conjunction
and opposition, being then in quadrature
| or 90 degrees west of the sun.
Mercury is evening star during the month.
On the 23rd, at o'clock in the evening, he
| reaches his greatest eastern elongation when
| he is 81 degrees 81 minutes east Of the sun.
| 1t is a moderately favorable opportunity for
seeing him on an exceptionally clear even
| ing after sunset in the west. His southern
declination will make him difficult object
to pick up, although his elongation is near
" the greatest possible. He must be look
ed for in the constellation Virgo, 20 degrees
northwest of Spica, and u degrees south Of
the sunrise point.
Uranus is evening star. His course is un'
eventful, except for the conjunction with
Mercury on the 23rd.
Mars is evening star, and is of little ac-
count as he slowly travels on his distant
path, his rapidly increasing southern de-
clination being the only noteworthy event
| in his course.