Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-02
srIDwrNrER PLANETS.
some of the Principal Astronomical
Events in February.

Events In February.
February does not fail to present objects
OF interest to lovers of the stars. The
three planets, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn,
play prominent parts in its starry
records. Venus, after her career as even
inS star. disappears from the western sky
only to reappear before 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 COM
mences, and, after that time, pursues his
westward course. Jupiter is brilliant
as he makes his advent in the
eastern sky about the time that
Saturn reaches the meridian.
Venus is evening star. She still holds
her place at the head of the planetary
roll, and during the month appears both
as evening and morning star. On the
18th, at , O'Clock in the afternoon, she is
in interior conjunction with the sun,
passing, like the moon at new moon, be-
tween us and the sun, and reappearing
| on the suns western side to commence
her course as morning star.
Jupiter is morning star. He ranks next
In interest to his fair rival. The planet
makes his appearance, almost due east,
at $3.50 in the evening on the fret Of the
month, rising earlier every evening, until
on the last day Of the month he comes
bounding ABOVE the eastern horizon at
1880 O'Clock. Four bright stars now form
a starry curve or arc that may be easily
traced late in the evening. The four stars
are Regulus, Mars, Jupiter aud Spica in
the order mentioned. Regulus may be
known as the bright star IN the handle OF
the Sickle, and the other three are readily
recognized. Uranus is at little distance
southeast of Jupiter, and is coming into
nOna pOGfffnn fA ha NTH 10 al
eye as a star of the sixth magnitude.
Saturn is evening star. He ranks the
third in interest on the celestial calendar
for February.
Mars is morning star. At least, he is
so ranked in astronomical calculation.
On the lst he rose about $3.50 O'Clock in
the evening. He is an interesting object
for observation, shining with a rudy tint
in striking contrast with the golden light
OF Jupiter, with whom he may now be
favorably compared. On the 9th, Mars is
in sphelion, his most distant point from
the sun. AS the earth is not far distant
fiOm perihelion, the two planets will con-
sequently be nearer together, and this
will be apparent in the brighter face of
the planet. Mars has the most eccentric
orbit Of any of the planets excepting Mer-
curry. At periheli0n he is 26, 900, 900 miles
nearer the sun than at aphelion. This, of
course, greatly effects his appearance,
but we must wait until 1892 for the best
Marian conditions for terrestrial OBJ.
servers.
Mercury is morning star until the oath.
BE reaches superior conjunction on the
oath at 10 O'Clock in the morning, when
he becomes evening star. On the 18th at
IL O'Clock in the evening be is in cOniunc-
tion with Venus, being IL deg. q min.
south; tAis is the sole planetary conjunc-
ton of the month.
Neptune is evening star. He is in
quadrature on the SUMS eastern side on
the 18th at O'Clock in the morning. Nep-
tune sets on the 1st about :l5 O'Clock in
the morning; on the 18th he sets at II 80
O'Clock IN the evening.
Uranus is morning star. On the lst he
is 5m. of right ascension east of Jupiter,
and little more than l deg. south. He
may be seen as a star of the sixth magni-
tude by bright-eyed observers. Uranus
rises on the 1st at $3.50 O'Clock in the eve-
ming; on the 18th he rises 20 minutes be-
fore O'Clock,
Those observers whose position on the
earth's surface is such that they see the
moon in her geometric position, or as she
appears when seen from the earth's Gen.
tire, will witness an Occultation of Jupi-
ter. who, for months to come, keeps
closely in the mcsn's track. They must
be on the dark side OF tbe earth at the
time, and between the limiting parallels
of 43 deg. north and % deg. south. IRA
nus will be Occulted under the same con-
ditions, about four hours later than JUpi-
ter, to observers between the limiting
parallels of 8S deg. and 50 deg.
north. In this vicinity there will be close
coujunctions between the moon and the
planets, instead OF occultations. The
moon will occult Aldebaran on the 18th.
The immersion of the star takes place at
1:O5 a. m, Washington, and the occulta-
tiOn continues 2Sm.