Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-07-14
PLANETS In JULY.
lprovidsncs JournsLl

| rior conjunction with the sun on the nth at
2 r. NJ, when she will pass beyond The sun
a little TO the north, at distance OF about
3V from the suns upper limb. An observer
with q good telescope may be able 10 see
! her when close 10 the sun. but pracficed
eve will be needed n attain success. Venus.
after superior conjunction, passes to the
/ fun's eastern side, and commences her course
- evening stsr. moving eastward from the sun
aud approaching The earth. Observers may
/ hope IN about two months TO behold the
most beautiful OF eli the stars shining Sc
reuely in "eyenine's Hight OF amber" but
| she must be looked for soon after sunset, and
/ her stay above the horizon will ne very
short As the weeks pass she Will grow
| brighter and set larer, until IN the winter
months 4; will be the lOyeliest star that looks
/ down from the mighty Grmament. Venus
| + beautiful when she Is the harbinger OF the
suns approach in the morning SKY. She is
beautiful and much more conveniently stu
ated for observation when, after The
sun has disappeared and The twilight
| has faded, she shines in the evening
sky az fairest OF the stars. The progress OF
| this fayorite star during the month IL not
without incidents thatar interesting, though
! invisible. she Is In conjunction With Mercury
while morning star on the stu at MONDAY,
being 30 32> north. She Is 10 conjunction
| with Saturn when evening star on the 9th
at Sd. A. NJ. being 3J north.
The right ascension Of Venus on the 1st Is
/ Gu. SSm., her defamation Is 28o 49, north,
! her diameter is 0,S', and she Is la the con.
stelatiOn Gemini.
Venus rises on the lat at 4b. I'm. A. NJ.
! On the 3ist she sets at IN. 22m. j. NJ,
Mars Is evening star. He Il In quadrature
with the sun on the AL at %. z. NJ. is tben
on the meridian at sunset, aud will be In ex-
celent position for observation during the
whole month. he is In conjunction with
! Spica on the 80, being 10 32' north, and after
| that time will leave his bright companion be-
/ hind, Ne he moves eastward In his course and
| hurries on t. overtake Jupiter, the lessenlng
distance between the two planets being
perceptible as the month passes. The
| canals OF Mars were carefully observed at
his last opposition, on April 18th, by N. Per-
rotiu, the director Of the observatory Of Nice,
under the best conditions. for the situa-
! tion Of the observatory Is one OF the finest IN
/ the world, aud its telescope is large In SIZE
and excellent in definition. NJ. Perrotin also
! closely observed the so-called canals at the
! opposition OF 1856. lie found the canals,
observed In 1883 In general, in the same pO-
| sition and presenting the same characteristic
| features OF those OF 1886. They crossed the
continents 10 straight lines, some OF them
being single and others double. cutting each
other at various angles. Their object
seemed 10 be to establish communication
between the seas Of the two hemispberes,
or between different parts OF the same
sea or between the canals them
selves. NJ. Perrotin saw something
| beside correspondence in bis two
/ series OF observations. He bears witness 10
remarkable changes that have occurred be-
/ Al. nj IN
canals but on the surface OF the planet lie
found that the continent Of LYDIA bad en-
tirely disappeared. Plainly ysibl etwO years
ago It no longer exists; 1t has been enguied
In the surrounding sea. Lake Moeris, in its
vicinity. situated on one OF the canals, has
also vanished from sight. The extent OF the
region whose aspect Is thus completely
changed is little greater than the surface Of
| France. A new canal, invisible in 1886, has
appeared twenty-five degrees north OF the
submerged continent, parallel to the equa-
tor, A third change was observed in the
| appearance Of kind Of canal on the white
spot that marks the northern pole OF Mars.
! It's object was apparently TO connect through
the polar ice two seas near the pole. NJ.
| Perrotin is an astronomer who inspires con-
| fidence, His observations are no fictiOn OF
the fancy but faithful transcripts OF the won
/
surface OF the planet Mars. Terrestrial
astronomers seem at last to have reached a
STANDPOINT from which they can observe
some OF the changes that are taking place
on the real surface Of one OF the planets. II
ia 70 be hoped that the opposition OF 1890
will be the means OF increasing our know
ledge Of what IS going on IN the domain OF
our rudy neigbbOr.
