Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-08
STAR-GAZING.
MOVEMENTS OF THE PRINCIPAL
PLANETS III JANUARY.
Saturn, Venus, Mars, Mercury, and xep-
tuns-Total Eclipse Of the Moon
Stirring Events.
Providence Journal.l

Providence Journall
SATURN is morning star until the 23d,
and then evening star. He comes to the
front on the January annals, for he
reaches the important goal in his course
that is of the deepest interest to terres-
trial observers 4; no Is then nearest to the
earth and under the best conditions for
observation. This epoch is his opposi-
ton with the sun, which takes place on
the Odd at 8 o'clock in the morning.
Our ring -girdled brother planet is then
in straight line with the earth and the
sun, the earth being in the middle. He
passes at this time from the western TO
the eastern side of the sun, rises when
the sun sets, is on the meridian at mid
night, and sets at sunrise. He is easily
found, as he forms q triangle with
Pollux on the northwest and Procyon on
the southwest. He is approaching these
bright stars, for his course is still! retro
grade or backward on the celestial track.
Saturn reigns alone as evening star, Tor
Uranus is barely visible, and Neptune IS
never seen by the unaided eye. Star
gazers will find it easy as well as enloya-
bic TO observe this beautiful planet, as
he comes into view in the northeast
as soon as it is dark enough for the
stars TO appear, note his course rs
he rises TO the zenith, and If enthusl-
astic enough to waken from slumber
follow his course as he descends west
ward in the small hours of the morning.
The opposition OF Saturn in 1888 is by
no means so glorious as was that OF 1888,
when he was in perihelion, in his highest
northern declination, and his rings were
open TO their widest extent. At present
he is travelling towards aphelion, moving
south, and his rings are slowly closing.
Therefore, every year at his opposition
he will present less brilliant appear
ance until about the year 20O0, when, at
aphelion, he reaches his minimum size
and brightness. Those who saw him at
the opposition of 1885 will long remem-
Der his radiant aspect.
The right ascension of Saturn on the
1st is 8h. 29m, his declination is 1872 80
north, his diameter is 1872, and he IS In
the constellation Cancer.
Saturn rises on the LIST at quarter
after 6 o'clock in the evening; on the
3lst he sets at SO minutes after 6 in the
morning.
VENUS is morning star. The great
event in her course during January Is
her conjunction with Jupiter. This event
takes place on the %, at II o'clock in
the morning, Venus being then II 81
north. The planets are invisible at the
time OF conjunction. IL they are OBJ
served on the morning of the I'd they
will be near together, and Venus will be
west of Jupiter. If they are observed on
the morning of the 4th Venus will be
east of Jupiter, thus showing that the
two planets have met and passed each
other on the celestial road. The
planets rise at conjunction at the same
time. about a quarter before 4 o'clock.
! Venus is still moving eastward towards
I the sun, and rising later every morning.
Observers will see that the distance be-
tween her and the sun is constantly
/ lessoning. At the close of the month
she rises only two hours and q half
before the sun. So bright has been
! her aspect on the morning sky
| that some observers, more fanclful
than wise, have had firm faith that she
was the "Star OF Bethlehem, instead OF
our radiant and nearest celestial plane
tary neighbor. The Star of Bethlehem
has thus far failed to appear, and has
been visible only in the Imagination OF
the observer. If the variable star IN
Cassiopea should suddenly blaze forth
astronomers would be the first to hail Its
advent and point out its position. But
as vet there are no signs OF the return OF
the radiant star that appeared in 1872.
The right ascension of Venus on the
LIST is 15h. 3Sm., her declination is l6-
4OI south, her diameter 1878. and she
is in the constellation Libra.
Venus rises on the 1st about quarter
before o'clock in the morning or
the 3lst she rises at 36 minutes after
o'clock.
JUPITER is morning star. His con
junction with Venus on the I'd has
already been referred to. Observers
who noted the approach of Jupiter ant
Venus in the early mornings of Deem
Der, on the southeastern sky, will be
equally interested in seeing them recedt
from each other in the starlit mornings
in January. The planets are side by
side on the ID on the 3lst Jupiter rises
two hours and quarter before his fail
neiphbor. He is recediug from the sur
and approaching the earth. She is APP
preaching the sun and receding from
the earth. He is growing brighter
while her radiance Is becoming dim.
The conjunction of Jupiter and Bets
Scorpii is an interesting event IN hi
course. The conjunction takes place OIL
the 24th at G o'clock in the afternoon.
The conjunction is a close one, for Jupi
ter is then only g south of the star
about one fourth of the moons diameter
Beta Scorpii is star of the second mag
nitude. it is double star, and the tele
scope separates it into two companion
stars, one being pale white and the othel
lilac. The planet is in conjunction will
the larger of the two constituents. The
conjunction is invisible at the time of it:
occurrence. but planet and star will bC
near each other on the mornings OF the
oath and 25th.
The right ascension of Jupiter on the
1st is l5h. 42m., his declination Is Is
AZ south, his diameter is 81, and he il
in the constellation Libra.
Jupiter rises on the LIST about quarter
before 4 o'clock in the morning; on the
3lst he rises about quarter after
O'Clock.
MARS is morning star. Heis in quad
nature with the sun on the 9TH at
o'clock in the morning. As after tina
event he rises before midnight, and ha
passed beyond the halfway house in hi
progress towards opposition, he will be
come an object of interest to observers
Astronomers will soon turn their tele
scopes towards his ruddy disc il
search of his moons, his double canals
his polar caps, and the other fea
lures that throw so much interes
around our Marian neighbor. Thos'
who wish to find the ruddy planet vii
see him rising in the southeast about
midnight on the LIST, and about II o'clocl
on the last of the month. He is in con
junction with Spica on the 18th, beinS
about 80 farther north. On the 9th, a
Q o'clock in the afternoon, he is in con
iunction with Uranus, being 10 4V north