Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-04-05
THE PLANETS IN APRIL.

The monthly resume o! the Providence
| .IoplnGl states that al the planets are even
ing stars during April. Neptune leads tic
outer brotherhood in being nearest the sun
He encounters Mercury Oh the 2lst, the
conjunction occurring at , o'clock in the
morning, N!en both planets are safely he.
! low the horizon. rGo former is moving
west ward toward coniunctiou and the latter
| is moving eastward toward elongation
/ Saturn also has Il similar con junction with
! Venus. bat being below the horizon, cannot
Dc seen. pat their previous movements can
! be Uacncti.
Saturn will be east of Venus on the cyeII-
| ing OF The 18th, and west of Venus on the
, evening Of the 18th, showing that the
planets have changed places. Things arc
| not what they seem" for though Venus
looks larger and brighter than Saturn, it
would take nearly nine hundred planets Of
;.gl' size 10 equal il volume the grand di-
| Jul.iter la, his fall share in the varied
event. Of the month He will be an object
| fair 10 see during the month, outrivaiing
every visible star in the broad concaye ex-
ccIgj, Venus, to whom hc is unwilling y
obliged 10 yield the supremacy, though he
hois the scepter Of sovereignty for about
tw0 hours after her setting.
Mas follows slowly in Jupiter's train,
rising later and allor0ing by his proximity Il
fine study The contrast i'll color and gem
era! appearance Of two oftne major planets.
Mar, !s losing his .uddy hue. and will soon
.ao.iGs .tp comparative insiSnliic"nce.
Ii% liny moons nave not been seer by telc-
scCplss
Mercury will reach bis greatest eastcrly
clongati0n and being far up in the north:
observers will hare the most favorable op-
portunity ior watching his movements oC-
curing this scar OH The 2isr, slt IN the
Eorniul, Mercury viii bo III onjunciion
with Neptune aud with tEc moon On the
26th
Venus. ttsougu la, OF. Inc list, is the
la:a--,. iar..sS a.:d iuost brilliant in The
gi.:i!s. array Of planets playing the same role,
that .; evening star.
Ali the riaue.s were on the lst grouped on
the sun : eastern side III the following order
Of mcaIncss to tho great lumimaly Mercury,
Neptune, Venus, Sa!ur1, Jupiter. Mars and
| Uranus Before the month ciuGcS thc order
vii; b. changed. 10: Mercury meets aGd
passes Neptune, and Venus changes places
| with Saturn.
I. i umuSual ior all the planets 10 lie
| evening stars through the entire month.
! BIT planetary lGova'."nts. like q Eale!do-
| scope. forever present ne" aspects, and
nave" rape&5 ,Ae same programme. We
| shall never a2ain behold the exact con
! Gcuyatian OF s:&r5 ,lia! this :ignt sparkle
| IL ttu ornament. Well do the planets
deserve the ;iane 81 wanderers. from their
uncraauE movement over the celestial
| track. /" iiad maZe 10 the unscientiiic OBJ
server" woadrvns e&cmplitication of heav-
| calv hnrmcay and obedience t. physical
! 'aw. clear Is the daylight to those who com
prchcni the laws that bind together the So
| lar family. Little DO the stars deserve 10
nr cailoilixed stars. Though they look mo-
,ion,l-@ ard I'M. .crturbabie they arc in q
suie .: constant change y few thousand
wears hence the familiar considerations will
| haze changed their to:ms, and the present
paiar star will no longer point 10 the pole OF
jUr earth Aud yet how peaceful is the pic
| turc thai N >tarit nights is unrolled oven
our heads. How liked and immovable the
s,ars appear How Serency the iaires5 OF
tie p!aneta ireaGs her may path, just now
50 rarely beautiful sshe oscillates eastward
FROM ta2 sun, while so accurately have hui
ina! observers mapped her course that the
movement When she turns her steps toward
the sun Is as reliably computed as the in
crease OF the days or the changes Of The
| moan.