Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-11-29

II 3 iFWvI4EnfE $oosBAki
4xseaN n .esosn,px ~ al, tbe 18th,
w>et be Seh>H % : new ron aceofdins 70
&eftnonseal el6>i6cxtson. Whstfvtr may
- ~ po<3sles d . suT<r.of pisnei. Ne y
sslws<d 10 mozntnx star IRON ccniunctjon
se'opto<jgSob, esd ~ evenies star from ep-
pmiiipn to cobjunction. Though sauirn
iaas kttr pTomtofnt object ID The evening
~ Ter tke last tive months, he has for this
fysecn been numpesed among the morning
senrs. The great epoch IN bic cour~e that
ersBsief~ hiyn from one side ~ the vun 60 the
olhsr occurs during the month, and ~ this
4 the most interesting period In his csrcnIt
yoIsd The sun 10 .dwvtsers on the earth.
our fing.yirdled nsighbor easily wins the
mace ot honor on the December planetary
asuAis. The mnth.dcs,red epoch occurs
eB tbe Ieth. al 2 O'clock in the morning.
Ne - then IN opposition with tho sun, OPP
yOass 10 him in the heavens. 1869 from him,
or ~ Tar away ~ possible. Observers may
vtrsly this assertion for themselves. For
when the sun sinks below the western no.
rxoD. tbs beaming planet shows his radi-
ant lace above the eastern horizon and
sssp<s during tbccntirc night, descending
IN The west as the grea: hrminary appears
IN the east.
taturn may be easily recognized among
his starry neigbbors, being nearly eat OF
tbe Pleiaslc<, and about halfway between
Csy<lla en- the north and Betilguese on the
south. He shines With serene light en-
tssssy different nom that OF the twinkiine
stars. He rises on the Istat quarter after
. O'Clock IN tho evening. and is the only
while planet In the heavens until Jupiter
spptars upon the scene. The conditions
under which be NAV now be observed are
n f..sr fa
20 " bis opposition IN 1885 for he will then
b. farther north and only month past pc
rshcison. He will at that time be about
1o1,o00.(oe miles nearer the SIM than nj
spb<Ifon. and since peribeiicn and opposi-
tlau bsaY1y coincide. ab0u. the same dis
tpce nearer the earth.
The telescopie Safnrn Il now the per-
epnj6cation 81 grandeur and sublimiiy.
Even In small instrument the picture j.
sbe cf surprising beauty. III have seen
the planet single and now | see II double"
vas 0aliko's wondering exclamation as be
turned his imperfect INSTRUMENT 10 the
heavens 10 the diwD Of the astronomical
das. Forty years passed before the strange
aplendagfs. sometimes visible and some
times Invisible, were proved 10 be the rings
Of saturn. With our finer instruments and
the food Of knowledge poured forth from
observation and research, we have still TO
thank the pioneer astronomers for the first
fruits Of this ennobling science, and for
devotion TO the causc that cost them ohio
auy, imprisonment, and even martyrdoin.
A very powerful glass il required 10
bring out both the magnificent and the
delicate aspects Of the most charming
tclescopic object in the heavens, Ne well
ne the brilliancy Of eoloring. which il
Grand feature In the SatnrBian system.
Mr.. Browning. an optician and prac-
teal and enthusiastic observer, thus de-
scribes the coIoring OF the planet on one
If The exceptionally nights that are
the delight OF the telescopist. The rings
we're Of golden hue, in varying tinis,
shaded with brown; the body Of the
planet was yellow, orange, red. purple.
shaded with brown: the division in the
rings pale brown; and the poles and
narrow belts near the poles were pale
blue. 80 But" said the observer, 'there
n q muddiBess about all terrestrial cOlOrs
when compared with the objects seen in
the heavens. Those colors could not he
represented In all their briliancy and puri-
~ unless we could dip our pencil in rain
bow. and transfer the prismatic tiDts TO our
paper" The observer must not be DIS
couraged ii be cannot, in his first or in his
huBdredth observation, detect these varied |
hues described by Mr.. Browning. Saturn |
reveals only TO his devoted and longtime |
vofaries the soft markings on his disc. in |
heir fenderest tones aud deliciously blend |
I'd hues. The eye must he educated 10 dis |
eern celestial beauty. and great is the re- |
ward Of those who search diligently in the |
heavenly fields.
