The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-02-20
FEBRUARY PLANETS.
THE EVENING AND MORNING STARS.
Mars Conspicuous and Interesting OBJ
ject-Jovian Phenomena-Lovely Venus,
the Radiant Qneen of the Heavens
The Serene Glow of Saturn.
[scientiho Americana

III oiAo anu DTlBnGueSS by JuplUer ana
Venus at the present time, he wins the first
place in the monthly presentation on ac-
count of the occurrence of the most inter
esting epoch in his course, his opposition
with the sun. This event took place on the
1st at six O'Clock in the morning Mars
then turned to us his broad, round face, the
earth directly intervening between his
ruddy disc and the sun, thus bringing the
two planets to their nearest approach to
each other. This is true in general terms,
but not strictly accurate. If Mars and the
earth revolved in circular orbits, fixed with
respect to each other, the distance between
them at opposition would be the same.
But the orbits of both planets are elliptical
and not fixed in regard to each other, while
no two following oppositions happen in
the same part of either orbit. Therefore,
the distance between the planets varies
greatly at different oppositions. When
Mars at opposition is in perihelion, or
nearest the sun, and the earth at the same
time is in aphelion, or farthest from the
sun, they are as near together as they can
be, or about 80, 900, 900 miles distant. When
Mars at opposition is in aphelion, and the
earth at the same time is in perihelion, the
two planets are at their greatest distance,
or about G2, 100000 miles. The former was
the case at the opposition of 1877, for it oc
CURED nine days after Mars had reached
perihelion. The grand appearance of the
fiery red planet at that time will never be
forgotten by those who witnessed it. A
great event also immortalized its passage
the discovery of two moons, moving with
wonderful speed about their primary, and
diameter, the smallest known worlds that
belong to the solar system. At an opposi-
tion in 1719, when Mars was only two de-
grees and half from perihelion, he shone
with such awe-inspiring brightness as to
cause a panic among the superstitious,
who had firm faith in his malignant in
fluence.
The present opposition is one Of the most
unfavorable for near prospect of our ce.
lestial brother. AS the earth is one month
past perihelion, and Mars near aphelion,
they are nearly as far apart as possible.
1t is not expected that Deimos and Phobes,
the two moons, will be visible even in the
most powerful telescopes.
Oppositions that occur in August or Sep
tember bring the earth and Mars to their
nearest point of approach, while those
that occur in February or March find them
most widely separated. The most favor
able oppositions for observation of the
| planet take place at intervals of fifteen
years. The last one was in 1877. There
| fore we must wait until 1892 for another.
Who can tell what the great telescopes
| in 1892 will reveal under more experienced
| hands, in the clear air of mountain observ-
atories, and with the gigantic refractors
that will then be in operation? Continents,
islands, seas, canals, atmosphere, clouds,
morning and evening twilight, raging
storms, clear,skies and polar ice may then
be eclipsed by discoveries as unexpected
| and as permanent as the twin satellites
that were brought into existence by the
Washington telescope under Prof. Hall's
skillfull manipulation.
Meantime, the present opposition Of
Mars must not be neglected. He is now
and will be during the month, conspicu
GUS object, shining with a fiery red light
unlike that Of any other planet, so striking
in its character as to suggest to the poetic
Greeks the distinguishing epithet of the
God of War.
When Mars is in opposition as seen from
the earth, the earth is in inferior conjunc
tion as seen from Mars. If observers could
be transported to his domain before the
event, they would behold the eartt
dwindled to beautiful star, shining in the
Martian sky as evening star like Venus il
our sky near her inferior conjunction, and
unlike Venus, accompanied by moon, tt
make the celestial picture more beautiful
Bright as Mars appears, his diameter is moi
much more than half that of the earth, anC
about double that of the moon. The ruddy
planet has peculiar interest for terrestria
observers, as he possesses the most intel
ligible features of any celestial objec
within our reach, for the moon is dead, ant
Venus is hid in blaze of light that the ey
can hardly fathom.
1t takes Mars seven hundred and eight,
days to revolve from opposition to opposi
ton again, or to complete his synodic pc
riod. During this time, the earth make
two revolutions in her orbit, and then
takes her fifty days more to catch up witt
him. Oppositions of Mars occur at thi
average interval, and may be approx
mately calculated. The present opposition
occurred on the 1st of February, 1884. Thre
more occur in succession in March, 1886
April, 1888 and May, 1890, when will fol
low the much desired occultation of 1892.
Jupiter is evening star. Although b
has passed opposition, he is increasing
his distance from the earth and approach
ing the sun; as we follow his course in tn
heavens, he is magnificent object in tn
star-spangled canopy that nightly unveil
its glory to our admiring eyes. He i
now more than an hour high at sunset, an,
traverses the sky with stately step til
about an hour before sunrise, when h
slowly sinks below the western horizon
He is still tacile princeps among the brigh
twinklers that surround him. He WELD
his starry scepter from a point Of th
sky nearly between Castor and Pollux O
the north and Procyon on the south. Mar
follows his lead at respectful distance
while brilliant Orion and glittering siriu
precede him toward the southwest.
Jupiter is most desirable tidbit for til
telescopists. Mr.. Denning, of Bristol,
a special student of the Jovian alphabt
as exhibited in incongruous symbols @
his disk. Just now, efforts are directe