Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-04-01
PLANETS IN APRIL.
A STUDY or THE BEAUTIES or THE
HEAVENS.
The Sun, the Earth, and Mars-Ths Move
ments Of Other Bodies
The Moon.
Providence Journal. ]

full realization of his short-lived supre-
macy. Mars in opposition isan imposing
sight as the planet dons his robes OF
fiery red, and impresses the beholder with
his aggressive air and warlike bearing.
Our celestial neighbor presented the same
aspect that We now describe to observers
when astronomy was in its infancy,
thousands OF years ago, and for this rea-
son was honored with the name of Mars,
the god OF war. No other star that glim-
mers in the celestial concave so well de-
serves the title. 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
straight line with the earth in the centre,
and when the sun sets Mars will soon az
ter 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 telescope facilities
The observer who desires to study Mars
at his best must wait till 1892, when the
planet is near perihelion and the earth
near aphelion. The two planets are
then about as near as possible, or IS, 0OO,-
600 miles apart. Even with the most
powerful telescope not much can be seen
at such q distance. The division of land
and water, the snow-capped poles, the
clouds. the curious and unaccountable
double canals, and the two tiny moons
nearly exhaust the list Of terrestrial OBJ
servatioRs thus far recorded.
DR.. Langley, says an observer on the
moon, under tho best telescope coadi-
tons, might perceive such an army as
Napoleon led 10 Russia If it moved IN
dark, solid column across the snow; it is
barely possible that one of the largest
ocean steamships might be seen under
very favorable circumstances as a moving
dot and it is probable that such a con-
! hagration as the great fire OF Chicago
would be visible in the lunar telescope as
a reddish star on the night side of our
planet.
The mean distance ofthe moon is 2iO,-
600 miles. The least distance OF Marsis
35, 600, 900 miles. The possibility of de-
tecting any proof Of the existence Of life
on our outer planetary neighbor, with
our present means of observation, is not
encouraging. None the less do we hope
that the telescope of the Lick Observa-
tory will win renown by picking up
couple Of moons or solving the mystery
of the double canals at the present Mar
tan opposition.
Mars will be beautiful to behold du
ring the whole month. showing his ruddy
face in the southeast as soon as 1t IS dark
enough for the stars to come out, and
shining with respendent lustre during
nearly the entire night. He Is approach
ing his bright companion, Splca, and
on the 18th will meet and pass the star
after that time being west OF and re-
ceding from the star.
The right ascension Of Mars on the
LIST is 13h. 37m., his declination Is
% south, his diameter is l6', and he IS
in constellation Virgo.
Mars rises on the LIST at IN. Am. ?. NJ.
He sets on the Both at3h. 4Sm. A. M.
URANUS is morning star until the 18th,
and after that time is evening star. HIS
opposition with tho sun occurs on the
4th, when he changes 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 olassed as morn.
ing stars An opposition to Uranus bears
no comparison in Importance with an
opposition OF Mars, or Jupiter, or
Saturn, but it brings him to his
nearest point to the earth and makes it
possible to obtain glimpse OF him as
star of the sixth magnitude. The I'M
aided human eye can actually perceive
the smallest of the four giant planets as
he slowly treads his appointed path, al
though when nearest, as at present, he
is I,745, 600, 600 miles away. Clear
sighted observers Will find Uranus on
rloonless nights about g. northwest of
Spica and II southwest Of Theta Ylr-
ginis.
The right ascension Of Uranus on the
1st is 12h. 5Sm., his declination is - ~
south, his diameter is 3. -, and he is IN
the constellation Virgo.
Uranus rises on the lst at Oh. I'm. 2.
NJ. On the 3Oth no sets at Oh. Ann.
A. NJ.
SATURN is evening star. His course
during the month, as well as that OF Mars
and Uranus, is marked by an epoch. lie
is in auadrature with the sun on the 18th
at 4 o'clock in the morning. At that
time he is near the meridian at sunset,
and after that 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
bis path, is moving in direct course or
eastward, and is again approaching
Prasepe, the small cluster in Cancer.
The right ascension of Saturn on the
1st is Sh. Sm., his declinahon is 2O' 49,
north, his diameter is II. 3, and he is IN
the constellation Cancer.
Saturn sets on the LIST at Oh. 2Sm. A.
NJ. On the Both he sets Oh. BIN. A. NJ.
JUPITER is morning star, or rather is
classed as morning star, because he is still
on the western side of the sun. BE is
evening star in reality, for he rises be-
foro IL o'clock on the LIST OF the month
and before 8 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. Jupiter Was
superb IN the small hours of starlit
mornings in March, as he shone with
radiant luStre amid the DflguJ SEitS Ol
Scorpio He will be brighter in April
and will rise at more convenient hour
for observation. He is now retrograding
or moving westward, and is therefore re-
ceding from Antares, being about 30
northwest Of the star ct the close OF the
month. The three bright planets that
play the part of evening stars IN April
have each bright companion. Jupiter
has Antares, Mars has Spica, and Saturn
has Pollux and ProcyOn.
The right ascension of Jupiter on the
1st is 16h. 1Sm., his decllnation is 200
% south, his diameter is 80. "S, and he
is in the constellation Ophincus.
Jupiter rises on the LIST at 1Oh. Bonn. p.
NJ. On the 30th he rises at Sh. 3lm. z.
NJ.
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 LIST and 33m. before him
on the Beth. She is in conjunction with
Mercury Oh the 18Th at midnight, being
Mt that time IL TO- south.