Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-02-03
FEBRUARY PLANETS.
THE EVENING AND MORNING srARs--
VENUS A rHrHG OF BEAUTY.
A Brilliant Rival In saturn--CeBj functions
Of the Mosn and varisus Other
Celestial Phsnomena
rProvidsucs Journal

VENUS IN evening star. Language fails
when We seek for words to express the
fascinating beauty Of this peerless planet
in her present aspect Even Sirius,
though il surpasses in brilliancy the
other suns Of space, pales in the presence
OF the brightest gem that adorns tho
diadem OF Night An epoch occurs
during the month OF our sister planet.
She reaches her greatest eastern elonga-
ton on the 18th at Oh. 6m. A. NJ, and
is then 49, So east OF tho sun. After that
time she retraces her steps, approaching
the sun. The proof OF this fact will soon
be seen in her shorter stay above the
horizon after elongation. Her bril-
lisncy continues to increase, for at the
same time that she approaches the sun
ahe also approaches tho earth.
Another feature that contributes to
her increased brilliancy is her move
ment northwArd. She seems 10 make =
plunge towards the north. for on the
let her doclination is o. Is south on the
18th it is 12o 54 north. The course Of
Venus 10 readily followed. She oscillates
in straight lines east and west OF the sun.
When she is east of the sun she is eve-
ming star. When she 10 west of the sun
she is morning star. She commenced
her present course as evening star on
July 18th OF last year. She was too near
the sun to be seen until the last OF Sep
tember, when she shone for 8 short time
Just after sunset. aud has since been os-
cillating eastward, reaching her grestest
distance east of the sun ON the 18th.
She retrsces her course with quickened
step. entering upon the most brilliant
part OF her career. A careful observer
can follow the planets course IS easily
as he can follow the movements OF the
hour and minutc-hands on the dial-plste.
Seen 10 the telescope Venus presents, at
elongation, the phase OF the moon at
the last quarter. After elongstion she
assumes the aspect OF the waning cres-
cent. Venus sets on the lst at Sh. 5lm.
=. n. On tho 18th she sets at Oh. 32nl.
Z. NJ.
SATURN is morning star until the 9th,
and then becomes evening star. He Is
in opposition with the sun on the 9TH at
7h. ljm. A. NJ, and is then beautiful to
behold as he rises ABOVE the eastern
horizon ss the sun sinks below the west
ern horizon, being opposite the sun,
making his nearest approach to the
earth, aud shining with benignant aspect
from sunset 10 sunrise as he completes
the circuit of the heavens. He may be
easily found in the northeast in the early
evening, differing from the fixed stars in
his serene and steady light and his pale
yellow color. He is few degrees north
west OF Regulus, the bright star in the
handle of the Sickle, which serves as
guide TO point him out. quadrilateral
may be traced, formed OF Saturn. Regu-
lus, and two other stars belonging to the
Sickle-Gamms and Epsilon Leonis
Saturn in opposition in 1899 shines bril-
liantly on the star lit nights OF February,
| but is far behind the radiant splendOr OF
Saturn in opposition in 1880, for he was
then seen under the most favorable con-
dltions possible, being in perihelion, in
| his highest northern defamation. and
with his rings open TO their widest ex-
/ tent. Observers must wait until 1918
| for a recurrence of the same conditions.
Saturn rises on the LIST at 5h. I'm. Z.
81. On the 2Sth he sets at Oh. 27m. A.
NJ.
MERCURY is the evening star until the
18th. and then morning star. he is in
inferior conjunction with the sun on the
| 18th at 7h. 5Sm. +. N. He is in fayora-
BILE position for observation during the
first week OF the month, having just
passed his greatest elongatlon, being
near his period OF greatest brilliancy,
and moving northward. He sets on the
lst an hour and half after the sun, and
can be found sbont s. north OF the sun
set point, and about three quarters OF
an hour sitter sunset. An opera glass is
an effective aid in all efforts for finding
the position OF this elusive planet.
! Mercury sets on the lst at Gh. Bonn. p.
| NJ. On the 18th he rises at oh. Ism. A.
II.
JUPITER is morning star. He rises on
the lst about two hours and half before
the sun, and on the 2sth about three
hours and . half before the sun, being
then a splendid object in the small hours
OF the morning. His course during the
month lies near the stars OF the Dipper
in Sagittsrius. Jupiter rises on the lst
Mt All. 2Om. A. VI. On the 18th he rises
at 2h. 5im. A. Nj.
MARS is evening star. He Is moving
eastward or in direct motion, and is also
moving northwsrd. lie is, however,
80 far away that he is not easily found.
! On the Let he is about l5o northeast OF
/ Mercury, both planets being in the
game constellation. Mars will be OF lit
tie Importance until he approaches oppo-
sition in 1890. Mars sets on the LIST at
III. 54m. P. N. On the 2Sth he sets at
7h. 54m. p. Nj.
NEPTUNE is evening star. He is in
ouadrature with the sun On the eastern
| side on the 18th at 6h. Z. NJ, when he
would doubtless make fine appearance,
looking down from the meridian at sun
set, if ne were nearer the terrestrial do
main.
Neptune sets on the lst at LII. 56m.
A. III. On the 28th he sets at Oh.
ION. A. NJ.
URANUS is morning star and Will soon
DO near enough to be visible to the IN
aided eye.
Venus, Mars, Saturn, and Neptune are
evening stars at the close OF the month.
Mercury, Jupiter and Uranus are morn
ing stars.
| THE MOON.
The February moon fulls on the 18th
at 5h. Ism. Z. N. The new moon, only
one day old, is in conjunction with Mer-
curry on the LIST at l1h. 3Sm. A. ~. being
A. IA south. She is in conjunction with
Mars on the I'd at Oh. ION. p. NJ, being
g. 81 south. Our satellite is at aer near