The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-08-10
THE SKY TN AUGUST.
A shower Of Brilliant Meteors
About the 10th.
SOME NOTES FOR sTAR-oAzEHs.
venus, Mars and Jupiter ON Dsck-How
the Moon WIN Glide Among
tho Planets.

r
Economical event Of August's annals, Is the
meteoric disp ay which occurs on and
around the 10Th Of the month. The August
meteors are called Perseids, because they
appear to issue from that part of the sky
occupied by the constellation Perseus.
This star group rises in the northeast now,
little before IL o'clock at night, appearing
on the 10th at about 1915. Between that
hour and the morning twilight is the most
favorable time to look. A few of these
shooting stars may be seen on any night Of
the year when the sky is clear If looked for
long enough. but they will be more numer-
Gus and brilliant on the nights Of August
8. 10 and u, than ct any other time ex-
cept November IL and 13 Those Of the
latter dates are called Leonids, because
they come from the direction of the
constellation Leo. The earth, in sweeping
along its orbit, dashes through meter
zone encircling the sun on August 8, 10 and
II every year, being about the middle of
this belt on the 10th. Myriads OF meteors
are attracted by the earth and turned from
their course, and, flying in this direction,
ignite when encountering our atmosphere,
and thus become visible. Looked for about
midnight toward the noriherly part of the
u
often been seen within an hour or two
when the atmosphere was favorable for OBJ
servation.
Even the careless observer will have mo-
ticed, in the past week or two. . marked
difference in the duration of the day as
compared with the latter part of June.
The places of the suns rising, elimination
and setting are farther to the south than
they were five or six weeks ago. and the
movement in that direction is continuous.
The por ton of the circle traversed bv the
sun above the horizon steadily shortens,
and the time of The suns visibility as
steadily shrInks in duration.
All of the planets will be in the field of
vision some time before midnight during
August, Neptune. the latest to appear, as
we as the remotest. and to the average
amateur, the least interesting of them all !.
rising about forty minutes before the mid
night hour at the beginning of the month
Mercury took its place among the evening
stars on july %.
One prominent planet vanishes from the
evening sky in August. This is Saturn.
For the past six months the ringed planet
the orbs which were in view within three
or four hours after sunset, but the glory
with which it shone during he spring and
early summer is fading. Moving nearer
and nearer to the sun, its light is being
dimmed by the splendor of the solar rays.
On the last day of August Saturn sets
with the sun. and few weeks later appears
in the east, an hour before sunrise. IN the
role OF morning star. Saturn and Mercury
will be in conjunction on August g. Mer-
curry at that time being about half q de.
gree. or an angular distance equal to the
apparent diameter of the full moon, south
of Saturn. On that evening these planets
will set about fifty minutes later than the
sun.
A more striking and glorious picture is
rarely presented on the panorama of the
heavens than that which Venus. Mars and
Jupiter afford during the August evenings.
Before the close of the evening twilight
Venus may be seen in the west, Mars in
the south and jupiter in the southeast.
the luminaries OF its vicinity. Even 6s
most casual and careless star-gr ger win DOT
be able to ccnfound any of these three
with any other orbs. Venus Is nearing the
earth. and Is now close 10 its brightest and
most brilliant aspect. During August
Venus sets about on hour and three-quar-
tiers later than the sun.
Although Mars is scarcely as bright as Ii
was two months ago. yet it is still by far the
most striking and magnificent luminary in
the southerly quarter of the heavens. With
respect to the other Orbs of its neighbour
hood Mars is moving rapidly toward the
east, and approaching the first magnitude
star Antares Of the constellation of the
Scorpion. through which group the planet
o'clock at the beginning of August, and
half an hour earlier at the end of the
month.
For more than two months past Jupiter
has been in the fed of vision before mid.
night. Technically. however. the giant
planet did not become morning star until
the 30th day of July, when it rose above the
easterly horison just as the sun sunk below
the horizon in the west Jupiter comes
into view in the southest, and. in angular
measurement, it is about as far east of Mars
on the opening day OF August as Venus is
west OF the latter orb. JuEiter's position
in The armament is near the head of the
group 1t shines grandly. 1t sets at the be-
ginning of August about sunrise.
Uranus Is not OF much importance now
to the ordinary star-gazer. 1t is too far
west to be very interesting. Those having
patience and some knowledge of celestial
geography may readily trace out Uranus
in its position near the bright star Spica, of
the constellation of the Virgin. Il Is north
east of Spica. q anus sets now about two
hours later than the sun.
The most interesting conjunctions in
August between the moon and the planets
VIII occur on the 18th, the "a b and the
9Th, respectively. At the earlier date the
moon passes Venus. on the 24th it moves
by Mars, and on the 9th Jupiter is left be-
hind. AT 4 O'Clock in the morning OF the
18th the closest approach is made, Venus
at that time being five and one-half de-
grees south Of the moon. Mars will also
be south or the moon when both orbs will
be at their nearest each @, her. The dis.
lance separating them will be a lirtie
less than four degrees. The one in
which Jupiter figures, however. will be-
the COZ juno ion best worth seeing. IL will
be the closest and be in the field OF view all
night. On the 9Th. when this takes pace.
both moon and planet will be in the south.
east Al O'Clock in the evening of that
day they will be at their nearest. The
moon at that time will be within two DAYS
OF its full stage. When the moon and the
giant planet come into view on that even
ing The latter will be found about two and
three-anarters degrees north of the former.
The hrst magnitude stars visible during
July will all be in view in August. but will
be further TO the west. Arcturus. in the
constellation of Bootes, will be about half
way between the western horizon and the
point overhead at O'Clock in the evening.
Spica, in Virgo. will be low in the south.
west Antares, in Scorpio. will be in the
south. just east of Mars; Vega. in Lyra.
viii be overhead; Deneb. in Cygnus. will
be northeast OF Vega, and Altar. in
Aquila. will be in the east, about half az