Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-05-02
OTHER WORLDS.
THE eLoBIEs or TEE HEAVENS DURING
MAY.
Movements Of the Principal Bodies-Jupi-
ter, Saturn, Mercury, and Nep-
tune-The Moon.
[ProrIdnnca Jonrnal.l

JUPITER Is morning star until the Zlst,
and then evening star. He takes the
foremost rank on the May records, for
throughout the month he is first in size
and first in brilliancy Of all the glittering
hosts of stars that bestud the sky. The
reason for his present precedence is his
opposition with the sun, that occurs on
the Dist Mt midnight. He is then ap-
parently as far from the sun as possible,
and as near TO the earth as possible. The
elimination OF his glory is reached as far
as terrestrial observation is concerned.
lie has 10 rival but Venus, and she is now
far from his path, hiding her diminished
head IN the bright sunbea'ns. Jupiter in
opposition is a sight that every lover of
the stars looks upon with q feeling Of
reverent admiration. There is some
thing majestic in this aspect OF his
course, when he appears in gorgeous ar
ray Ia the east as soon as the sun has
disappeared in the west, looks down
from the zenith at midnight, and treads
his starry path in the west, sinking be-
low the horizon as the sun rises rejoicing
IN the east Although he is not seen
| under the most favorable conditions, for
his path lies low down in the south, he
is beautiful enough 70 make US proud Of
! our gigantic brother as well as to make
us long 10 learn something more OF his
/ cncirciing atmosphere OF clouds, bis
| great red spot. his belts and bright
| spots. and the matchmaking process
now going ON while Lis primoyal fires
still burn. Jupiter contributes m
interesting incident 70 the monthly m
/ nails by his close conjunction with Beta
Scorpi. This event takes place on the
/ goth ct 10 o'clock in the evening. when
Jupiter is only south Of Beta. Planet
/ and star viii seem 10 Craze each other,
| for , is a very small line OF sky TO in
tervene between two heavenly bodies.
! The time OF the conjunction is convenient
| for observation, and Che actors in the eX-
hibIton are plainly visible 1t will be
an extremely curious conjunction to OBJ
serve with the naked eve, or an opera
! glass, and most Interesting in a telescope
where the star will seem 10 belong 10 the
rctinue OF Jupiter satellites. ThomCon,
two days after the first quarter, Will
slightly but not materially lessen the
brillaucy Of the exhibition. Jupiter
was IN conjunction with the same star on
January 9th, passing S south. He was
then moving eastward or in n direct
course. He is nov moving westward or
retrograding, and passes the same star in
bis progress, but is q nearer TO it. The
approach OF Jupiter towards Beta Scorpil
before the Goth will be plainly percepti-
bic, and also his recession from the star
after the Doth.
The right ascension OF Jupiter on the
LIST is lGh. SIN, his declination is 10 81
south, his diameter IS ~. I, and he Is in
the constellation Scorpio.
Jupiter rises on tue lst at Sh. 27m. |
T. NJ. On the 3lst lie sets at 3h. 4Gm. |
4. NJ.
Mars is evening star. lie is still a
conspicuous object in the starlit sky |
about f. northeast of Jupiter A fine /
opportunity is afforded during the whole |
month for contrasting the relative size |
and briliancy Of the two planets, Mars
being ruddy-hued and past elimination,
Jupiter being gOldcn-tlnted and shining .
with nearly his maximum brllliancy. |
The absence Of KrakRtoa dust from the
Auence upon Jupiter and Mars as well as
Venus both planets have been excep-
tionally brilliant as they have looked
down from the heavens on April nights,
especially from the blackness of the
midnight sky.
Mars contributes an interesting Incl
dent 10 the annals Of the month. AS IN
April be met and passed Spica, so in the
present month he meets and passes
Uranus. The conjunction takes place on
the 9th at ! o'clock III the afternoon,
when Mars passes 81 north OF SpicL
The relative position OF the two planets
will not have changed materially when It
is dark enough for them to become
visible, though Mars will then be lit
tie west OF Uranus. The larger planet
will be a guide to the position of the
smaller one, which is still visible to the
naked eye, and must be looked for8 -
q little more than the diameter OF the
moon-south OF his rudy neighbor.
The two planets are on the meridian at
the time of the conjunction, a few min
utos before 10 o'clock IN the evening.
The right ascension Of Mars on the lst
IS 12h 56m., his declination is 4 30
south his diameter is Is. -, and he is i'll
the constellation Virgo.
Mars sets on the lst at 3h. 43m. 4. VI.
On the 3lst lie sets al lh. 34m. A. VI.
URANUS is evening star. The two in
teresting events in his course are that
he is visible to the unaided eve and that
he encounters Mars for the second time
during the present year. His meeting
with Mars in the month OF May has been
already described.
The right ascension Of Uranus on the
lst is i2h. 53m., his declination is 4 50
south, his diameter Is 3. -, and he is in
the constellation of Virgo.
Uranus sets on the LIST at 3h. 3Sm 4.
NJ. On the 3lst he sets at In. 39m.
A. W.
SATURN is evening star He is still an
easy object for study as he appears Sc
-enely shining in tue western sky. He
IS moving eastward or in direct course.
'eceding from his former companions, 7
Castor, Pollux. and Procyon, and APP >
preaching the cluster PTacsepe. which Is (
-isible to the naked eye on clear, moon {
css nights. lie Is losing the prestige .
which has attended his course since 1883.
or his rings are sensibly closing around
lin, his northern declination is decreas-
NJ, and he is travelling towards aphe-
ion. These conditions will soon become
manifest in his lessening size and bril-
Iancy. although it will not be TIL about
he year 1000 that he will take on the
hull, murky aspect which made the
strologers of old rank him among the
,lanets Of i'll omen.
The right ascension Of Saturn on the
st is Sh. lin, his declination is 90 3S',
lis diameter is ~, and he is in the con-
tellatiOn Cancer.
Saturn sets on the lst Oh. Sim. A. NJ.
IN the 3lst he sets at 10h. 43m. Z. NJ.
MERCURY is morning star till the 10TH,
nd then evening star. He is in superior
injunction with the sun on the 10th at I
o'clock in the evening, passing then to j
be suns eastern side, and technically "
inking as evening star. All planets on r
ne eastern side OF the sun are evening !,
]