Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-29
THE PLANETS.
WHAT TIE HEAVENS WILL SHOW IN
FEBRUARY.
The Movements Of the Principal Bodissf-
An Eclipse OF the sun
The Moor.
Providence Journal.l


MERCURY is evening star. He wins
the first place on the planetary records
of the month, as he is In excellent cofidi-
ton for observation with the naked eye
during it's progress. He reaches his
greatest eastern elongation, or greatest
distance from the sun, on the 18th, at 9
O'Clock in the morning, and is at that time
18o Z east OF the sun. He is easily visi-
bic to those who know where TO look for
him when at eiongation, and for week
before and after. He sets on the 18th
en- hour and a half after the sun, and
NAV be found at that time if it be clear,
cloudess evening by careful observers
under the following conditions Note
in the horizon the sunset points, and
three quarters of an hour after sunset
Mercury will be visible about s. farther
north. An opera glass will be of great
aid in the observation. Before the 18th
he will be farther south and nearer the
sunset point. After the 18th he will be
farther north and farther from the sun
set point. Mercury, as evening star, is
beautiful enough TO repay the observer
for the trouble required in finding him.
The right ascension of Mercury on the
1st is oh. AIM, his declination is15o 49,
south, his diameter is so, and he is ia
the constellation Capricornus.
Mercury sets on the lst at oh. 42m. p.
NJ. On the 29th he sets at Oh. I'm.
Z. NJ.
SATURN ia evening star. He is in adj
mirable position for observation during
the whole month, being far enough
above the eastern horizon to be easily re-
cognized as soon as it is dark enough for
the stars TO come out. He still forms a
triangle with the twin stars Castor and
Pollux on the northwest and Procyon on
the southwest. AS his motion is now re-
trograde, or backward, he Is slowly APP
preaching these stars, and will continue
to do SO until the last of March. Many in
teresting stars are found in the portion OF
the sky where Saturn now wends his
vande ring course. Besides the triangle
already alluded to, the equilateral tri-
angle made up OF Procyon, Sirius, and
Betelguese shines brilliantly to the south
west the nebulous cluster Prae sepe lies
east of the planet, visible to the naked
eve on clear nights, and resolved into
stars with the aid of an opera lass and,
later in the evening, the constellation
Leo comes up further east, with It's lead
ing brilliant keGulus, and its starry Sickle
piercing the sky-depths. Those who
have access to telescopes should not fail
to obtain a view OF this planet of surpass-
ing loneliness, with his retinue OF rings
aud moons.
The right ascension OF Saturn on the
LIST is Oh. 19m., his declinatiOn is 20o 10
north. his diameter 1872, and he is IN
the constellation Cancer.
Saturn sets on the LIST at Oh. 33m. A.
VI. On the Doth he sets at 4h 37m. A.
VI.
NEPTUNE is evening star. He is in
duadrature with the sun, on the eastern
side, on tho 10th, at 7 o'clock in the
morning. He may be found about 60
south of the Pleiades with good tele-
scope, and is an interesting object, when
the instrument brings him to view, as a
tiny disc OF delicate blue color
The right ascension OF Neptune on
the 1st is 3h. 42m., his declination is l70
81 north, his diameter is 2".6, and he is
in the constellation Taurus.
Neptune sets on the lst at In. 49m.
a. NJ. On the Goth he sets at llh. 59m.
L. NJ.
JUPITER is morning star Observers
who have followed bis shining course
during January will not need TO be told
how superb has been his appearance III
the morning sky as he anticipated the
dawn, his stay above the horizon con-
stantly frightening as he moved west
ward from the sun. He is now far away
from his fair rival, Venus, though the
two planets still form lovely picture in
the east before the approaching sun puts
ont their lesser light. On the 18th Jupi-
terrises more than four hours earlier than
Venus. On the oath be is in quadrature
with the sun, on his western side. AS he
then rises about midnight he will be a con-
spicuous object in the sky from that time
tin near sunrise. Observers of the star
lit sky after midnight will behold a starry
curve OF planets and stars marking out
the ecliptlc or suns path in the heavens.
The curve or arc, though somewhat
irregular, is made up OF three planets
and three first-magnitude stars in the
following order: hegulus, Uranus, Spi-
ca. Mars, Jupiter, I'd Antares. Venus
might be added TO the list, bnt she is
now so near the sun that when she is far
enough above the horizon to be conve-
niently visible, the other stars, with the
exception of Jupiter, are lost in the
morning dawn.
The right ascension of Jupiter on the
1st is 16h. 3m., his declinaton is l9o so
south, bis diameter is 1874, and he is in
the constellation ScOrpio.
Jupiter rises on the LIST at Oh. I'm.
A. NJ. On the Goth he rises at 12h. 40m.
A. NJ.
VENUS is morning star. She is still
the brightest, fairest, and largest star
that shines in the heavens, though her
lustre has grown perceptibly dim. She
is so far away from us that her diameter
is only one fourth as large as ii was at
inferior conjunction, but to partially
make up for il much larger portion OF
her ilumined disc is turned towards u.s.
She presents a gibbous phase in the tele-
scope like that of the moon near the
full. Onthe lst Venus is very near Mu
Sagittarii, one of the stars in the bent
bow of the Archer, Just lowering
on a rich portion of the Milky Way.
She rises at that. time Oh. 2lm.
before the sun. At the close OF
the month she is much nearer the sun,
rising only III. 25m. before bin. The
months are approaching when the falrcst
of the stars will cease to form charming
feature in the morning. dawn, for she
will be hidden from view In the sun
beams. The January morning dRwns
have been surprisingly beautiful,
crowned with the presence OF Venus and
Jupiter. shining brightly when the other
stars have disappeared and remaining
easily visible until within half an hour
of sunrise. The February mornings will
also repay the observer for the effort re-
quired TO study the starry picture that
is painted on the dark azure of the skies.
The right ascension OF Venus on the
1st is lsh. I'm, her declination is 90
So south, her diameter is 1874, and she
is in the constellation Sagittarius.
Venus rises on the 1st at 4h. 37m. A.
NJ. On the 29th she rises at 4h. Sim.
A. Nj.