Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-12-09

Venus is EASILY seen at glance IN the sOnth-
western sky ~ soon as the sun has set. and
Mars. not visible Until IN hour later, Is The
small. ruddy star northeast 81 Venus.
The RIGHT ascension OF Venus on the ist IA
iab. lin. nor decliBstion IL 80 ~ south,
her diameter Is l9'/.S. aud she Is IN the con-
steiiailon sagitiNius.
Venus ct, Cd Tho LIT at On. 35n. +. NJ.
on the 3ist she sets a. IN. 4im. =. VI.
MARS IL evening star. His course during
the month isso closely connected with that Of
Venus that be wins the second place 90 the
December annals. The approach OF the two
rane,s has already been referred 70. The in-
creasing lustre of Venus and the waning
leht % Mars sre features o. Interest 10 OBJ
servers. The former ~ coming towards us,
the latter IL going from us. Mars. indeed,
Will be Of little account till he approaches
the opposition Of 1890, when 81 the best
telescopes in The world Will scau his rudy
surface searching for view OF the double
canals, submerged penlnsuiss, and new for
ms ions Of physical features. How iortu-
nate II is Tor Astronomical research that on
tie surface of one member Of the planetary
brotherhood the eve may discern with some
degree ~ certainty land and water. snow
md lee. raging storms, passing clouas, ana
twilight glow
The right ascension OF Mars IN the lst II
ooh. Sm., ms declinaiion IL 10 80 south, bis
diameter O, j''.G, and be is IN the constelia-
ton Capricornu'.
Mars SETS on the Ist at IN. 4sn. 7. NJ. On
the 3lst he sets 10 IN. som. i. M.
SATURN H. morning star, according n
astronomical classification, which includes
an planets on the western side O' The snn
swong the morning stars, and all planets on
ai al
the evening slars 4 natural clsssitl-
cation would include him among
the evening stars, for he rises before 10
O'Clock on the fst, and two hours earlier on
the 3ist. Saturn rises on the last day OF The
month fourteen minutes before Venus sets.
Both planets NAV, therefore. be seen shove
The horizon for q short time Saturn rising 10
the east and Venus sinking In the west. The
observer needs IN ugobsiructed view OF the
and southwestern horizons IN
order TO behold the advent Of one planetaud
the exit Of the other.
Saturn, after moving eastward or IN direct
motion for several months, is stationary du-
ring the greater part Of December, ana then
begins o retrOgrade or move astWest. lie
+, easy 10 find about 70 northwaTd ~ Regn-
lu,. the bright star in the handle OF the
sickle.
The right ascension Of Saturn on the lst IL
Oh. 32m., bis doc'instion j. l50 So north, bis
diameter "a 17/>.s aud he is IN the constells-
ton leo.
saturn rlscs on the 1st at Oh. 33m. p. NJ.
90 the olst be rises a. IN. 30m. +. ".
MsHcraY is morning star TIL the 2Stb, and
then EVENING star. lio ia in superior con-
Junction with me sun on The 2S.h at 2h. j.
81. Wu,n passing beyond the sun and seem
ingly Joined 10 him be commences again one
az bis swift circuits around the great CEN
trM mmmsry, completing his revolution
snd coming 10 The same point IN
relation % tue sun and the Garth
10 llG d0ys, moving IN hs oiblt
with the incOnceiyable velocity on thlrty
mi.cs iu second The mean solar beat re-
cciscd RI Mercury IS nearly seven times rs
great as That Of the earth. The mean inten-
siiv ~ pa, light is seven times NJ great az
ours. and tue solar orb seen from his sur
face looks seven times as large as It does to
Ms. Human beings organized as We are
would not end The smallest u the planets
desirable place 10 visit.
The right ascension ~ Mercury on The lst
ls 100. 3gm., his decliOati0n "a lSo 81 SCUM,
Dis diameter is ~, and he il in the cOnslella'
ton Libra.
Mercury rises on the 1st at 5h 4Gm. A. NJ.
on the 3l,t be- sets AZ Al. 2Om. +. 81.
NEPTUNE 81. evening star. His night a.
cer,iou on the ist is 3h. 5jm., his deelinaiion
is $50 81 NORTH. ms diameter 2.NG, and he -
in tbe constellation Taurus.
