Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-03-10
PLANETS IN MARCH.
rHrTvESrNo Ann MORNING STARS FOR
TIE PRESENT MONTH
4 Coming oecuitation Of yapitsr-fhs
Moor--An Explanation Of ths vsrnai
Eqaiaox.
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&UloHk TIC Btiutttl1 biSeH'hhyS@t 49,
most glorious object that on starlit nights
sdorns the armament, far outshlning
any other star among the myriad hosts
that glitter and twinkle in the celestial
world archiDg above the observer who
beholds the enhancing picture
Venus reaches her period OF great
eat hrilliancv on the 25th ct In. Z.
NJ, and shines in full splendor.
Her light is so great at this period that
objects iIlumined by her nays at night
cast percepiible shadows, aud she may
be seen at midday by those who know
where to look for her, appearing like
point OF intense whiteness. The reason
for her greatest briliiancy IN tins part OF
her course may be easily explained AS
abe approaches abe earth her diameter
increases aud the illumIned portion OF
her disc decreases.
The increase in diameter more than
counterbalances the decrease in light,
and she continues TO grow brighter as
well as larger. On the 10Th, however,
tho eliminating point comes. and alter
that time the lessening crescent begins to
lose its lustre. Venus st her period OF
greatest brilliancy is about A. east OF
The sun. and the illumined part OF her
disc not more than fourth part Of the
whole. She takes on this aspect about
thirty-six days before inferior coniunc-
ton. It will thus be seen that her reign
as evening star is near its close. Her
rapid movement northward will lengthen
her stay above the horizon and bring her
into most favorable conditions for OBJ
seryation.
She is in the constellation Pisces On
the 3lst she sets al 9h. 3lm. z. Nj.
Saturn is the evening star. If not as
brilliant in the east in the early evening
as Venus is in the west. he has the adj
vantage over his fair rival OF being visi-
BILE long after she has sunk below the
western horizon. He is beautiful mem
Der OF the solar family, as he makes his
way over the celestial track, reaching the
meridian on the LIST at half-past 10 clock
in the evening. He is retrograding or
moving westward, thus slightly increas
ing his distance from Regulus The
starry quadrilateral, however. may still
he traced, with Saturn. Regulus Gamma,
and Epsilon Leonis for the shining
corners. He is in the constellation Leo.
On the 31st he sets at 3h. 20m. A. NJ.
JUPITER is morning star. He Is very
brilliant in the morning sky, shining
brightly after all the other stars are hid
den in the approaching daylight AS he
rises on the LIST, more than two hours
before Saturn sets, the two giant planets
may be seen at the same time, one IN the
East. and one in the West, 10y observers
who are studying the stars in the small
hours of the morning. Jupiter is IN
quadrature with the sun on the 9th at
III. A. NJ. lie is then 90 west of the
sun, and rises soon after midnight His
great southern declination shortens his
stay about the horizon, and prevents
him from appearing under the best con-
djtion. He on the 3lst rises at III. om.
A. NJ.
MERCURY is morning star He reached
his greatest western elongation on the
18th at Oh. A. NJ, being then 27o 53' west
OF the sun. 1t is one of the three pc
RODS Of the year when he is visible to the
naked eye as morning star. But his
southern deelination is unfayOrable and
it will be difficult to find him. Southern
observers will have the advantage and
will see him under the best conditions.
He is in the constellation Capricornus.
Mercury rises on the LIST at oh. l6m. A.
NJ. On the 3lst he rises at Al. 5Sm. A. nj.
MARS is evening star. Careful OBJ
servers may find the ruddy star, for he
is above the horizon more than two hours
after sunset. He is so far away and 50
small that it is difficult to keep track OF
him among the stars. On the 3lst he
sets at IA. 51m. Z. Nj.
URANUS is morning star. Observers
blessed with good visual powers may
discover him with the unsided eye, as he
is near opposition. Spica rises on the
1st about Oh. Z. NJ. Uranus is about 2
north OF Spica. If. therefore, about 10h.
i. NJ the star-gazer SCANS the sky about
g, or four times the diameter OF the
moon, north of Spics he will see small
faint star, which is the planet Uranus,
shining as star of the sixth magnitude.
The night must be moonless and clear,
aud an opera-glass will aid in the search
On the 3lst no rises at Oh. A9m. z. M.
NEPTUNE is evening star. He is on
his way 10 conjunction with the sun. lie
would not, according to terrestrial views
he an attractive planet for residence,
with a year, or revolution round the sun,
1G5 times as long as a year on this
planet, and the sun in his sky reduced
10 star the size of Venus, when at her
greatest brilliancy. On the 3lst he sets
at 10h. lin. Z. NJ.
Saturn, Neptune, Venus and Mars are
evening stars ut the close OF the month.
Uranus Jupiter and Mercury are morn
ing stars
THE MOON.
The March moon fulls on the 18th at
Oh. 47m. A. Nj. She makes close con-
junction with Saturn on the 18th, at III.
1Om. A. NJ, being / north. Observers
in more favored localities will have the
rare pleasure Of beholding the occulta-
ton of the ringed planet She is IN con-
junction with Uranus on the 18th at Sh.
Ism. z. NJ, being 4 "A north. The
moon is at her nearest point to Mercury
on the 29th at ia. I'm. A. NJ, being p
q north. There are two new moons in the
month Of Msrch--One on the lst and
one on the 3lst
THE CIRCULATION OF JUPITER.
Jupiter will be occulted by the moon
on the oath, and the phenomenon will
lie visible in Providence, though the day
light Will greatly interfere with its OBJ
seryation. The immersion of the planet
takes place at 6h. 55m a. Al, and the
emerson takes place at 7h. 56m. A. NJ,
Providence standard time. The occul-
tation continues som. The sun rises on
the oath at h. 42m. A. NJ The occulta
ton, therefore. commences III. Ism.
after sunrise. The moon has then just
entered upon her last quarter and is near
the meridian. She may be easily found
as half-moon. with the cloudlike as
poet she assumes in the presence OF the
sun. Jupiter is now visible TO the naked
eve in full daylight. but 1t will be no
easy mstter to find him.
Observers blessed with exceptional