Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-01-30
The starry Firmament.
NOTABLE EVENTS AMONG the PLANETS DURING FEB
RUARY.

Abridged from the Providence Journal.
Mercury Is evening star, and presents an appear
the naked eye. He reaches his greatest eastern
elongation, or greatest distance from the sun, on
the nth. He sets on the nth an hour and q half
after the sun, and may be found al that time, II It
be clear, eloudless evening" by careful observers
under the following conditions: Note In the h0ri-
afIer sunset Mercury will be visible about degrees
farther north. An opera-glasS will be or great aid
In the observation. BEFORE the 17tn he will be
farther south and nearer the sunset point. After
the 18th ne will be farther north and farther from
the sunset point.
saturn is evening star. He is In admirable posi-
ton for observation during the whole month, being
Ear enough above the eastern horizon TO be easily
recognized as soon as 10 is dark enough Tor the
stars 10 come out. He still forms a iangle with
the twin stars Castor and Pollux on the northwest
and Procyon on tn southwest.
Neptune Is evening star. He may be found about
o degrees south OF the Pieiades with good" teie-
scope
Jupiter is morning star Observers who have
followed his shining course during January Will
not need 70 be told how superb has been his ap-
pearance In the morning sky, as he anticipated
the lawn, his stay above the horizon constantly
iensthening as he moved westward from the sun
lie Is now lar away from his fair nval, Venus
though the two planets STILL form lovely picture
IN the ease before the approaching sun puLS out
their lesser light. On the 10Th Jupiter rises more
than four hours earlier than Venus. On the 24tn
he Is In quadrature with the sun on his western
side. As he then rises. about midnight he Will be
near sunrise. Observers OF the Starlit sky after
midnight Will behold a starry curve OF planets and
three nrsL magnitude stars marking out the eciip-
tic or suns path In the heavens. ne curve or arc,
though somewhat Irregular, Is made OF three
pl nets and three first ma nitude stars In the Ol
lowing order: ReguIus, Uranus, Spica, Mars, Jupi-
ter and AnLareS. Venus might be added TO The
list, but she Is now SO near the sun that when she
Is lar enough above The horizon to be conveniently
visible the other stars, with the exception OF Jupi
Ter, are lost In the morning dawn.
Venus Is morning star. she Is 81 II the brightest,
farest and largest Star tn & shines In the heavens
though her luster has grown perceptibly dim she
Is so FAR away from Us that her diameter is only
one-fourth as large IL was at inferior conJuac-
ton, but TO partially make up for IT, much larger
portion OF her Illuminated disc Is turned toward
Us she presents gibOous phase In the telescope,
Ike that OF the moon near the ful
Mars Is morning star. He Is u conspicuous OBJ
Ject, with his rudy hue and Inc easing brightness
while his near companionSnip with Spica adds adj
ditional interest 10 his appearance.
Uranus Is morning star, and with Mars and
-Spca form nearly equilaLeral triangle at the
ginning OF the month, but a very irregular one.
The February moon Iulls on the 27th. She Is In
conjunction with Uranus ON the ID, with Mars ON
the 3D. vita JupIIer the 5tn, and NJ her nearest
point 70 Venus Oh the SSh. Tnvugn the fair planet
and waning moon are not visible al the time or
conjunction, they Will make a charming picture In
the southeastern sky on the morning OF the 9th.
the moon then rises at 5h. l0,n IN, and We aus
shows her fair face above the horizon A. 4jn q.
H., two hours before the sun appears and spoiiS
the spectacle.