Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-12-04


venus closes her record as morning star on the
hf.t OF the month, and commences her reign as
evening star Oh the I'd at IL O'Clock in the even
ing. she Is then In superior conjunction with the
sun, passing beyond the great luminary and reap
peaIing on his eastern side 10 fuii her appointed
course as evening star. Hencciorth she viii shine
AFTER sunset IN the west, inst cad OF before sunrise
in the east. She viii not be visible during The
present month, Tor the simple reason that she Is
Ridden IN the suns intense brightness. She is,
however. travelling eastward from the sun, .'frle
as the needle to the pole" In about SIX weeks
she will be far enough away from him To b..
visible 10 bright observers lust after sunset and
the beauty OF the star Heating on the tremulous
waves OF light that follow the suns departure Will
repay the dingent watcher for the trouble re-
QuIleu
Mercury Is evening star until the Sd and morn
ing star for the rest NJ the month. On the 3D. at
O'Clock In the morning, he is in inferior contunc
ton with the sun, passing between the earth and
tie sun, appearing on his western side as morning
star. Venus and Mercury, therefore, present OppO-
site phases at almost the same time.
Saturn Is morning star. II Venus and Mercury
claim precedence for the interesting epOchs that
enliyen their course Saturn stands unTfvaled on
the December annals for his beautiful appearance
among the stars and for his highly favorable posi-
1on Tor observation; He reigns alone In the even
ing sky. Venus and Mercury are hidden In the
sunlight, Mars is barely perceptible and Jupiter
illGminateS the morning Sky. Saturn when the
m0nJh commences rises at O'Clock, and is visible
rograde during the mOnth-that Is, he Is appa-
rently moving westward. The bright planet
shines with serene light, and can be recognized
at glance In the eastern sky In the early evening"
with the twin stars Castor and POiux on the north
and PrOcyOn on the south.
Jupiter is morning star. Observers OF the east
ern sky soon after , o'clock In the morning In the
early part OF the month viii behold the advent OF
the princely planet, when he will come looming
passes that OF any other visible star. The first
magnitude star near Jupiter is Spica.
Mars Is evening star. lie sets nearly two hours
after the sum- but he has dwindle,i to mere point
and is difficult to find in the western sky. He
must 6e locked for near the brightest star in the
bowl OF the inverted dipper Ia Saasittalfus, low
down in the southwest an hour after sunset.
Uranus is morning star. Very bright eyes will
discern his presence three degrees south OF Gam
the asteroid Vesta. good telescope will Ike es-
sential for the best observation the giant planet
ana its small nelghb0r.
THE SUM-
During December the days continue to decrease
until the 18th. They then remain of the same
length until the 10Th, when there is IN increase OF
one minute. On the 1st the sun rises at Ga. 54m
a. H.. and sets at III. lem. p. H., making the day
l4In. a. m. aud sets Al. .,ln. p. H., making the
day Oh. On. long. Thus on the last dag OF the
month, the day Is 1hn. shorter THAI IL was at the
the 18th, then remain without change for the
eight following days, and then the program
changes. The sun turns his face northwards, his
extreme point OF southern declination, :3 degrees
"a minutes, has been reached, and the first proof
of his returning steps is given In the three addi-
the daylight on the last day OF the year.
THE WINTER soLsrIcE.
This joyful r1me-mark accounts for the new
state Of events It receives its name, as is well
known, from two Latin words meaning the sun
stands still. On the 21st at O'Clock In the after
noon the sun enters the sign caprtcOrpus, and the
astronomical winter begins. The sun Just grazes
the trOpic Of Capricorn and his southern progress
longer, the sunrise and sunsets point will no
longer move southwark, and the SUMS meridian
altitude Will no longer decrease In the north tenn
perate zone HenceIOrth storms may lower temp
est rage and cold CONCEAL us, but the sun has turn
ed his face n0rthwards, the dominion OF ice and
| snow is conquered, and every revolving day draws
US nearer to the hour when winter and spring Will
embrace each other. The winter SOlStfce does not
herald the advent OF the christian year, neither
is its record accepted on the annals Of the civil
| the natural year. In the olden times and in
the poetic. ages OF a ruder civilization the
nasues Their year began when ' the sun
had reached his greatest southern declination and
| turned his course TO bless the northern nations
OF the year to their simple natures the long anti
| cipated hour when, with music, dancing and fes-
tive offerings they paid homage TO the rude Deities
| drawn from the depths OF the primitive forest.
Every wayfarer bowed reverently as 1t passed, for
he knew that in its fires all old wrongs and heart
cause the liquor TO flow In the waSsau bowl The
Druds gathered the mistletOe from the sacred oak.
OF the mfcivilized world arose universal thanks
giving in every heart was aroused feeling OF de-
pendsnce upon higher powe1 whose anspisiSus
offerings and propitiatory SACRIFICES
In the strange blending OF Christian and pagan
cur Christmas and New Years festivities, ouI
thanksgivings for vastly greater privileges are nc
more heartfelt, our religious vows are no more sin
cere, and our modern cOnventi0nAlisms no nearer
to nature than were the simple faith and trusl
symb0lized in the observances Of the olden times