The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-11-13
ABOUT THE PLANETS.
Some Interesting Events During the
Present Month.

ABOUT TIE PLANECS.
Some Interesting Events During the
Present Month.
The sun for November continues his
Southwark course, although not with the
same rapidity that he Travelled in DC.
tobcr, the change of dcclination for the
month being only seven degrees, and
the speed slackening perceptibly toward
the months close. If the sun had never
been examined with any other instru-
ment than the telescope, or totally
eclipsed by the Intervention of the moon,
we should not have formed any idea of
the nature of the operations going on at
his surface. 1t is remarkable that
modern science has shown US more mys-
teries in the sun than it has explained,
as, Notwithstanding the researches OF
scientists, it must be said that the real
case of the solar system still defies
ANALYSIS. and that the mechanics of the
segregation of a planet from the sun, or
of satellite from planet, if, indeed,
such an event ever happened, or of the
mechanics of an evolution of solar
system from countless meteorlteS, are
still far from being clearly made out.
The mathematical theories of the earth
already advanced and elaborated are by
no means complete, and no mathematl-
cal Alexander need yet pine for other
worlds to conquer. The converglng
lights of many lines of investigation are
now brought to bear on the problems
presented hy,eurs ptancst,7 and much may
-be expected from the new astronomy,
which looks for the secrets of the earth's
origin and history in nebulous masses or
in Swarms of meteoriteS.
The moon presents four phases during
the month, being full on the 7th, last
quarter on the 18th, new moon on the
2ed. and first quarter on the 29th. On
the 1st the moon was IN the constella-
ton of Caoricornus and on the SOth 1t
will be in Pisces. On the 9Th there IS a
conjunction with Neptune, on the 10th
with Saturn, on the 18th with Mars, on
the Goth with Uranus, on the 21st with
Venus, on the 22d with Mercury, and on
the 25th with Jupiter.
Jupiter will continue alone IN his
glory as evening star until toward the
close Of the moth, when he will be
ioined by Neptune He begins the month
in the constetfatieaasef~s ~s1e~ Archer. On
tie 18th, three days after the new moon,
the planet and the moon will be In con.
junction, and, although not as close as
last month, the cres cent and the star
will in the cool, clear atmosphere of
this season of the year present celes-
tial picture we'll worth seeing. during
the month Jupiter grows smaller, as
his distance from the earth is still IN
creasing.
Venus, the queen of the morning
stars, ranges under her banners all the
other planets with the exception of Ju-
piter. One by one they have succumoed
to her superior attractions until her
rival is left to shine alone in his glory.
Venus is in conjunction with Uranus on
The 9th and with the moon on the 2lst,
neither of which events will De visible to
the naked eye. She rises about two
hours before the sun.
Saturn attracts more than ordinary
attention this month from the protes-
s;onal star gazerS, as on the 1st, at S
O'Clock Greenwich time, there occurred a
remarkable conjunction, that of lapetus,
its outermost satellite. with another
satellite called Titan. These two, NOV
ing in different directions, passed within
two seconds of each other. Shortly after
this close approach Iapetus entered the
shadow Of the ring system, and, as Sa-
turn was then near quadrature, the en-
tire passage Of the satellite through the
shadow was clear of the planet as seen
from the earth. The satellites path
traversed the shadow Of the rings on
both sides of the planet and the clear
space between the planet and ring on
oae side. 1t was matter OF great IN
terest and Importance to note If the
satellite shore cut when crossing the
projection of the Eastman division, and
| if it was at all visible when in the shadow
of the dusky ring or Grape veil. InlS
rare aud interesting occurrence was
much better observed in extreme South
ern latitudes about Australia. Saturn
itself is in conjunction with the moon
on the 10th and in quadrature with the
sun on the 25th. 1t is the second in
Importance of the morning stars, and
its size is gradually increasing as it gets
nearer to US and approaches con-
venie2t position for observation.
Mercury, another of the morning
stars, rose about 5 o'clock on the 1st,
and gets lazier as the cold weather in
crcaSes, not appearing on the horizon on
the 3Oth until about ten minutes before
sunrise. To-day he is in conjunction with
Uranus, as the latter is moving Westward
from the sun. Mercury, Mars, Uranus
and Venus are to be found in the con-
stellation of the Virgin.
Mars is a morning star, and one OF
| the few whose size is increasing. as the
planet Is slowly approaching the earth.
Mars will make his appearance earlier
and earlier as the month advances, rls
ing at its close at about 2:l5 IN the
morning
Uranus, also morning star, meets
both Mercury and Venus as ne increases
his distance from the sun. He IS IN
conjunction with the former to-day and
with the latter Oh the 9th, meeting the
moon on the Goth. He rose on the Isl
about 5 o'clock in the morning, and on
the 30th will rise about two hours ear
lier. The progress Of stellar photogra,
ply is well exemplided IN the case of
the inner satellites of Uranus, which,
although they are among the most diff,
cult of all, have during the past yeal
been successfully photographed,
Neptune, the last of the morning
planets, continues to be ranked as one
of that remarkable galaxy of briliiants
only until the s5th of the month,
when, being in opposition to the sun,
he leaves the fair qceen of the morn
ing skies to serve under Jupiter.
Although nearest the eartn at the time