Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-05-02
PLANETS FOR MAY
THE TELESCOPES.
The Movements and Positions OF the Frihe''
pa, sedies-yeuus the Observed OF All oo-
wrvers--Neptune and His Course
tprovtdence Journal.l


race as evening star. On the Atm, al
midnight, an event occurs in her career
that gives her a prominent place on the
annals of the month. She is IN supe-
rior conjunction with the sun, passing
beyond the sun, making her advent on
his eastern side, clinging closely to him
for a time, and hiding herself in his
brilliant rays. AS the weeks roll on
she will emerge from her seciusion'
shine with fitful glow in the golden
twilight, and, before the summer
wanes. will be the loyeliest OBJECT IN
the western evening sky, while winter
will commence in earnest before she
reaches her point Of greatest distance
from the sun. No true lover OF the
stars can gaze unmoved upon this beau
tiful planet, as, like a golden bead
strung on an invisible wire, she oscil-
lates eastward from the sun until her
goal is reached on the sth OF December,
and then retraces her steps towards the
great orb to whom she is linked by
chains lighter than gossamer, but inde-
etruct;ble as the material universe it.
self. -,
Observers who watch closely the
movements Of this radiant star VIII
readily perceive the oscillations east
ward and westward from the sun, Tor
such is the appearance she presents to
spectators on the earth. in reality
Venus and the earth are both revolving
in elliptical orbits around the sun, as
would be plain if observers could take
the great luminary for a standpoint.
Venus being nearer the sun than the
earth. moves faster, and makes
smaller circuit. The earth moves slower
and makes a larger circuit. The
former. travelling 81 miles in second,
completes a revolution in 225 days.
The latter, travelling Is miles in Sc
cond, completes a revolution IN 800
DAYS. Thus our nearest planetary
neighbor, and her twin-sister, the earth,
move on in their appointed paths,
Venus all the while gaining upon the
earth. A time must come when the
two planets and the sun will be in line
with each other. as is the case with all
the planets in the system. This point
will be reached on the 4th.
Mathematician give the exact fig
ures. When Venus has made two en-
tire revolutions and six-tenths OF third
one. and when the earth has made one
entire revolution and six-tenths of a
second one, a superior conjunction Of
Venus will take place. She requires
5s4 days to accomplish this feat. 1t Is
therefore called her synodic period. and
represents the time that elapses be-
tween two consecutive returns to supe'
rior conjunction. The same law holds
in regard to inferior conjunctions.
Venus. then. on the 4th is in superior
conjunction, rising and setting. at th'
same time with the sun. She IS in lint
with the sun and the earth, the SUI
being in the middle, is at her greatest
distance from the earth, invisible as sh'
passes beyond the sun, and invisible
for some weeks to come, being hiddeI
in the sunbeams. 90
Although at present we may not be
hold the fairest Of the stars with tn
physical eye, it is none the less sur
that she is coming towards us; tha
she will before long be visible in tn
west as evening star, and that she vii
throw a spell over the summer eve
nings with her soft, dreamy beauty
She is lovely as in the morning SIX.
she heralds the suns approach II
the glowing east, and even dares t
shine in his majestic presence. She l
more lovely, in our view, as IN th
evening sky, she slowly sinks in sff
west, increasing in brilliancy as tn
shadows deepen, outshining the myria
twinkling hosts in the armament, an
reigning with gentle graciousness a
their acknowledged queen. But we al
ticipate the coming glory Of our siste
planet, for during the month Of Ma
she can only be seen by the eye
fancy while she makes her way eartf
ward amid the blaze Of sunlight tn;
encircles her.
Venus, on the llth, moving eastwar
from the sun, pays her respects to Nel
tune moving westward towards the SUI
The two planets are then in conjun
ton, Venus being | degree l5/ north.
The right ascension Of Venus on th
1st is Oh. 39m. her declination is
degrees So north her diameter is l0"..
and she is in the constellation Aries.
Venus rises on the lst few minute
before 5 o'clock in the morning; on II
3lst she sets 90 minutes before
O'Clock in the evening.
NEPTUNE is evening star until Il
18th, and then morning star. On Il
18th, at MONDAY, he is in cOnjunctic
with the sun, passing to the suns ives
ern side, and commencing his course |
morning star. He is the first of Il
giant planets to reach the goal, thoug
the other members Of the qusrtette wi
follow his example in due time. 1t
we'll to note the difference between Il
conjunction ofa superior or outer plan
and the superior conjunction of an i
ferior or inner planet, as illustrations
both incidents occur within few da,
of each other during the month. In Il
former case, that Of Neptune, he pass
from the suns eastern side to his ives
ern. In the latter case, that Of VeEu
she passes from the SUMS western SIT
to his eastern. Venus being the first
pass the goal, or beyond the sun, mu
, meet Neptune Fastening to the sar
goal. As I'VE have seen, the planets pa
each other or are in conjunction on {
llth.
t The right ascension Of Neptune I
the lst is 3h. 22m. his declination is
degrees Az his diameter 2".5, and
is in the constellation Taurus.
Neptune sets on the lst at half-ps
, 7 O'Clock in the evening; on the 81
he rises at half-past 3 o'clock in t
morning.
JUPITER is evening star througho
the month. His course is marked