The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-13
THE SKY IN MARCH.
Mars and Saturn Light the Evening
Venus Shines Ere the Dawn.


Venus Shines Ere the Dawn.
st. Louis Globe-Democrat
The sun, in its apparent journey around
the earth, passes an important point in
its course in March. On December q it
swung around its southerly STANDING
place" and started on its six months voy-
age northward. Half of its pilgrimage
win be finished when, on March 20. it
dashes across the equinoctial. As the sun
sweeps lover the line" at that time the
winter, in the astronomical sense, is con-
sidered to end and the spring season to
begin.
The pace Of the sun has been growing in
rapidity since it set out on its northerly
dicated by the increase of the daylight pc
Rod and the decrease of the period of
darkness. To the average person this is
about the only evidence that it has actually
started in this direction. In January the
interval from sunrise to sunset grew to the
extent Of about fifty minutes only in the
sixty-two minutes in February, and it will
be seventy-hve minutes in March. To
this period which we are now in the words
'.as the days begin to lengthen the cold be-
gins to strengthen" are not applicable
After the close of January the frightening
days check the Strengthening cold, and by
the end OF February or the middle of
March the rigors of winter give way to
suggestions of spring.
Mars and Saturn are the only planets
left to figure in the roll of evening stars
Jupiter disappeared about the middle of
February by passing over to the westward
side OF the sun, and viii not be seen in the
evening sky again until the summer
comes. A week or two hence it viii be a
conspicuous object In the morning, when
it will rise in the southeast before the SUM-
At sunset In the opening days of March
Mars will be seen a little west of the south
erly point and about a third of the way be-
tween the horizon and the zenith. The
attention which is being gwen to Mars by
astronomers at this time, and the discov-
cries and speculations resulting therefrom,
have given 1t popular interest which few
of its companion orbs are now able to
command. As q spectacle. however, it
has not been of much account in the past
month or two. The planet of war is too
far away from the earth and too low in
the armament as viewed from the north
temperate zone to make it an object of
great concern to the common star-gazer.
Mars VIII be an evening star until July 30.
Saturn holds the post of honor in the
planetary procession. 1t has been visabie
within an hour or two after sunset for sew
eral weeks past. Earlier and earlier it has
been coming into view. On March 4 it
made its appearance just as the sun sank
from view in the west. The part of the
armament in which Saturn appears is
near the true easterly point. 1t remains
in the field of view from sunset to sunrise,
growing slightly nearer to the sun each
day, but for week or two in March SEEM
ing to appear above the westerly horizon
atthe moment when the solar orb drops
out of sight in the west. and to disappear
Just when the lumlnary swings above the
eastern horizon line TO assert its supremacy
over the other objects of the armament.
Saturn will be an evening star until the
middle of September. By that time the
steadily narrowing gap between the ringed
planet and the sun viii bring both on the
same north and south line in the frma-
ment, when both viii set together, and
Saturn viii be morning star for the re-
mainder of the year.
Uranus comes INTO the field Of vision in
the southeast before midnight. but its
falntnesS, as seen at this time, robs 1t of
all popular interest. It IS in the constella-
ton OF the Virgin, about 10 degrees east of
Spica, the leading orb in that star group.
In the latter part of March Mercury
swings over TO the eastern side of the sun
and becomes an evening star. 1t will be
too near the sun during the month, how
ever, to justify the ordinary person in
making any attempts TO catch glimpse of
it. On March 5 Mercury, while west of
the sun and moving toward that orb, will
pass Jupiter, the latter journeying In the
opposite direction.
Early risers will ind Venus favorably
situated for observation during March. At
the beginning of the month it will come
into view above the horizon in the south
east about two hours and q quarter before
the sun. There are other bright orbs in
its neighborhood. but the queen of planets
so far ousshines them all that il can
readily be picked out Venus will be q
morning star until the middle of Septem-
Der.
There will be three interesting conjunc-
tons in March between the moon and
planets. One of these can be seen in the
morning only, and In this Venus figures.
When the moon comes into view on the
It'll Venus viii be found shout S degrees