Neptune sells on the lst At Oh. ON. A. ri.
on tir 3lst hc sets az An. An. a. n.
URANUS Is morning star. HIS right asoen-
sion 600 the lst is i3h. Tim, his declnation
OIL, - ~ south. h. diameter ]. S".6, and he
isin the constitution Virgo.
Uranus rises on The lst at IN. 43m. A. NJ.
on thc 3l,t &c rises at on, 5lm. A. VI.
JUPITER T. evening star until The Sih
ana then morning star. On the Sth, at
On. p. W., hc is in conjunction with the
sum. p4sgng 20 his western side and COM
meuciug hls course Is morning star His
roya head for time lies low. he no
LONGER shines among the stars. Our
gigantic brother succumhs 10 the suns
al-u9Wcrful rays. his glowing lace u
hidden iu The sunbeams. He Is, how
ever. M irrepressible member Of the solar
bmilv. and at lhc close II the month he
energies from bis scclusion, rises about On
hour and quarter before the sun, and may
be found I'm The southeast when the morning
hight is breaking. He PLAYS a part in the only
planetary conjunction OF toe month, Tor, tra-
yelling eastward, be encounters Mercury ira.
yelling westward. Tie planets meet and pass
ca b other ON inc fll|TilAi Inai GU tut A ttu ~
Ia. A. ~, Jupiter being 10 north.
The rieht ascension OF Jupiter on the lst
rs lGh. 5Sm., bis decliuanou Is 22' lG' south, !
his diameter * 30", and he Is IN the c0nstel-
latiou Opninchus.
Jupiier sells on the 1st nj All. 3jm. p. VI.
on tue %lst he rises at On. sion. A. VI.
Mercury, Venus. Mars, aud Neptune are
evening stars vt the close OF the month. !
Jupiter Uranus, aud Saturn are morning |
stars.
THE MOON.
The December moon fulls on the 18th at
Jh. 41m. A. ~. The waning moon, the dav |
before her change, is In conjunction with |
Nlcrcur, ON The 81, at 3h. 4jm. a. NJ, beng |
81 ~ north The new moon, when hut six |
hours old. rs in conjunction with Jupiter on |
The 50 at Ia. 3Sm. \. NJ, being . So north. |
She is IN conjunction with Venus on the 9th, |
"a, 3d.. 54m. T.. NJ, being 20 4 north. |
Moon aud evening star will then be /
lur t. see. She makes close con-
junction with Mars on The 9th at |
90. Pom. i. NJ, being ~ north, little |
less Than BALI the diameter of the moon. |
Shei IL a, her nearest point TO Neptune on /
he IAN At lob. 33m. T. b.. beng % 26> |
south. The mnoa IS Ia conjunction with !
ssiurn on the 23d at In. An. A. NJ, being /
10 So north. She is az her nearest point 10 |
Uranus on the 2Ith at Oh. 3Sm. A. NJ, |
being b. l<uorth. Our satellite completes |
her monthly work in relation to the |
planets by second conjunction with Jupi- |
Ter on the 3lst at On. ON. A. Nj, being % II
north.
December Is generally considered the most |
.hecrless month Of All the year Ia our belt Of /
Inc earth. There are, however, cOmpensa-
ions Tor an conditions. II holds In its hand /
The shortest dly, but il also bestows the first |
blessed moment Of increased sunlight, the 4
pledge that The sun haS turned bis smiling 4
face uorthwards. aud though The rem OF VIM
Ter will be long and Jealous the resurrection /
81 nature VIII surely follow. The Pagan ma
lions 81 antiquity were near 60 nature when
.hey made The winter s0stice the high fesli-
sal OF the year, and celebrated its advent
with every form Of merriment and thanks
giving IA their power 10 devise.
December leaves Us with a blessing, for on
he las, day OF It's reign the SUI is in pert
gee. or at IT, nearest point 70 the earth
:. 900. 900 miles nearer than he wss in July.
" ben an object is near il looks larger than
" hen il is FAR away, and this is the case with
he sun, for his diameter for eyeTY day IN
he year is accurately known. On Decem'
Der 3lst he diameter is S2> ST.. On July