Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-02-27
SKIES OF BEAUTY.
Four Planets vfeisg with the Brisht-
est Fixed SSars.

Four Planets vfeinE with the Bright
est Fixed ssaFs.
The early evening skies, this week, pre-.
sent scene OF marvellous and unusual
beauty. Four of the worlds that, together
with the earth, are lighted, warmed and
governed by the sun, can now be seen at
the same time in the evening sky. Venus
appears in the West long before the twi-
light ends, so bright that no one can fail
to recognize her. In line stretching up
the eastern slope OF the heavens are Saturn.
Jupiter and Mars, Saturn being highest
and Mars bringing up the rear. At the
same time the majority of the first magni-
tude stars visible in this latitude are above
the horizon-Slrius,t the king of suns, placed
beside which our sun would be almost in
visible; Rigel, concealed in whose flashing
white rays the telescope reveals q little
star OF the purest blue; Betelgeuse, which
CLOVIS in good glass like q fiery topaz;
Procyon, whose Stage ring motions have
shown to the eye OF science the existence
Of dark star close to the bright one, al.
though no telescope has ever yet caught
glearI Of revealing light from il; Aide
osrsn, the rose ,hued star hist marks tue
nord, and several Others les brilliant
a PRACTICAL eye quickly distinguishes
the plar cts before named from these stars,
but whtn q telescope is used the similarity
of appf arance which sometimes puzzles
the obs, ryer with the naked eve. at once
yspjsbts, The stars remain only Doiu Is OF
dszz ing light, even with the highest pow.
ers, While the planets lose their rrsem-
blauce TO stars and shine in tue telescope,
even with low magnifyiug powers. like lit
tie nCors.
Venus now resembles the moon when
near first quarter. Saturn appear. as
ring. Jupiter presents his great oval face,
stIssked and s. Gifted like harlequin,
while his four mems circle around hin,
their motion being easily perceptible n
ing a single evening. Mars shows the 6 It
teripg snow 6eics around his poles, aud
the outline of his continents and s AS,
covered sometimes with clouds.
A few years ago Il ere was an extraor lin
ary CONFUSION on Jupiter, whose effects
were shown by tie sudden appearance
upon the planet OF - fiery red spot which
covered an area eqp' to the whole sp rtace
of the earth. I.stely this spot has almost
completely faded from view, but other
singular spots have n ade their appeara nee.
and the surface Of Il equatorial regions oil
the planet seem to have undergone a
J ipeuisr shifting toward Its south pole. 1t
is most interesting 10 watch these gigantic
commissions of Ju, tier, for it is evident
that in that plan, We behold GLOBE
which is now UNDER ding. some OF the vast
physical changes d;mly limited at In the
beginning of the book of Genesis as having
preceded the solid 6cation OF the globe
upon which We dwell.
Saturn, too, has of late exhibited ind'ca
tions of the operate Of enormous forces
which show that il is in condition very
different from that of the earth. new
belt has appeared Lear its equator which
can be seen with comparatively small
telescope, and which strikingly recalls the
appearance of the belts of its giant brother
Jupiter. The astronomers have Only Just
begun the conquest Of these worlds.