Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-02

| fonno, and close beside the spot inui-
Gated Neptune appeared, differing only
from the faint stars around him by the
possession Of q disc. Similar incon-
gruiiies have been found in the move
ments Of Neptune, indicating the ex-
istence of still another planet, which,
on account of its amazing distance, It
will be 4 work Of infinite labor to pick
up. The difficulties in the way have
not deferred enthusiastic laborers in
this field from attempting the accom-.
plishment of the task. Mr.. Todd, Of
The Lawrence Observatory at Amherst,
has awakened fresh interest in the
subject by the publication Of memoir
of his search for the trans-Neptunian
planet. lie has firm faith in its exist
ence, and feels sure that be has fixed
upon the portion Of the sky where
the iar-distant planet will eventually
be found. Professor Forbes, in in
dependent researches on cometary
perturbations, reached identical results.
Five years have since passed, and the
planet has not been seen, but Mr.. Todd
is firm in the faith, and hopes much
from the aid of photography in mapping
out the region in question. He calls
upon those who have time, enthusiasm,
and the necessary appliances to aid in
the search. In order to aid workers in
this field Of research, be has published A
record Of his observations Of the region
indicated that were made with the great
telescope Of the Naval Observatory at
Washington. Here is a chance for an
aspiring amateur to make a discovery
that will immortalize his name; for
new planet added to the suns family is
an event Of SURPRISING interest, by the
side Of which new comets and asteroids
by the hundreds are Of no account.
The right ascension Of Neptune on
the lst is 3h. 27m. his decllnation is
II degrees IL north; his diameter is
2/.G, and he is in the constellation
Taurus.
Neptune sets on the LIST at half-past
9 O'Clock in the evening on the Both
he sets about quarter before O'CLOCK.
SATURN is evening star. lie makes
a brilliant appearance in the western
sky, and may be found nearly midway
between Castor and Pollux on the
northeast and Betelguese on the SOUTH
west. lie has resumed direct motion
since the LIST of March, is retracing his
steps, and is again approaching Mu
Geminorum, the third magnitude star
that he was in conjunction with on the
10th of January, when planet and star
were only l5| apart. lie will be in
conjunction with the same star on the
23d few minutes before 2 o'clock in
the morning, being at that time 10
north Of the star.
The right ascension of Saturn on the
LIST is Oh. 9m., his declination is % de-
grees 40, his diameter is l7".2, and
be is in the constellation Gemini.
Saturn sets on the stabout a quarter
before | O'Clock in the morning; on the
Both he sets few minutes before |
o'clock in the evening.
URANUS is evening star, and is still
near enough to Jupiter to be easily
found with the telescope, and is nearly
in his best position for being seen with
the naked eye. The planet must be
looked for almost at an equal distance
from the stars Gamma and Eta Vir-
ginis, the only bright stars in the neigh
borhood. Uranus is little farther
south.
The right ascension Of Uranus on the
LIST is l2h. 2lm., his declination is !
degree 81 south, his diameter is BIS,
and he is in the constellation Virgo.
Uranus sets on the lst at hali-past 3
o'clock in the morning; on the 3Oth he
sets about half-past o'clock.
Mercury is evening star until the Sth,
when he joins Venus in the morning
sky. On the Sth, at | o'clock in the
evening, he is in inferior conjunction
with the sun. After that time Venus
and Mercury are morning stars; Nep-
tune, Saturn, Mars, Jupiter, and Uranus
are evening stars.
The right ascension Of Mercury on
the LIST is In. 22m., his declination is
9 degrees 4G' north, his diameter is
l0", and he is in the constellation
Pisces.
Mercury sets on the LIST soon after !
o'clock in the evening; on the Both ne
rises about 4 o'clock in the morning.
TIE MOON.
The April moon fulls on the 18th t
Oh. som. A. NJ. She is in conjunction
with Mercury on the 4th, the day OF
her change, at Oh. sim. P. NJ, being
6 degrees 2j| south. She next draws
near to Neptune, on the 7th, at Sh.
35m., A. NJ, being 3 degrees l3/ south.
On the 10th she is in conjunction with
Saturn, at Oh. sem. A. NJ, being de-
grees "a south. On the 18th she is at
her nearest point to Mars at III. SIM.
p. NJ, being 3 degrees Az south. On
the 10th, she will be in close coDunc-
ton with Jupiter at Oh. Am. A. NJ,
being 29> south. The conjunction will
not be visible, but Jupiter and the
moon approaching conjunction will
form lovely picture on the celestial
canvas. On the l6th-the same day
the moon will be in conjunction with
Uranus, at 5h. SIN. P. NJ, being So
south. On the 30th seven minutes
after midnight the moon and Venus
are in close companionship. the moon
being l9> south Of the planet. The
waning crescent and the bright morning
star will be near each other when they
rise on the morning of the Goth, and
their course can be followed even in the
sunshine by those gifted with good
visual power, the moon serving as 9
guide to the position Of the planet.
OSCILLATIONS.
1t will be noticed that Jupiter
Uranus, and Venus are in close con
junction with the moon. These planet;
are all osculted by the moon in parts o
our planet more favorably situated fol
sight of the beautiful phenomena
Jupiter is occulted on the 10th for the
fourth time this year. Uranus is also
occul,ed on che 10th for the fourth
time, and Venus is occulted on the 3Oih
for the second time. Aldebaran, the
I fret ppituda star in Taurno &c ~.