Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-03-28
Planets io tprit.


From the Providence Journal
Mercury is evening star until the 27th. when
ne becomes morning star He comes 10 the
front on the planetary records, easily winning
the place OF honor for he is the only member nf
the suns family who contributes interesting
incidents 10 the annals of April, the month
being specially uneventiul and menotonous as
regards The movements OF our usually lively
and active brother and sister planets Mercurv's
course is marked by three events The most
noteworthy To Terrestrial view is his greatest
EASTERN eipngatlon. This event occurs on the
sth. al % clock I'm the morning when Mercury
Is l9' % east OF the sun. II l. the best oppor-
tunity the year affords for sight OF Mercury as
evening star with the unaided eve
The smallest and swiftest OF the planets will
h 6e a charming object Ia tie early evening sky
| rom the beginning TO the n ddle of April No
other planet Is like him. Not fixed star in
| the sky can be compared 10 him in brllliancy
when seen under the same light, unless IL NAV
be sirius, which he somewhat resembles, shin
| ing with brilliant white light, though we have
sometimes seen him take on golden aspect
and often rosy hue. Easily as he may be seen
in this latitude, IL is almost impossible TO de-
tect his presence IN the central and northern re-
gions of Europe. IL was a lifelong sorrow TO
Copernicus that he never had a glimpse OF the
swift-footed planet that travels dearest the sun
"a, Aeaaetty Is The prominent CHARACTERISTIC Of
the smallest OF the planetary broi herhood The
most painstaking observer has not succeeded
in finding out the cause OF the undue accelcra-
ton OF his perihefon point, and IL is generally
conceded that the science OF astronomy has M
present 40 means capable of solving the prob
small planet or planets revolving nearer the
sun than himself though astronomers have
travelled many Thousand miles, hoping to dis
cover intra- Mercurial planets during a total
solar eclipse, and he manages 10 keep the secrets
OF his physical organization hidden within his
ohs a0msn or m the S. dense that
with certainty little more about him than
when the telescope was inst invented. Anna
teur astronomers with ordinary telescopes have
seen bright spots on his surface indicating an
aXial rotation OF about twenty-four hours.
biunted cusps or horns interpreted as due TO the
shadows OF mountains eleven miles high; a devi-
alton from spherical form; and even a hole
through the center. Practical astronomers, with
the most powerful telescopes I'm the world. fail
TO see these marvels on the disc of our feet-
footed brother, and give little credence TO them
Nearly all that is known OF Mercury may be
summed up In a few words he has phases
like the moon. At eastern eloncation he an
pears like half moon, before that time he Is
glbbous, after that time he takes on q form of a
crescent These are his phases while evening
star. The same changes occur ia reversed
order while he Is morning star.
Jupiter is evening star. III Mercury wins the
first place for the number OF incidents he con-
tributes TO enliyen the annals of the month.
Jupiter deserves high rank for the splendor OF
his appearance in the nocturnal sky. He is
first and foremost for size and briliancy among
the starry host, an object beautiful TO behold "a
he makes his way over the celestial road fol-
lowed by his twinkiing attendant, Regulus
Planet and star Keep at about the same distance
from each other during The month, Cor Jupiter
Is in stationary aspect and varies little in his
bearings, 1t is well TO enjoy the present beam
tends 10 the south. and he is approaching the
apbelion OF his orbit. Six years must interyene
before he seemingly completes the circle OF the
perihelion and greatest northern declination
Saturn is evening star, and holds his court In
before it is dark enough for him to be visibel
and sinking below the western horizon before
like Jupiter, is nearly stationary during the
month
Neptune is evening star He is very near the
q first nf he f<xtrs -
disappear below the horizon.
Uranus is evening star. There is nothing
12m. east and So north of Eta Virgins, a third
magnitude star in Virgo, having changed bis
position but Little since his oppostIOn ne may
telescope view is more satisfactory.
Venus is morning star, though nearly lost to
sight She is very near the sun, and will soon
pass beyond the great orb.
. Mars is morning star, receding slowly from
tine sun and S the earth AZ The
before the sun.
THE NOON.
The April moon fulls on the Goth, at fourteen
minutes after i O'Clock In the morning The
waning moon is In close conjunction With Mars
and Venus on the 18th, the day before her
change. She is at her nearest point to Mercury
and Neptune on the 10th, In conjunctiou With
Saturn on the 18th, with Jupiter on the 2sd
functions in her April circuit are not note
worthy, for they are either invisible or moon
lestial road
Our fair satellite, however, gets up a charm
ing exhibition on more southern belt OF the
earth's territory between the limiting parsalels
of go north and 3so south latitude. She occuIts
the planet Venus, on the 14th, at O'CLOCK in
the afternoon. The close conjunction occurY1na
in this vicinity, for moon and planet are then
only g. apart, becomes In the more favored beh
OF the earth's domain q beautiful occultation.
The slender cresct n, only ten hours before new
moon, occults the fairest Of the starn - thai
are in turn hidden in the blaze of sunlight
Conjunction and occultation are, Therefore in
visible TO the naked eye, and in this respect we
are as well on as our southern neighbofn The
phenomenon may be observed With the ca Of
Ing glass the brilliant planet may be followed in
full Gay light, vi she is nearly ready 70 pa8 b.
yond the great luininAxy.