Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-01-02

ordinary celestial measurements. from tho
belt row OF three stars running obliquely
downward forms the sword. hilt OF Orion,
the central one bslng the great nebuls OF
Orion and msnifesang to keen eye some
hint OF its nebulous surroundings A good
spy-glass will brlng out the moro conspicu-
Gus features Of this nebula with a clesrness
that will astonish the observer who uses It
for the first time. What the unaided eye
secs here as single star ia developed by
fair telescope into the "trapszlum" (of four
stRrs) and larger telescope brings out SIX
stars.
Following the line OF the three stars in
Orion's belt $50 to the eastward the most
brilliant OF the fixed stars, Sirius or the
Dog star is pointed out. This splendid
luminary has been seen BY the naked eye
In broad daylight. There ts reason to be.
lieye that It is among the greatest OF the
suns--each flxed star being regarded as a
sun with Its own ooterle Of planets revoly.
ing around it-and that Sirius Is far greater
and brighter than our Sun. This measure.
ments Of Hind Indicate that Sirius Is stu
ated at such a distance from our system
that It's light, II travelling at the uniform
rate OF 10000 miles per second, would re-
qutre nearly II years to reach us.
Following the line OF orlon's belt In
westerly direction points out two famous
clusters, the Hyades forming large v
with Aldebsrgn, first magnitude star, at
the end OF one Of the oblique llnes, and the
Pleiades or Seven stars, which arc now al
most directly overhead at $50 p. m. This
Ia al, Is "A a=k - ~
sight ana clearness Of air. host persons
see, unlsr favorable circumstances, or
stars in the cluster; some sse seven, aud q
few osn make out s or 8. Gases are on
record OF observers who have saen "a many
as IA stars. A good spy-glhss will raise the
number visible 10 so or more; whils, With
the telescope, Wolf has ehaEted 400 stars In
this cluster.
The only planet visible at this hour In
the e7eninz is Saturn. Low down In the
sast the observer will notice the Siokle OF
Leo, composed Of several bright stars, go
arranged as to suggest gigantic specimen
Of that obsolete harvesting implement.
Several degrees to the north. eastward OF
tue lowermost star in the handle OF the
Sickle (Rsgulus) is Saturn, forming With
the Sickle a large reversed figure Q.
The phases OF the Mooa for January will
be: Full Moon, 9Th, Q, 30 q. m. last quarter,
l4th, 1870 a. m new Moon, Goth, 6. as p. r. {
first quarter, 9Th, S.I8 p. N. The only
oooultation worthy Of note will bp that Of
Epsilon Tauri, a 81 magnitude star, at As
minutes past midnight OF the ooh, wasn
the Moon will be about an hour h!sh in the
west.
Mercury Ia an evening planet until Jan.
uary 29.h, He reaches greatest eastern
| elongatlun, lSo, 5im., on the 18th, at g p.
| M, setting then u hours behind the Sln.
and may be found In the west about 4o
north Of the sunset point. He should be
looked for about three-quarters OF ~ hour
after the sun has set.
Venus is still nomtuRlly morning planet,
but has approached too near the rising Sun
to BE- readily saen, Up to within W6ek cr
SO she wss, however, a silvery- white sPeoE
on the rsdisulng eastern sky. Hhs rises
now about 8 80 4. IA. tho sun rising at 1872
on the morning OF the 18TH. at 4 AZ DEL OK
she will be in close, but unfortunately invls.
IDLE conjunction with Jupiter on the
morning OF February 18Th Venus viii pass
superior conjunction, becoming thereafter
an evening planet.
Mars remains a morning planet through
January, rising at l.42 a. N, Oh the 1st ant
05 a, nj, On the 9lst. He is III the con
stelIatIon Virgo and growing n brightness.
ashe progresses towards opposition with tn,
SUI. The diameter OF his disc increase
during January from to little over
seconds. AZ opposition, May 27th, 1t vii
be about q seconds, whioh VIII make hlu
one OF the most conspicuous objects In thu
ky. Astronomers are looking forward &
this favorable aspect OF the planet with
great deal Of interest.
Jupiter has disappeared from the even
ing say anu Will reach conjunction witt
the SUI on the night of the ga, after whicI
be takes Bis place among the mornln
planets. He Is IN the constellation sag
ittArius.
Saturn Rises now NJ 1852 ., m. On tn
3ist he will rise at GA .. N, He reaohe
opposition, his most favorable position 70
observation on February 18th. The telC
scope shows that the opening OF his ring
has now contracted sum 1ientiy TO allow ID
poles Of tho planet to DO seen beyond III
rings more perceptih!y than laSs year.
Uranus viii be In quadrgtuFe With II
Sun on the 10th. BE rises now at l.2l q. m
and on the slst at ll.2i =. NJ, aud vi
reach opposition on April li,h. De "a In h
constellation Virgo and not far from Mar
! Neptune Is an evening planet, setting
. 42l a. n. on the ist and at PA q. IN. Q
the 3ist. He is in tue eonstellation Tauru
, between the Pseiadss and lhs Hyadss an
rather clossT to the lnttsr clastar.