Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-07-01
THE HEAVENS IN July.
rHRoUoa THE rxIxscoPx.


s - hacsr movef9cnss- uteatifuf
trrov,dsnce Jouraai.l
vKEus r. evening star until the nth.
Though she ceases TO shine IN The west
eru sky after that time. and even dissp.
pears from sight before aud after the adj
vent Of one Of her great epochs, she Is
during the whole month the most inter-
Getting men, CT cf the planetary group
with which the earth Il Indissoiu3ly
bound--at least for millions Of years 20
como. I'm the nth, at O'Clock In the
evening, she Is In inferior conjunction
with the sun. She then passes between
US spd the sun, with her dark side turned
towards the earth, Ike the moon at new
moon. changing al the same time from
the suns eastern side. where for nearly
ten months she has shone rs evening star.
70 his western side, and where, in reversed
order. she VIII shine as morning star for
nearly ten months 70 come. Hc- present
Inferior conjunction Is 81 special interest,
tor IL succeeds Tho memorable one OF the 9th
OF December, 1852, whcc she made her Ia
mous transit over the suns disc. one of the
great astronomical cpochs OF The nlnetreath
century. At the present Inferior conjunc-
ton she passes above the sun. and is
lost TO sight In the depths Of space. AZ
the previous inferior conjunction size
was near one OF her nodes, and was
protected on the suns bright surface, as
tiny black orb, Just visible 10 the naked
eye, and, as an orb Of intense blackness,
nearly as large as Tie moon. in good
telescope. Another transit will not occur
until the year 20ol. for at every intervening
inferior conjunction she will pass above or
below the sun, aud, though the exact min
ute OF the passage will be known, no NOR
ta1 x.alt fQhOfd q The -
movements Dlay be easily explained. The
orbit OF Venus Is inclined TO the
eciiptic, about three and q half de-
grees, so that she Is half the time
above the suns path, and hall the time
biow l.. She must, therefore. be- nj. OF
near, one OF her nodes. to bring her di-
rcctly between the earth and sun. and make
her passage or t.nnsit visible 10 terrestrial
view. The interval between one inferior
conjunction and the next one succeeding
IL 6S4 days. ibis Is called the synod!c
period OF Vc5us, though she completes an
entire revolution around the sun in 22l
days. As the earth and Venus are both
moving. nearly three revolutions Of Venus
arc required TO bring the sun, Venus. and
the earth into line.
Our nearest planetary neighbor moves
very rapidly In t3is portion of her orbit,
and soon becomes visible as morning star
IN the eastern sky. She will be beautiful
object at the end OF he month, rising soon
alter O'Clock, nearly two hours before the
sun. But she has met with chs nge since
we beheld her In the glowing west, when
her slender crescent was diminishing at
every rehppearancc. For, rs morning star,
the lovely crescent Is all the time Increasing
in dimensions as the planet turns more OF
her illumined surface towards her terres-
trial neigbhoT. IL is hard TO decide whether
the fair star is more beautiful when beam
ing in the twilight sky. she slowly sinks
below the western hills, or when. anlici-
pating the dawn. she fades away into the
light Of heaven at the coming OF the sun.
Venus is brightest and largest OF the
starry thTong. and comparatively near
the earth. But il Is difficult, even for the
best telescopes, TO iiud ont wha. is going
on IN her broad domain, on account OF hcI
intense lustre and the atmosphere OF
clouds in which she Is closely yelled. Her
varying phases, and the somewhat I'M
even boundary OF her Termination, or in
ner bright edge. are all that will probably
lie detected by the ordinary observer.
Rut trained observers have never, since
astronomy became science, given up the
hope Of making discoveries concerning
this fascinating planet. NJ. TrouveiOt
has taken up the subject in earnest, and
has made diligcnt and long-continued
study OF our brilliant ueighbor. This most
delicate and careful work he has ccarried on
since 1877, when he found two remarkable
white spots on opposite limbs Of the planet,
near The extremity OF the cusps, Or hords,
OF the crescent. The southern spot was
the brighter OF the two, and appeared to be |
composed OF msuy bright points, forming |
on the northern border row OF brilliant |
star-like dots OF ght. Thesp disappeared |
in about three months. Since that time !
NJ. Trouyelot hes observed on 242 oeea-
sions either one or the other Of the ,umn.
Gus spots, and occasionally both OF them, !
and has made 100 drawings of the planet |
with the spots In varied aspects. Since |
April Of the present year the northern spot |
has alone been visible. He did not ind the |
spots affected by the diurnal rotation OF
tie planet, and hence inIers that the axis |
passes either through or near their centre. !
The spots seem to be almost permanent, |
ard n. TrouvelO: thinks they are the gum |
mits Of high mountains projected beyond |
the ciO:ldy envelope that covers the |
planet. The observations made in 1STI-'1S |
were made in Cambridge, Massachusetts,. !
Those made during the present year were /
made at tue Observatory Of Aleu1on, near |
Paris. NJ. Trouvelot Is one OF the most |
skiliul and accurate observers In the as
Economical ranks. and rs we'll "a one who |
stands among the highest for his drawings |
Of the sun, and the different members OF |
his family. His observations and drawings
are az reliable az such iniricate WORK on
far distant objects can be. We trust his
rracticed eve will detect something more
thar two white spots or .he face OF Venus.
Il y. l. f.r in.
stance, would be more satisfactory than 4 |
dozen high mountains.
The right ascension OF Venus on the lst |
Is III. COM, her declination is 1So So north, |
and her diameter is 5b".S.
Venus sets on the lst about quarter |
after O'Clock in the evening; on the 3lst |
she rises soon after O'Clock in the morn |
Ing.
MERCURY is morning star until the l2th, |
ard then becomes evening star. On the |
18th. al midnight, he is in superior con- !
junction With the sun. thus reversing Tue
conditions iust described for Venus. For !
he passes TO the SUMS eastern side instead
OF his we,teIn, beyond the sun instead OF
between him ard the earth, and is at his
greatest distance from the earth instead OF
The least. The movements OF the Two
planets clearly illustrate the difference be-
tween superior anu tNsiiNhNNiNhf
~. indeed the words themselves plainly
indicate. In the former ease the planet Is
Joined 20 the sun on his superior or outer
side. In the latter case, on the inferior or
inner side.
Although in reality. Mercury and Venus
are as far apart as they can be, in our
view, they appear near together, and are In
conjunction on the 18th at l O'Clock In the
morning. Venus. four hours after inferior
conjunction, encounters Mercury twenty
three hours before superior conjunction.
The planets meet and pass on the celestial
course, both morning stars al the time, the
former moving westward from the sun,
the latter moving eastward towards the
sun. Though the aspects Of both planets
are the same, swiit-footec Mercury will
complete more than five synodic periods,
while the more stately Venus completes
one. Mercury Is In conjunction with Ju-
piter on the 23d at O'Clock In the morn
ing, being 10 i0> north. Both planets are
too near the sun 10 make the conjunction
visible, even II the time were favorable.
The right ascension OF Mercury on the
1st Is Oh. 55m., his defamation Is 2So 2f
north, and his diameter is J/.6.
Mercury rises on the LIST abou, quarter
before 4 o'clock In the morning; on the
3lst be sets few minutes after 8 o'clock in
the evening.
NEPTUNE Is morning star throughout the