Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-12-14
THE PLANETS FOR DECEMBER.
Mercury, Venus, Mars, aud Jnpiter-'"'
Moon-The Winter soistice.
rprovidence JCurnai.l

he Is on the western side of the sun. ana
according TO astronomical classification;
planets on the suns western side are ranked.
as morning stars, and planets on the sun
eastern side are ranked as evening sttrs.
The natural or apparent classihcati0n
vould rank him "a an evening star, for ne
rises before II o'clock on the beginning OF
the month, and before 9 o'clock at us
close. There are interesting incidents 10 De
noted in SatuTn's movements during the
month, He travels eastward Orln direct mo-
ton until the 18th. when be IS stationary.
After that time he retrogrades or trayeS
westward again approaching hegulus: %
servers who follow the path OF the SHINING
planet will find that he will meet ana
pass the bright star on March 81 1871; NJ
j. easily found rising IN the northeast
about no o'clock on the 18th OF the month,
and is them about deg. cast OF heSuIus;
He will rise later before the l5th. ana
earlier after the 18th. the average difference
for each evening being about minutes.
The earths motion eastward IN her orpiI,
makes the stars appear to move westward
OF rise earlier every evening. and the result
Is q charming variety and constant change
in the aspect of the starlit SKY.
The right ascension Of Saturn on inc ISL
is l0h. 2Jm.. his declinatlon IS al - ue-'
% miu. north, has diameter Is II MN. Sec,
anu ilI Is III Ailf ANilot'tiA't'h 49,
Saturn rises on the 1st at i0a. Am. i. NJ.
On the 3lst hc rises at SD. lin. J.. u;
MERCURY is morning star until the TN.
and then evening star. lie VIII be IN su-
perior conjunction with the sun on the Ith
nj 7h. Z. NJ. He IS in aphcliOn. or at ms
greatest distance from the sun on the same
day. lie is in conjunction with Jupiter on
the Goth at sh. Bonn. J.. NJ. beng deg'
south. 49,.
Ist is lGh. 2im., his dccllnatlon j. y de-.
II min. south. his diameter Is min. Sec,
and he is in the constellation Scorpio.
Norcurv rises on the lst at 6n. 4lm. y. NJ.
On the 3lst he sets 40 Oh. I'm. /. ".
Vr,rs is morning star. She Will be yisl-
bic during December her radiant hehO
charming every observer a. she pays Ihc
part of Aurora. and opens the gates OF Gay
for the entrance ~ the sun. She rises an
hour and q half before the sun NJ the conf
menccmcut of Che month. and three quar-
ters of AN hour before the sun at Its close.
She j. very near Beta Scorpu On the otn,
and near Antare. on the l5,h.
Tho rioht ascension of Venus on the Isl
is 18Th. 20m.. her dcclinat0nis IL de-. 10 min.
south. her diameter ls i0.5 sec. ana sue Is
in the constellation Libra.
Venus rises ON the lst 80 81. -3ln. \. VI.
On the 3lst she rises a. Ga. som. \. IT..
Mans is morning star He I5 Slowly
making his way through virgo ana passes
Spica on the 18th. He passes Uranus on
the 9th. The two planets are IN con
iuuctiou ON that day a. IN. 2im. A. NJ, Mars
being 5J min. north. Observers wlsh 10
Obtain view of the rudjy planet VIII hni
him RISING In the southeast about O'CLOCK
in the morning, west of Spca before lEe
18th. and east OF Splca after the lJth. II l'
well 10 follow the course OF this planet az
he approaches the earth. for his opposition
I'm 1890 Will be prominent event on tho
planetary annals of the coming y'aF..
The rirht ascension OF Mars ou the ISL
is Igh. 3sm.. his deciiration Is deg; ~
min. south. bis diameter Is 81 Sec. ana ne
is m the constellation Virgo.
Mars rises on the 1st at Oh. On. y. ii.
On fhe3lst he rises 10 IN. 33m. 4. W.
JUplTre is evening star. He makes his
how fo the many Observer Who have
watched his course with admrlng gaze
and disappears from view before tine monl d
cl0scs. being $50 near the sun as 10 be
hidden In his rays.
The rirht ascension Of Jupiter on the SO
Is l.h. ism. las declmati0n rs % dec. = MN.
south. his diameter is 3l.2 Sec, and ho j.
/ i'm tine constellation Sagtiarus.
Jupiter sets On the Ist at Ga. pom. L. NJ.
