Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-07-04

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vENUsss evening star. coming 70 ths
ffort once more, and winning her lcgiti'
mats place At the head Of the planetrJ
roll. she is far enough advanced on
her eastward course to be visible to OBJ
servers who carefully study her posi-
ton in the heavens before making the
attempt 10 detect her presence. She
moves Il rspid pace during the month,
being, at its commencement, southeast
Of Castor and Pollux In Gemini, and, al
its close, little 10 the southeast oil
Rerulus ia Leo. No lover Of the stars
can. look unmovcd on this charming
planet, when, AFTER an absence OF eleven
months. she is FIRST seen in the evening
twilight, as. ssemulous with brightness,
she seems 10 fost on the golden
waves that sacceed the sunset. She
has won tributes Of admiration ever
since men began to study the stars.
The shepherds Of ASCENT times paid
such homage to her ",npassing beauty
that she was called the Star Of the
Shepherds, and was equally well known
Is Hespcrus and vcsper. The whole
world agreed in naming her for the
goddess Of love aud beauty, and she
also bears the proud titles Of queen OF
the stars and fairest Of the stars. Even
grim Calico, when he suspected her
phases, but was not sure OF the fact,
concealed his discovery in an ingenious
Latin transposition. This being truly
interpreted means =. The mother Of the
loves Venus initiates the phases OF
Cynthia 1.-THE moon).'
No better time can be chosen for fol-
lowing the movements OF our twin sister
planet than that when emerging from the
suns eclipsine rays she first appears
in the western sky. Such is her present
position. Once discovered, she is sure
Of being found on each successive night
oscillating eastward, growing more ra-
diant, and remaining longer above the
horizon. until, as the weeks roll on,
she becomes the fairest object in the
star-lit sky for hours after the sun has
sunk behind the western hills, reflect
ing his glorious radiance, and shining
far more brightly than the myriad stars
whose inherent light pierces the star
depths from distances of which infinity
is the measuring unit.
On the 18th, at 9 O'Clock in the
morning, Venus is in conjunction with
Mercury, being at the time ii minutes
north. This conjunction of the two in
ner planets affords good illustration
Of the great velocity with which Mer-
curry moves. Both planets are travel
ling from superior conjunction to east
ern elongation. Venus passed the for
mer goal on the 4th Of May, Mercury
on the 26th Of June, and yet the latter
now overtakes and passes the former.
On the 9th, at Is minutes after
o'clock in the evening, Venus pays her
respects to Regulus, or Alpha Leonis,
the bright star that lies in wait for the
planets. Star and planet will then be
in conjunction, Venus being | degree
10 minutes north. The stars attrac-
tion will not hold her long, for nothing
can stay her resistless course as she
bastens to oyertake the princely planet
who is then not far in advance.
The right ascension of Venus on the
LIST is 7 hours 81 minutes, her declina-
ton is % degrees 10 minutes north, her
diameter is 1914 seconds, and her place
is in Gemini.
Venus sets on the LIST about a quar-
ter after S o'clock in the evening; on
the 31st she sets about o'clock.
MERCURY is evening star, his course
lying near that Of Venus during the
month. His conjunction with Venus,
on the 18th, has already been referred
to. The planets are invisible at the
time of the conjunction, but on the
evening Of the 18th they will be near
each other. Venus is easily seen, and
Mercury, having then passed east Of
her, may be picked up in small tele-
scope. Both planets are in gibbous
phase, like the moon when passing
from the full to the last quarter.
On the Goth, at 2 o'clock in the
morning, Mercury is in conjunction
with Regulus, being IL south. This
star is thus in conjunction with two
planets ON two successive days. Star
and planet will be near each other on
the evening Of the Goth, and clear
eyed observers may pick Up the planet
on the east Of the star, if the evening
is exceptionally clear, for Mercury is
within few days Of eastern elonga-
ton.
The right ascension of Mercury on
the LIST is IN. 5m., his declination is
"a degrees Ii minutes north, his d.
ameter is s seconds, and his place is
in Gemini.
Mercury sets on the LIST soon after
halfpast ! o'clock in the evening; on
the 3lst he sets about s O'Clock.
JUPITER is evening star, and divides
the honors Of the July evening sky with
Venus. As their paths lead in opposite
directions, the former moving west
ward towards the sun, and the latter
moving eastward from the sun, they
must approach each other. The most
interesting planetary event of the
month will be to watch the gradual les
sening Of the space between them, aud
their proximity at the close Of the
month.
The right ascension Of Jupiter on the
LIST Is 10 hours 10 minutes, his declina-
ton is ii degrees "a minutes north, his
diameter is SIZE, and he may be found
IN the constellation Leo.
Jupiter sets on the LIST soon after 10
o'clock in the morning; on the 3lst he
sets at 81 minutes after s o'clock.
URANUS is evening star. He has
completed his passage Of seven years
through the constellation Leo and has
entered the constellation Virgo, where
he will be found for seven years to
come. He is almost stationary during
the month, moving slightly to the
southeast.
The right ascension Of Uranus on the
lxt is llh. 57m., his declinatien Is de-