Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-05-15
VENUS.


IN important event occurs in her annual
circuit. On the 2d, az o'clock in the even
ing, she reached her greatest eastern elonga-
ton wheu she IS Al % cast OF ihe sun.
Not second farther can she 80. The in
visible CHAIN shat binds her 10 the sun has
reached It's limit. The fair planet rests
from her is!;ulS aud stands still in her
course, as il conscious Ct her surprising
ovelimess and willing that observers on
this planet should have u chance TO admire
the fascinating grace Of hor presence. But
she remains not long inactive. She turns
her course aud approaches the sun, or re-
trogradei at Il far more rapid pace than-she
recedeG from him. Any observer can see
this for himself, for the westward movement
OF approach to the sun is easily traced from
n;uht 20 night as snc threads her way among
the stars. This she will do until she reaches
inferior CONJUNCTION in July, when, passing
between Us and the sun, she reappears on
his western side us morning star, and will
BE seen no more i'll the evening sky Tor w
days.
The apparent course of Venus is easily
followed After superior conjunction she
moves in Il straight line eastward to
eastern clongation-her present posi-
tion-then approaches him till inferior
conjunction, and during this period is
evening star. She then reVerseS the
process, becoming morning star, moving
westward till western elongation, and COM
plctimg the circuit by approaching him till
.anericr conjunction, when she is hidden i'll
his dazzling rays, 10 emerge again as even
inc star. auli recommence the same series OF
oscillations till another synodic period OF
ISL DAYS IS completed. The real course ol
Venus differs greatly from the apparent
course, for she ieyolves in y nearly circular
orbit. always i'll the same direction, from
west to east, and with al almost uniform
rate Of velocity. Viewed from the sun, she
would BIZ seen 10 move III this way.
Bus the earth IS moving i'll her orbit with
y velocity Of eighteen miles second, ami
Venus is moving with Il velocity CT twenty
ona miles a second iii Il smaller orhit be-
tween the earth and the sun. The result 81
these complicated movements * that Venus
seems lp move in straight lines cast and
yves; OF The SUI and to follow closely il his
ster.s. As Vents appears 10 terrestrial oo-
servers, 50 thc earth appears to Marian
observers oscillating east aud west IN the
same way, and sometimes, like Venus ana
Mercury, making = trtnsit over the sun
disk
Venus will be Inc loyc!ies5 star in the
heavens through the month Of May, Us after
clousation she turns her steps westward,
moving rapidly toward us aud Fastening on
| q he: ;,cTio,l Of greatest briliancy. She
| viii form delightful planetary study for
lhn naked eye, and also for telescope otser-
y"liou Seen through the telescope al elem
cation. o. few days after, she takes on the
asnec, OF :llc moon ut her last quarter, half
her Gisl; ne;ng ilumincd. Then, like the
moou. she becomes Il waning crescent, less
ana less o: her enlightened surface being
mrnc,! toward us. but increasing in size rs
| she appyroaches us more than enough TO
countclhaIance the !esscned light AT the
end afthc month she has nearly reached
her eliminating point, whilo her nigh
northern 0ccinalca adds 10 The length cl
her STAY above the horizon and the iaVora'
bic condition for observation. The beauti-
fu planet is specially interesting on ac-
count of The striking resemblance she bears
10 the earth. In size, III density, IN posi-
;icl. IN !hc system, in the length OF her rev.
oiu;ion. IL the tune Of her rotation, in the
possession Of iii atmosphere, in the form OF
her obit aud IL Inc amount of light and
heat she receives from the sun size Is more
like the earth than amy other member OF
ihe solar ystem.~-Proridencc (R. ~ jour-
| nal