Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-07-04
ASTRONOMICAL.
soxkrH1Ha ABOUT THE HEAVENLY
BODIES IN JULY.
Their Movements and Appearance as
Seen Through the Big Telescope
The Sun in Apogee.
Providence Journal

Providence Journal
SATURN is evening star until the Sd,
and becomes morning star after that
time. On the Sd at 0 O'Clock in the
evening he is in conjunction with the
sun, and is no longer seen grazing the
evening sky. lie is "joined" to the
sun, as the word conjunction implies.
Passing then beyond the sun, he re-
appesrs on his western side, to run his
course as morning star. He will be
hidden for time 10 the SUMS bright
rays, but on the last of August will be
a beautiful object in the eastern sky
before sunrise. Saturn will be greatly
missed in the immense congregation Of
stars that now assemble night after
night in the grand audience cham
ter of infinite space, for under
bis present condition he is a
shining light among the celestial fra
tsrnity, and gives living aspect to the
stately sssemblage. He, unlike the
:winkling mysteries that surround
him, is always on the move. No one
would suspect to look upon him that
he is shining with borrowed light,
while his far-away companions in the
starry vault are suns, piercing the vast
depths with inherent light. But other
consultations have taken the place in
the western sky of those among which
ne wandered through the winter and
spring. The summer stars are lovely,
even without his serene presence, and
We are as sure of his return to greet our
waiting eyes as we are that the sun will
rise and set and that day and
night will succeed each other for ages
yet TO come. Nothing Of note occurs
TO vary Saturn's monthly routine. He
is in direct motion, therefore his right
ascension is increasing he is moving
southwark, therefore his declinatiOn is
decreasing. lie meets neither planet
nor conspicuous star, and G en- the moon
passes the ringed wonder Of the skies
at a respectful distance.
The right ascension of Saturn on the
LIST is Oh. SON., his declination is d.
81 north, his diameter is 1916, anu
he is in the constellation Gemini.
Saturn sets on the LIST about quarter
after o'clock in the evening; on the
3lst he rises a few minutes before 3
O'Clock in the morning.
MARS is evening star. On the lst Of
the month he is between Jupiter and
Uranus, and retains this position, re-
cediDg from Jupiter and apprOochin'
Uranus until the 9th, when he is m
conjunction with Uranus. The event
takes place at 9 O'Clock in the morning,
when Mars is 81 south Of Uranus. a
small telescope will show the planets IN
near neighborhood on the evening of the
oh, when the ruddy color of the larger
planet will form a pleasing contrast
with the delicate sea-green hue Of
the smaller one. The planetary In
terest of the month clusters again
around the three planets, Jupiter, Mars,
and Uranus, as they meet and part on
the celestial track. 1t will be remem-
bered that on the 2Sth Of June Mars
overlook and passed Jupiter. On the
9th, eleven days later, he oyertskes and
passes Uranus. The three planets are
all in direct motion or moving east.
ward, and as Mars moves the fastest and
they are near together, it is inevitable
that be should pass his brethren in the
race.
The right ascension Of Msrs on the
LIST is l2h., his declinationis OBI north,
his diameter is re, and he Is IN the
constellation Virgo.
Mars sets on the lst soon after Il
o'clock in the evening. On the 3lst he
ssts at quarter before 10 o'clock.
URAN Us is evening star. Although
he is still visible to observers blessed
with good visual powers, it is growing
more difficult to pick him up as he re-
cedes farther from the earth. lie may
be found near the star Eta Virgins, a
short distance south Of it. Planet and
star may be seen in the same field with
the aid Of marine glass, the vicinity
Of the star making it easier to detect
the tiny planet, which, from its exceed
ing distance, appears as star Of the
sixth magnitude barely visible to the
naked eye.
AS the approach Of Mars and Jupi-
ter was one Of the prominent interests
of June, so will the approach of IRA
nus and Jupiter be an event of interest
in July, though less conspicuous. On
the LIST the two planets are 50 apart
on the 3lst they are ." apart. A
comparative estimate Of their present
rate Of travel gives the result that IRA
nus has moved eastward during the
month o. AS, and Jupiter has moved
eastward in the same time g 45/.
The conjunction Of Uranus and Mars
has already been noted.
The right ascension Of Uranus on the
LIST is l2h. Ism, his declination IS
o. 81 south, his diameter is 3".4, and
be is in the constellation Virgo.
Uranus sets on the lst about quar-
ter after ii o'clock in the evening on
the 3lst he sets quarter after .
o clock.
JUPITER is evening star. Unlike
the other planets, increasing distance
seems TO have little effect in dimmins
the lustre Of his shining. lie is al
most as superb an object in the west
ern sky at present as he was SIX
months ago in the eastern sky, when
be made his first appearance as evening
star, and now his reign in this r6ie
its close. Mars continues
to outstrip him. On the 2Sth Of June
the two planets were in conjunction
at the close of the month they will be
over 'l20 apart. The increasing dis
..nca bafyaaD fhaun will ha annarent