The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-05
THE PLANETS IN APRIL.
The Starry Heavens During Springs
Second Month.


Mars is morning star until the 18th, and
then becomes evening star. Mars in opposi-
ton is an imposing sight as the planet dons
his robes of fiery red, and impresses the be-
holder with his aggressive air and warllke
bearing. The opposition of Mars, the great
epoch in his course occurs on the 18th, at /
o'clock in the morning. The sun, the earth
and Mars are then in a stright line, with
the earth in the center, and when the sun
sets Mars will soon after be seen rising in
the southeast. The opposition, though
favorable, does not bring our neighbor
within his nearest range-an event SO much
desired in these days of increasing tele-
scopic facilities.
Uranus was morning star until yesterday,
and after that time is evening star His
opposition with the sun occurred yesterday,
when he changed his quarters from the
suns western side to his eastern. Planets
on the eastern side of The sun are classed as
evening stars and planets on his western
side are classed as morning stars. An OPP
position to Uranus bears a comparison in
Importance with an opposition to Mars, or
Jupiter, or Saturn, but it brings him to his
nearest point to the earth and makes it pos
bic to obtain glimpse of him as star of
the sixth magnitude. The unaided human
eye can actually perceive the smallest of the
IOuT Bldilb pldneIS us he SLOWLY IGPduS HIS
appointed path. although when nearest, as
at present, he is /, $4,000 900 miles away.
Clear-sighted observers will find Uranus on
moonless nights about IS northwest of Spica
and l. southwest of Theta Virgins.
Saturn is evening star. His course dur
ing the month, as well as that of Mars aud
Uranus, is marked by an epoch. He is in
quadraUure with the sun on the 18th, at
O'Clock in the morning. At that time he is
ha linn of neat nj aftn fha@
time he will be found in the western sky,
setting not far from midnight. He is no
longer retrogradlng or moving westward,
but has changed his path, is moving in a
direct course or eastward, and is again APP
preaching Pr9esepe, the small cluster in
Cancer.
Jupiter is morning star. or rather is
cIassed as morning star, because he is still
on the western side of the sun He is even
ing star in reality, for he rises before II
o'clock on the first of the month, and before
9 o'clock at its close. The April evenings
will, therefore, be honored by the presence
of this gem of the SKIES as well as with that
of the less brilliant Mars and Saturn. Jul
piter was superb in the small hours of star
lit mornings in March. as he shone with
radiant luster amid the bright stars of
Scorpio. He will be brighter in April, and
will rise at a more convenient hour for OBJ
serTaton. He is now retrograding or NOV
ing Westward, and is therefore receding
from Antares, being about g northwest of
the star at the close of the month The
three bright planets that play the part of
evening stars in April have each a bright
companion. Jupiter has Antares, Mars has
Splca, and Saturn has Pollux and Procyon.
Venus is morning star. There is little to
be said of her course during the month, for
she Is so near the sun as almost to be lost
to sight. She rises som. before the sun on
the lst and 3Sm. before him on the Both.
Mercury is morning star. Since his
western elongation on March so, he has
moved eastward, approaching Venus and
overtaking her on the 18Th.
Neptune is evening star. His position in
the sky varies so little from month to
month that it is scarcely perceptibls in a
short time, but it is well to keep track of
all the planets.
The April moon fulls on the Goth, at III.
22m. a. m.
The sun rose on the 1st at Sd. 29m a. m.
and set at Oh. lin. p. M, making the
length of the day 1871 42m The sun rises
on the 30th at Al. Ann. a. m. and sets at
Oh. 43m. p. m, making the length of the
day 14h. The increase in the length of the
day is therefore 1h. 18h. The increase in
the morning is 46m. and in the evening
| 32m The day at the close of April is 4h.
52m. longer than it was when at its mini
mum length.