The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-07-09
SUN, MOON, AND STARS.
Brilliant Displays I'm the Heavens fo
This Month.

The sun. having given the north polar re.
gions the full benefit Of his power, and hay
ing made the unsocial climates Of the torrid
and frigid zones as nearly one as possible.
is now on his southern journey. which will
end about six months hence, when, with
that peTYersity for which humanity
is so noted. we shall, no doubt,
be wishing for some OF the caloric which
just at present we find so oppressive. Al
though hardly noticeable, the nights are
slowly stealing away our daylight, and
when the month closes sunrise Will be- nine
teen minutes later and sunset seventeen
minutes earlier than is the ease to-day.
which means that the shadow Of the Times
building has gone distance up town equal
TO five degrees difference in the altitude Of
the sun at high noon.
Th9re are give phases to the moon in
July-two full moons. one ON the ID and the
other on the 3lst. This is the only month OF
the year which is SO highly favored, and il
occurs very OppOrtuncly TO add 10 the out
door enjOyments OF the midsummer even.
ings. The planets are so comparatively
close together that the very large majority
Of cOniunctiOns will take place i'm the latter
half Of the month. On the 10Th the
day Of the new moon. there will be "a con-
junction with Mercury which we shall not
be permitted 10 witness. On the 18th there
will he meeting between one satellite and
Saturn, which will be well worth l0Okin.
at. but which can only be regarded as a sort
Of dress rehearsal for the tableau on the sue
ceeding evening, when the four days old
moon and the queen Of the starry heavens
will offer lovely celestial group, and sat
urn will not be too far distant 10 add his
soft yellow radiance 10 the setting. ON the
~ 81. IL 81
Uranus. and on the 10Th with the warrior
planet. but unfortunately the distance sep
arating the two is greater than IL should De
% produce the best effect. \ visit to Jupi-
ter on the last day Of the month closes this
round Of dissipation for the moon.
Where there are so many and such eX-
tremely brilliant planets as we see at pre-
sent IN the evening skies, il is difficult to
award the title OF most beautiful 10 any
particular one, Venus, saturn, Mars and
Jupiter all shining clearly and an easily dis
tinguished, with Uranus also fayOrably sit
uated for observation, although too far dis
tant 10 enter the lists with the others. The
calm loyeliIress Of Venus makes itself felt
almost before the sun has set, and IN the
rOsy-hued twilight we can easily find the
planet. which, when night has fairly set in,
shines with nearly the intensity Of the
luNDus rs HlAr - uilf hNfAlss " IN tNfl-
gaining briliiancy, we can almost see her
Increasing size. Her right ascension and
declinatlOn place her in the constellation OF
the Lion.
Turning 10 the southeastern section Of
the sky we find Jupiter, who, although shin
ing at night, is, from his astronomical pO-
sItion, a morning star, in which role he will
continue until the Both, when he reaches the
elimination of his size and brilliancy, and
is in opposition with the sun. The planet
is a superb object, and on that evening will
travel from the east 10 the west, being in
sight all night, and contributing his full
share toward the glOries Of the summer
night, and only fading away as the sun APP
pears above the opposite point Of the hOri-
ION. He Will then become an evening star,
in which category he Will remain during
the rest of the year. growing smaller and
smaller and consequently becoming gradu-
ally less brilliant rs he lengthens his dis
lance from the earth.
Almost midway between Venus and Ju-
piter the fiery red disk of Mars offers con-
spicuous object as he pursues his eastward
course among the stars OF the constellation
OF the Scorpion. He is larger and brighter
than we are accustomed TO see him. and
through the telescope looks like ruddy
sphere larger than the full moon, and Of 50
10 the eye. He comes TO our meridian
a few minutes before 9 O'Clock this evening
ard one hour and a half earlier at the
months close. and is about half way be-
tween the zenith and the horizon. Mars is
now Withdrawing from the earth, and il
will be fully two years before be again
shines with the magniiicence that caused
him 10 be 50 prominent at the beginning Of
the summer.
Saturn, although not so large as we were
accustomed 10 see him during the winter,
gains in interest as he reeedes from the
fixed star Regulus, which has been his
boon companion SO long, and approaches
Venus, with which planet he makes close
conjunction on the iIih. Although both
planets are in their closest proximity when
below the horizon, they will be near enough
when we see them 10 command our atten-
ton. 1t will then be observed that Saturn
has passed Venus and is " the westward
From the manner in which the ringcd
planet has been Oscillating about, we can
form a clearer idea OF why the term wan
derers should be applied 10 these heavenly
bodies than Is at present afforded by the
movements OF any other planet.
Uranus IL also an evening star, aud APP
pears In the Western portion Of the sky
not far from the bright star spica. His po' =
tion may be still more definitely fixed
sith, on which day he Is In coDjuncti,hN.,