/ ON fine 3lst bee sets at An. BON. L. VI.
Uranus is morning star. lie may be-
| fonnd with n small telescope about deg
northeast of Spica. and is IN conjunction
with Mars On thc 2ith.
The RIGHT ascension of Uranus on the
LIST /. l3h. 3im.. bis declmatl0n Is . dee
! II sec. south, his diamctcr is 3.5 sec, ana
/ he is ia the constellation VIRGO.
Uranus riscson the l-t at 3h. I'm. A. VI
/ On tine 3l.t he rises at ln. I'm. \. n.
NrrrUNE is evening star. Ills rlght as
/ Il. l. D.. D. finn IrI IN.
tion ia 10 DEE. min. north, his diameter J.
/ % sec. and be 50 M the constellation
Ntwtunc sets on the 1st at Cd. Ism. \. VI
/ On the 3lst he sets ~ 4h. lGm. \. VI.
Venus. Mars. Uranus, and Saturn are
morning stars at the close of the month
Jupiter, Mercury and Neptune are eve
ming stars.
/ THE NOON.
The December moon falls on the 7th Of
! Ali. 52m. 4. ". She is IN conjunction WIT.
/ NcntIue on he 9Th at 3h. Gam. 4. NJ. bena
/ Hnni. north. She next cncount er- Saturn
/ ON the 18Th. the conjunction taking plac'
/ "a 5h. 7. NJ. The moon being deg. IL MIN
| north. on thc llth me moon > I'D con
/ junction with Mars Of lin. \. NJ, being
! dpo. 5imir. north On the 18th she IS if
conjunction with Uranus. no 5h. 25m. L
! NJ. hcingA dec. II min. north. The moon OF
/ fine DIST. one dav before h'r change. ~ o.
conjunction with Venus. 40 7h. Bonn. 4. NJ.
| loin., dec MN. north. The new moonl
! in conjunction with Mercury on tie 2ld "a
! i9h. ajm. +. w., being / dee. - min. nori h
! The moon D. in conjunction with Jupiit
/ ON the sd at 1h. 4. NJ, being deg. sQuth
! The moon is lu conjunction with plane
when the centre OK the moon and the CON
fire Of the planet are IA tine same night rs
+. censi0n OF longitude. The moon may ID
north OF south of the planet.
TuR wINTrE soLsrIcE.
The sun enters the sign CapriCOruus OF
/ the DIST at lob. 4. VI, and the a-tTonomlc ;
, winter b.,ius. The sul-a- tLe word sol
efice implies -secmsto stand stil for few
/ DAYS. and then turns his face 20 bless tL
! northern nations with increasing hght anf
heat. Months will pass before tho chang
isuerceptible. storms viii lower. tempest
ra6e and cold CONCEAL us, but the dominion
of ice aud snow Is conquered, and ever
/ succeeding day is bringing Us nearer TO th
hour when winter and spring Will ON
/ brace each other. Let rs then rejoice II
the advent of the winter solstico, 70. on
this day q new year Is born. he Chrs
/ tan wear does not commence az THIS grca
phvsical epoch. Mother IS the record ac
/ ceDted on the annals Of the civil year
| lut IL is none the less the commencement
of the natural year. The nations Of th
| Garth. heather though they were, live'
nearer to nature in the poetic ages of
ruder civilization. Their year begal
when the sun had reached his creates
southern declinatlon. Ii was the JUBILEE
of the wear 10 their simple natures
the lonc-anticlpated hour when, witt
music. dancing and festive offerings the
paid homage 10 the rude deities they wor
| stunned. and on whose power they relic'
| with unquestioning faith. The sun was q
their simple faith The great reprcsentatiY
of the deity. and the winter solstce th
time peculiarly devoted TO religious woT
shin. In the strange blending of Christian
] and heather rites that make mp the elt
ments of our Christmas and New Year
festivities. our thanksgyings tor create
privileges are no more heartfelt, our =,
! icious vows no more sincere than were IL
simple faith and trust syInbollzed by til
observances Of the Pacans Of the oldei
times. when the sun turned his smllln
face nOrthward.
TOTAL RCLITSz OF TIE sun.
The sun will be totally eclipsed on th
| DIST and 22d, but the phenomenon VIII b
invisible il New England, but visible quit
extensively in other portions OF the globe
The path of the total eclipse commences
in the Caribbean Sea. barely graZes tn
northeastern part of South America, crosse
| the COufh Atlantic Ocean the southern