The right ascension OF Mars on the lat Il
| 13h. 1Gm., his declinatioD Is 8 degrees As
minutes south, his diameter Is 1916 seconds,
and be is in tho constellation Virgo.
| Mars sets on the 1st at lib. 4Sn. L. NJ. On
! the SIS he sets at l0h. 22m. p NJ.
| Mercury is evening star until the Sth, aud
! then becomes morning star. lie IL in inferior
conjunction with the sun on the 9Th at noon
/ day, aud reaches bis greatest western elOnga-
/ ton on the 18th at Oh. a. NJ, when he is 10
| degrees q minutes west OF the sun, and may
| be picked up by observers OF good visual
powers.
The right ascension OF Mercury on the lst
! is III 31m., his declinatIon IL lSe 13 north.
bis diameter is INA, and he is in the con-
stellatiOn Gemini.
Mercury sets on the 1st at III. Am. p. NJ.
| ON the 3lst be rises at 3h. 12m. A. n.
Uranus Is evening star. He is in quadra-
| ture with the sun on the 4th al Al. Z. ~, Is
still Visible 10 the naked eye, aud may be
found easily with the aid OF an opera'glass.
He must be looked for little TO the south Of
the straight line that connects Theta aud
Gamma Virgins. being nearly equally dis
J .ant from the two stars.
/ The right ascension Of Uranus is 12h.
49m., his decliustion IS a. So south, bis d.
ameter is $40, and be is IN the constellation
| virgo.
Uranus sets on the 1st at llh. SIN. p. NJ.
| On the 31st he sets at On. 40m. p. NJ.
Jupiter Is evening star. He purSues bis
! brilliant course among the stars OF ScorpiO.
| looking down from the meridian at 90. j.
NJ on the Let, and setting shortly before A.
| NJ. He changes his apparent course on the
! oath, moving eastward or In the order OF the
signs, and will continue TO move in this di-
rsclion until the end OF the year.
The right ascension OF Jupiter on the ls' Is
! 15h. Aim, his deClnstIon is 1S' 42/ south,
| his diameter Is Alp, and he Is in the conslel'
I latIon Scorpio.
Jupiter sets on the 1st at III. 39m. a. NJ.
/ On the 3lst he sets at llh. 33m. p. VI. ~
saturn is evening star. His period OF
visibility has pas and he will no longer
| be seen 10 the evening" sky, on account OF his
! close approach the sun, for he sets only
! few MINUTES before the sun at the close OF
! the month.
The right ascension Of Saturn on the 1st IL
! Sh. son., bis declinaiion is 10 degrees %
! minutes. north, his diameter Is 1876 seconds,
and be is In the constellation Cancer.
Saturn sets 'on the LIST ut Sh. 52m. Z. N.
J On tie 31st no sets at 70. Gm. p NJ.
Neptune is morning star
The right ascension OF Neptune on the ist
! is Sh. 5sn.. his decliuation Is 1So AZ north.
! his diameter is 2.6", and he is IN the con-
| slelatiOn Taurus.
Neptune rises on the lst al In. ism. A. NJ.
/ On the 3lst he rises at lib. 53m. i. NJ.
Saturn, Venus, Uranus, Mars, and Jupiter
are evening stars at the close OF the month.
Mercury and Neptune are morning stars.
the MOON.
| The July moon fulls on the 23d at Oh. 45m.
A. NJ. She Is In conjunction with Neptune
| on the 5Ih at Oh. Ann. A. NJ, being degrees
81 minutes south. She Is near Venus on the
| 9th at On. I'm. A. NJ. Dust one hour before
the new NOON, being degree 81 minutes
south. She Is at her nearest approach 10
Mercury on the 9Th at Oh. Ppm. A. NJ. (5m.
after her conjunction with Venus), being 3
degrees 50 minutes north. The moon makes
| the closest conjunction Of the month with