Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-01-31

SIX mIil1On mllcs UeaItT ZIG otss'
at sphelion. This, of course, greatly
affects his appearance, but We must
wait until 1892 for the best Marian
condition or terrestrial observers.
The right ascension Of Mars on the
lst is lib. AIM, his defamation Is D
30 north. his diameter is l2".t, and
he is in the constellation Leo.
Mars rises on the Ist few minutes
before half-past 8 o'clock in the eve
ming; on the 2Sth he rises about b
o'clock.
MERCURY is morning star until the
oath. lie reaches superior conjunction
on the oath at 10 O'Clock in the morn
ing, when be becomes evening star. On
the 18th, at IL o'clock in the evening,
he is in conjunction with Venus, being
IL 90 south this is the sole planetary
conjunction of the month.
The right ascension Of Mercury on
the lst is ooh. 4m., his declination 2l'
54| south, his diameter is s., and he
is in the constellation Cspricornus.
Mercury rises on the LIST about half
past G o'clock in the morning; on the
2Sth he sets at quarter before 6 o'clock
in the evening.
NEPTUNE is evening star. lie is IN
quadrature on the SUMS eastern side on
the llth at 4 o'clock in the morning.
The right ascension Of Neptune on the
lst is 3h. 23m., his declination is To-
Az north, his diameter is Or. 6, and
he is in the constellation Taurus.
Neptune sets on the lst about a
quarter after / o'clock in the morning
on the 2Sth he sets at half-past ii
o'clock in the evening.
URANUS is morning star. On the
lst he is SIN. Of right ascension east of
Jupiter, and a little more than degree
south. lie may be seen as a star Of
the sixth magnitude by bright-eyed OBJ
servers.
The right ascension of Uranus on the
1st is l2h. 2Sm., his declination is >
degrees IL south, his diameter is
3".S, and he is in the constellation
Virgo.
Uranus rises on the lst at half-past .
O'Clock in the evening; on the 2Sth he
rises twenty minutes before ; O'Clock.
THE MOON.
The February moon fulls on the 18th
at III. l5m. p. NJ. She is in conjunc-
ton with Mercury on the ID at 3h. I'm.
P. NJ, being degrees "a north. Sic
is is conjunction with Venus on the 9Th
at In. SIN. p. NJ, being e degrees south.
The moon next draws near to Neptune
on the 1lth, at IN. l2m. p. NJ. being
3 degrees TO- south. On the l4th she
is in conjunction with Saturn, at 3h.
slim. p. NJ, being degrees 81 south.
On the Goth she is in conjunction with
Mars at In. l2m. A. NJ, being 3 de-
greeS so south. On the Goth she is in
close coDiuctien with Jupiter at Sh.
29m. p. NJ, being s. north. On the
DIST, at Oh. On. A. NJ, she is in con-
junction with Uranus, being | degree
IL north.
OCCULTATION OF JUPITER AND
URANUS.
Those observers whose position on the
esrth's surface is such that they see the
moon in her geometric position, or as
she appears when seen from the earth's
centre, will witness an occultation of
Jupiter. who. for months to come, keeps
closely in the moons track. They must
be on the dark side Of the earth at the
time, and between the limiting parallels
of43 degrees north and % degrees south.
Uranus will be occulted under the same
conditions, about four hours later than
Jupiter, to observers between the limit
ing parallels of SO degrees and 30 de-
grees north. In this vicinity there will
be close coDjunctions between the moon
and the planets instead Of occultations.
OCCULTATION OF ALDEBARAN.
The moon will occult Aldebaran on
the 18th, the phenomenon being visible
in Washington. The immersion Of the
star takes place at In. jm. A. NJ.
Washington Mean Time. The occulta-
ton continues 2Sm, and the immersion
takes place at III. 33m. A. NJ.
FEBRUARY
does not fail to present objects Of in
terest to lovers Of the stars. The
three planets, Venus, Jupiter, and Sa-
turn, play prominent parts on its starry
records. Venus, after her superb ca
reer as evening star, disappears from
the western sky only to reappear be-
fore the month closes, under the
opening eyelids of the morn" Saturn
is on the meridian before 10
o'clock in the evening, when the
month commences, and, after that
time. is beautiful to behold as
he pursueS his westward course
among the stars. Jupiter is superbly
brilliant as he makes his advent in the
eastern sky about the time that Saturn
reaches the meridian, rises majestically
towards the zenith, AID holds the scep-
tire OF the skies as Saturn SINKS out oil
sight. While Venus passes inferior
conjunction, Mercury fits round to
superior conjunction, thus illustrating
two important epochs in the move
ments Of the inferior planets. The
moon is rot to be outdone by her SUI
peiiors in the order Of creation, and
contributes her share to the entertain
ment of the month by occulting the
planets Jupiter and Uranus, and the
bright star Aldebaran for observers on
some portions Of the earth's surface.
The February full moon will be lovely
as she "runs high" in the heavens,
floods the (rost-bound earth with silvery
light, or casts blue shadows over its
now-coyeIed landscape. Thus planets,
moon, and stars unite in furnishing ma
terial for those who watch the course OF
the wondrous orbs that darkness reveals
to admiriDg eyes.
a Ten-NIiIiOn Gail.
WASHINGTON, January 29.-The