Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1884-04-10
The April skies.
All the Great Planets shine as Evening
Stars Throughout the Month.
From the Pm Hidanca Lonrnall

All the Great Planets shine as Evening
Stars Throughout the Month.
From the PIT videncs Journal.l
Neptune is evening star. All the planets
Gre evening stars during the entire month of
April. Neptune enjoys the distinction of
leading the outer brotherhood in being near
est the sun. He is also the only planet that
is not visible to the naked eye during some
portion of Abe month. Neptune encounters
Mercury on the 21st the conjunction occur
ring at two O'Clock in the morning when
both planets are safely below the horizon.
The former is moving westward toward con-
junction and the latter Is moving eastward
toward slongation. Neptune sets on the 1st
at $50 o'clock in the evening; on the 3oth
he sets at 7:30 O'Clock.
Saturn contributes charming incident to
enlivsn the monthly routine. On the 18th,
at eleven O'Clock in the evening. he is in
conjunction with Venus being ~ 13f south
at the time of nearest approach. The two
planets will then be below the horizon, but
they will be enough together in the
early evening to form lovely picture. We
nus will be known almost as readily as the
moon, and, little more than ~ south of her
beaming presence, a bright star of a pale,
golden hue serenely shiRing amid the twink
ling mysteries around, will reveal the pres-
snce of Saturn. Aldebaran will be about
degrees south of Saturn, and the Pleiades
will be less than half degree west of We
nus, planets, star and cluster combining as
elements in the starry picture. ''Ehings are
not what they seam," for though Venus
looks larger and brighter than Saturn, 1t
would take nearly nine hundred planets of
her size to equal in volume the grand dimen-
sions OF the saperb riag-girdIed planet
Jupiter takes his full share in the varied
events of the month. On the 14th, at seven
o'clock in the evening, he is in quadrature on
the SUMS eastern side. Rising at noonday,
looking down from Hho 1Hnifh at civ oTn
and setting at midnight. the princely planet
is in one of his most superb aspects, outri-
vsIing every visible star in tho broad con-
cave except Venus.
Mars follows closely in Jupiters train,
rising about three~quarters of an hour later
and affording, by his proximity, a fine study
of the contrast in color and general appear
ance of two of the major planets. The OBJ
server will also notica how rapidly the ruddy
hue Is fading in Mars, and how quickly hs
will subside into comparative insigpifcsnce.
The telescopists have been diligently obssrv
ing this planet both before and since his
opposition but no noteworthy results have
yet been recorded. Probably his tiny moens
have refused to appear under present unfa-
vorable conditions, and Schiaparelli's Martian
canals are hidden from sight for the same
reason.
Uranus is evening star, the fifth of the
outer planets IN nearnsss TO the sun, and the
furthest south.
Mercury is a busy member of the solar
community during the month. He not only
reaches his greatest eastern elongAtion, but
is far mp in the north at the same time, and
thus presents the most favorable conditions
for visibility AZ evening star that will occur
during the year. He reaches his eastern
Slonsation, or greatest distance from the sun,
on the 25th, at nine O'Clock in the evening,
being then 200 32' east of the sun. At that
time, and for . week before and after. he is
visible to the naked eye. On the 25th he
sets an hour and thFes-quartsrs after the
sun. Those who wish to behold this inter
estine planet abous the time of eIongation
will fad the PleiRdss sure guido to his po-
sition in the sky. They should commence
the quest thrss-quarters of an hour after
sunset, about 1880 o'clock, and first find the
Ploiades in the northwest then scan the
hsavshs degree and three-quarters south of
the cluster and slight distance west. After
patient observation the planet called by an
cient astronomers t"Fhs Sparkling One"
from the wonderful brilliancy of his light,
will suddenly fash into being shining with a
peculiar lustre in the glowing twilight. When
Onca found the observer will be surprised
that he could fail in bis search, and will bo
able TO follew the planets course until he
draws Sc nsar the sun as to be hidden in his
light. Before the 25th Nercary will be fur
ther south, and after the 25th further rorth, |
for the little planet moves with wondrous |
Bp6G0s 4u1 OCCe2lElClby OF nlB OTD1t Is 8roSLs |
CT thaH that Of any other of the major PLAN |
cts, and he is fifteen million miles nearer the |
sun at psrihelien than at sphelion. He is at |
this spoeh - much further from the earth as
he is nearer to the sun. These variations in |
distance produce corresponding variation |
in brilliency. Therefore, Mercury must be |
in aphslion as well a. ia high northern deoli- |
nation to present his brightest aspect as seen /
from the earth
Venus Is evening star. Though last on the |
list, she ia the nearest fairess aaA most bril-.
liant IN the grand array of planets. All the |
planets are on the lat grouped on the SUMS |
eastern side in tbs folio wing order of near.
ness to the great luminary: Mercury, Nep-
tuDs, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars and Uran- |
US. Before the month closes the order will |
be changed, for Mercury meets and passes |
Neptune and Venus changes place with Sa- |
turn. Il is usual for all the planets to be |
evening stars through the entire month But |
planetary movements, like q kaleidoscope,
forever present new aspects and never repeat |
the same programme. We shall never again |
behold tbs exact configuration of stars that
this night sparkle in the armament. Well
do the planets deserve the name of wander
erB from THAR uncsasing movement over the
celestial track, blind mazs to the unscisntihe
observer, q wondrons exemplifcstion of
heavenly harmony and obedience to physical
Law, clear az the daylight to thoss who com
prshend the laws that biaa together the solar
family. Little do the stars deserve TO be
called fixed stars. Though they look notion
less and imperturbable. they arS in a state of
constant change. Some are rushing toward
usi some are rseeding from as. Stars are