Saturn. now so pure In TINT and tone. and |
- h.
lore many years have passed will change his
aspeet as his rings begin 10 close, and a. be
bends his steps souihward. He will again
become the planet that in ancient times, on
account Of his dull, yellow, and dismal hue |
and sluggish motion, was held by astrolo- |
GER to exert malevolcnf influence on hui |
nan affairs, and TO be the source Of many
pf the evils TO which the human race Il
subject. We can give no better Illustration
VI the superstition OF the age than is found /
in the following extract from The poet |
cbaucer in an address Of the god Saturn TO |
Venus:
3 Ny deere dsush'er Venus, quote saiurne,
Ny eows that batl wide Tor IT, turn.
Hath more power uian wot any man.
Mine l. The drenchinR In the sea - wan.
Mine n the prison IN the duke cote.
Nsne Is the sirangc and hanging by the throie
The murmurc aud the ehuries rcbelns
The proyning. and the priSe einpoyscning.
do Vengeance and plemc correction
While dwell In the sgBe of the Leon,
Mine T. the ruin &c the high halles.
The falling OF the lourcs and Of the wales
lifop the mInOur or the carpfnier,
I slew saiupson In shaking the pleft
Science has changed all this. Since the
discovery of the rings the ill-omened pla-
net y raised almost to the dignity OF sun.
Saturn's eight satellites equal in number
the SIMS family OF worlds. His rings,
made up Of myriad minute satellites eircling
around the central orb, correspond TO The
suns family Of asteroids. IL l. not I'M
improbable that enough Of his primeval
fires remain 10 give out heat and eveh light
TO the world OF satellites and rings that own
him a. their lord. such are some OF the
claims 10 notice OF the rng-girlled planet
that on the 18th reaches the goal where 1t is
az it, nearest point 10 the earth during the
present year.
The right ascension OF saturn on the Isl Is
Sd. 23m.. his declination il 81 N north,
his diameter Is 10" 4 and he is IN the con-
stelaiion Taurus.
Saturn rises on the Isl at quarter after
) o'clock in the evening: on the 3lst he
sets few minutes before q O'Clock in the
morning.
Uuaxps l. morning star. His course
during the month il marked with an
event, aud for this reason he wins tue Sec
IND place on the planetary record. ON the
a4th. at = o'clock in the aiterscon. he Is In
spiadrature with the sun, on his western
side. half his COURSE from conjunction TO
opposition being then completed.
The right ascension Of Uranus on the
LIST Is i2h. Dm.. his deeilna;ion Is OsiG'
south, his diameter i ~ g, and he Is in the
constellation Virgo.
ifapttS ri.,s an the 4 about h9lt.Nl~t
10 o'clock in the morning. lie rises on
the slst at half.past II O'Clock In the eve
ming.
MERCURY u s,ening star. lie reaches
his creates, eastern elongatIon on the 18th,
III O'clock in the evening, and J. then
t0el2< east of the-.tIn. He NAV he seen at
that time with The naked eye II the stmo>-
phere be clear and The shy cloudless. HIS
great southern dcelination VIII make him =
difficult object to pick up. Observers in
cilned 70 try mustllook Tor him on the Eth
and a few days before and after, about one
degree south Of the sunset.point. IN the
ccnsieliation Of sagisiarius. = short distance
ncrtheast Of the bowl OF the Inverted dip
per.
Tue right ascension OF Mercury al the
i tst y lsh. sr.. hi defamation II 23' so
souih, his diameter Is So =. and he may
Dr. found IN the constellation Sagltiaflus.
Mercury set- on the ist at q quarter after
O'Clock In the evening; on the 3lsi he
sets M twenty minute. after = O'Clock