Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-07-31

kAoaVS0xy o00 MeteOtA0 KAo0On000
for August.
From the Providence journal.
Jupiter Is evening star. He still holds the
highest rank among his brethren, and will be
fair to see during August in the early evening.
It may be called his last appearance ON the
evening stage, for when September makes its
advent he will be % near the sun that 1t will
take bright eye to pick him up In the twi
light. Jupiter sets on the LIST ct quarter after.
O'Clock in the evening; on the 31st, he sets at
halfpast O'Clock.
Uranus is evening star. The noteworthy
event in his course Is his conjunction with Ju-
takes place, he will be lett to move ON alone in
MS slow course. AS the three planets who
nave been close companions for several months
are an moving eastward, he will be west OF his
brethren, Will be nearest the sun, and the first
70 reach conjunction. Uranus is still visible to
sharpsighted observers about % southeast of
Jupiter on the LIST, and may be easily found
with the aid of marine glass. Uranus sets on
the lst, few minutes later than quarter after
y o'clock In the evening; on the 31st he sets
Mars is evening STAR He is travelling east
ward at rapid pace, and increasing his dis
lance from Jupiter. The ruddy planet is a
nvely member Of the solar fraternity during
august. Mars sets on the LIST about quarter
before 10 clock in the evening; on the 31st he
sets at halfpast o'clock.
Mercury is evening star until the 10th. On
mat GATE he reaches inferior conjunction at
USioSh III Iuc AternOOn. lie Is tneu between
the earth and the sun, the three heavenly
bodies being almost in line, Mercury passing to
the suns western side and making his advent
as morning star. Mercury sets on the LIST about
half-past o clock in the evening: on the 31st
ne rises quarter before O'Clock i'm the morn
ing gsn,, :. 49,.
close con- junction with Saturn on the eighth at
~ CLOCK In the morning, when she Is only l.
spaee s n ser Sro.ner planet One minute OF 81
we could see the planets at their nearest point
OF approach their rays would be SO blended
that they would seem to touch each other.
If their paths touched a little more closely
we could witness the rare phenomenon
OF the occultation OF one planet by another.
ets Will be near together on the morn
Ing OF the Sth, when they will rise at about
MAJ , o'clock more than two hours before
morning of the 9th the position will be re-
versed, Venus being east of Saturn. The meet
ing between the planets is easily explained.
Venus is approaching the sun aud saturn is re-
ceding from him. Therefore they must pass
each other. Venus rises on the LIST at quarter
rises about quarter after B o'clock.
Saturn is morning star. The noteworthy
event in his course is his conjunction with
Venus. to which attention has been called. He
mas emerged from his seclusion In the SUM-
beams, is coming towards us, and increasing in
size. AT the close Of the month he rises four
hours before the sun, and holds a prominent
place among the morning stars On the 4 tn
ne is In conjunction with Delta Geminorum
Neptune is morning star. On the Goth, at 9
O'Clock In the evening he is in quadrature on
the suns western side, his journey from con-
Junction to opposition being just half ac-
complished. At the close of the month Uranus,
Jupiter and Mars are evening stars; Neptune
Saturn; Venus and Mercury are morning stars
Neptune rises on the 1st soon after half-past IL
O'CLOCK In the evening; on the 3lst he rises soon
after o'clock.
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE.
total eclipse of the sun occurs on the Goth,
nl, ,.,;D1 l. HI
eclipse in the southern part of New England
commences at the Isthmus of Panama crosses
the northern part OF South America and some
ocean in southeasterly direction. strikes the
coast of Africa near Bensuela, and ends in
Madagascar. The conditions for observing it
the total eclipses OF 1888 and 1855
when the lines of totality passed almost
entirely over the Southern Pacific ocean.
Doubtless astronomers will be on hand at
many points to observe the eclipse. In
Boston the eclipse begins at Oh. lem. a. M,
"a little more than an hour after sunrise). con-
tinues Ppm, and ends at Oh. 3Sm. a.. m. 1t is
SO slight that it will hardly be noticed unless
ahe eens is directed to it. The mas9tnde of
and 1t is on the suns south limb.
AUGUST METEORS.
The best behaved of all the meteor streams
holds its anniversary on the 10th, and the few
days preceding aud following. The Tears
OF ST. Lawrence, IL Is called, because it makes
its appearance on the day sacred to the
memory OF that August saint. We call this
zone the best behaved of the family because
the fiery rain never fails to fall and no one is
disappointed who looks skyward when the
shower is due and the clouds are kind.
The tiny atoms OF which it is composed
are sure to impinge against the earth's
atmosphere, burst into yellow stars, and de-
scend with trains OF silvery light. The August
meteOrs consist of a swarm OIL particles follow.
ing comet II, 1862, in its orbit. The disinte-
grating process has been carried on SO long that
the debris of the comet are nearly evenly scat
tered throughout the gigantic ellipse i'll which
they wander. One extremity OF the zone
extends far beyond Neptune. The earth
encounters this meteor zone on the 10th of
August, and countless meteors falling from
the skies attest the fact that the
earth is then plunging full tilt through the
swarminS atoms. Last year there was AN I'M
usually nne show of the Persids, as they axe
called. 1t is we'll to be on the watch Tor the
coming occasion, for such is the uncertainty OF
operations in the cometic family, that q grand
outburst Is not impossible at any time. There
lore observers should diligently watch the
sky and the constellation Per-
seus, the radient point about which the meteors
meteor zone as surely as she turns upon her
axis, and, ii the merry shower is unusually bril-
liant, observers will be on hand to see the exhi-
bitlon and count the meteors as they fall. Only
those that start from Perseus are Persds. The
sky is aglOw with other meteor streams, radi-
atlng from other consultations, for more than a
nllllOn meteorS, large enough to be visible to
The naked eye on u dark, clear night, fall from
The SKY every twenty-iour hours.