Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-01
THROUGH THE TELESCOPE.
STUDYING lUoUsr PLANETS.


4 essssssss Dssssss-vssws shs Evsn'ss
Mar Jspsser ana enc ssssn.
Providence Joernai.l
VENUS ~ evening star. She easily
wins the FIRST place on the August plan.
stary annals, for she has fully entered
upon her period Of visibility, and Is one
Of the chief actors In the incidents that
Diversity the month, taking prcminen'
past In Ave Of them. She is in conJaac-
zion with three planets, star, and tne
moon. Venus will be, thoutqucstion,
the most interesting star in the heavens
lfom the present time until the emu %
The year for the distance between
the planet and the sun is constantly IN
cseasing a. she osciliates on her east
ward course farther from the solar do
main. This movement viii continue
until the sth Of December, when reach
ing her greatest elopgation, or most
distant point from the sun, she CON-
nencss to retrace her steps towards the
great central orb.
Therefore one Of the most charming
pages Of planetary lore, written in cha
rscters Of gold on the blue vault that
cncircles the earth, is unfolded on
moonless nights for the observation OF
the student Of the stars.
Unfortunately, our sister-planet does
not take on at present her most favor
able aspect on account OF her rapidly
increasing southern declination.
Intelligent observers have not failed
TO notice that the further south the sun
is the shorter is the path he describes
in the heavens, and consequently the
shorter the day. For the same reason
when Venus is far to the south OF the
equator her path in the heavens fol-
lows the same law, and her stay above
the horizon is correspondingly les
sened. The result is that though the
distance between Venus and the sun is
constantly increasing, she sets only
about an hour after the sun through
august, September, and part OF
October. On the LIST OF November she
sets two hours later than the sun, and
on the LIST Of December the winter sky
will be beautiful from her bright pre-
sence for three hours after the disap-
pearancc Of the sun. But as the twi-
light shortens with the shortening days,
and the brilliancy and size Of the eve
ming star increase with her approach to
the earth, she will he more easily seen,
and will be far more lovely while the
autumnal months fulfil their course,
On the LIST Of the month there is only
q difference Of ten minutes in the time
Of setting of Jupiter and Venus, the
former being the farther east. This
difference in time quickly vanishes, in
the onward march Of Venus, for, on the
9th, she oyertakes Jupiter, the con-
junction taking place at o'clock in the
morning, Venus being 26| south. The
planets will be below the horizon when
at their nearest point, but they will be
near enough together on the evening of
the sth to form lovely picture in the
glowing twilight. On the evening of
the 9th the planets will have changed
places, Venus being then on the east.
On the sth, at 10 o'clock in the after
noon, Venus is in conjunction with Mer-
curry, being at the time 3 degrees AZ
north. 1t will be remembered
that on the 18th Of July the same
planets were in conjunction. They were
then both moving eastward, and Mer-
curry. the swift-footed, overlook and
passed his fair rival in the race. He
has since reached his eastern limit,
and, retracing his steps, again meets
and passes Venus as he draws nearer to
the sun. Hence the two coDjunctions
included within so short space Of
time.
On the Gath Venus, still moving east
ward, encounters the third planet. IRA
nus is the fellow actor in the scene.
They meet at Q o'clock in the morning,
Venus being l3/ north. The fair eve
ming star then proceeds unnolested on
her course without meeting brother
planet for the rest Of the year.
Venus not contented with paying her
respects to Jupiter, Mercury, and IRA
nus, draws near on the 10Th to Beta
Virgins, star Of the third magnitude
in Virgo, the planet being at the time
"a north.
The right ascension Of Venus on the
LIST is l0h. 24m., her declination is III
degrees So north, her diameter is
1l".G, and she is in the constellation
Leo.
Venus sets on the LIST soon after 8
O'Clock in the evening; on the 3lst she
sets at 1880 o'clock.
JUPITER is evening star. We award
to him the second rank, as this is the
last time in which he will hold the
place of evening star during the present
year. Before the month closes his
bright presence will be missed among
his peers, for he will be eclipsed in the
suns rays on account Of his near ap-
proaeh. He must therefore be left to
pursue his invisible course, while his
belts, spots, and clouds will for time
be hidden from terrestrial telescopes.
He does not bid the earth's domain
good-by without mingling in the events
Of the month.
On the 4th, at 4 o'clock in the after
noon. Jupiter is in conjunction with
Mercury, being at the time 2 degrees
80 minutes north. Bright-eyed observ-
ers may be fortunate enough to pick
up the largest and the smallest Of the
planets in near neighborhood, for Mer-
curry should be visible about this time
to the naked eye, and Venus follows
closely on the track Of both. The con-
junction Of Jupiter and Venus on the
9th has been described.
On the eth, at 6o'clock in the morn
ing, Jupiter is in conjunction with Mer-
curry for the second time in the month.
being Q degrees l. north ut the nearest
point. The explanation is the same as
In tho case Of Venus. Mercury having
arrived at his eastern goal, on retracing
h.s steps, overtakes the more stately
and tlower-moving planet.
The right ascension Of Jupiter OF
/ the LIST Is 10 hours Al minutes, his do
clination is Q degrees %, north, hi
d diameter 10 30", and he is in the con
stsilation Leo.