Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-01
THE APRIL HEAVENS,
Some Remarkable Stellar Attractions That
May Be Seen This Month-Jupiter VIII
Come to the Front as the Most Conspicu-

daylight hours is now slightly in excess OF that
Of the period Of darkness. and the margin be.
tween them will keep on broadening until the
closing days of June. This is true for all of the
earth north of the equator, but south OF that
line the opposite conditions will prevail.
The April moon does not come until the Sth,
as there is over a week of the old moon re-
manning when the month begins. On the 9Th
crescent is almost too close to the sun to admit
of the meeting being seen, even IL the planet
was itself visible. On the 1lth there will be
conjunction with both Mars and Neptune,
ocean are very Close together. Our satellite
draws near to Saturn on the 19th ana closes
the monthly round with a call upon the far
distant Uranus on the 23d, the day Of full moon.
Jupiter Most Conspicuous.
Jupiter again comes prominently to the front
as the most conspicuous of the planets. Emerg.
ing from the Unfolding rays of the sun, he has
for some time been plainly visible to early
risers an hour or so before the dawn. To-day
there is only 20 minutes difference between
Venus and Jupiter-the former is drawing
nearer the sun sSi the latter is separating
from it-so tb at the interval between the two
planets will be decreasing until they are in
con junction. This takes place on the 9th and
will be one of the events of the season In the
astronomical world The two planets will ap-
pear almost touching, and no finer opportunity
COulu De Wl5neu LOT making comparison U6-
tween these two great rivals OF the starry
heavens.
Venus is making her way toward the sun, and
on the lst rises less than two hours before the
sun appears above the eastern horizon. As
she travels toward superior conjunction she at
the same time recedes from the earth, her
semi-diameter naturally decreases. and with it
her Drilliancy. She has been fair to see for
many weeks, and although she will not lay
aside her starry crown for some little time to
come, her rival, Jupiter, is gaming rapidly
upon her, and will fairly outshine her before
her present course as morning star has been
fully run. Her varied phases have been
charming ever since she hung tremulous with
brightness in the golden sunset and then dis
appeared as evening star to reappear soon
again on the other side of the sun. shining
with brilliancy eclipsing all else in the early
morning sky.
Saturn, Mercury and Neptune.
Saturn has been rising earlier and earlier,
and is now visible almost the entire night, being
in plain sight as soon as there is sufficient dark
ness for any of the stars to be visible, and COM
ing to our meridian about 10:l6. This means
that the planet will bear south at that time, and
it will be about the same height above the hori-
zon that the sun 10 at noon. There are no par
tcularly bright stars near him, so that his pale
yellow light, with perhaps during peculiar
atmospheric conditions, llght-grayish tinge,
renders him quite easily distinguished. Those
snonss ,y; tSnS s,,,dn -, th hra W tero, a
the eight moons most Interesting. The pIauet
is in the constellation of the Lion, his right as
Gension E Deng ~ hours % minutes, ana his
oe ie.e - noI.n On tne ION ne 70 IN
being about three degrees apart, and the moon
too near the full for proper scenic effect.
oyan;nr s.as durirc ~, tSS 70 S i ten az
t,'s Io.ss seaa uu.,Is 'ne mSnsn no , OF ApIa: oh
meets him with the sun. and at that time. II we
the snn sints 70 rssr VOC snail 90. h,s ta9ne
Iiebr for sSort tine onIv hawsver -, a. "ins bs
nevar gets yary for ayar }rom tha inm;narv
around which he reyoiyes.
Neptune is An evening star and Ia Tn ba found
In the constellation of fbe RnII which OrionSs
40 yainIv strIvinc to cononar In The oari1
svening the nlanet ia we'll in the sonthwest nal
# the heayans IN the iI,h he is ~ h. S.triv
we'll located nv the moon win which he is ~
and AGAIN on the 2sth by a some.
what similar meeting with Mars.
Irra,rs T.o,,,, . r.,..
AeSooPo'
Uranus IS morning star, and maintains his
position fairly close to the bright star Spica in
he constellation of the Virgin. Hs in oppo.
,;,io,, 20 ,ha ann -, ,ha oo,n - ii, r.
I..o- " 'Ae 90. on .no .V'n, anu "iii pe worry
aVoraoly situated at lnat Time ior observation,
md can be seen with unaided vision. He sets
II tne Iine tne sun rises anu rises as the latter
'eN' no e.uAos SoieseopoS sno" tnis p,Anet
.o"1i 80 -. .. ..,s. wv sno..u De uSeu. 40 sees
oo,or ~ .r,,inns n's sans nas aeI,ueu
- oor.o,,,n -, .,. a;s,, - .. sn
80 n,ss ,nhiar 80 =, a.' -, soiee'
ation have aver been estab,isbed. hnt H. nv
,e regarded as certain that 1t does rotate in the
'ame plane in which its two satellites revolve
lround IL.
MARS sets httle aIter O'Clock In the even
ns, anu anu Is tnere,oae an EVENING star ne Is
raveIing eastwaIa am nortnWara, SO tnat tne
lime OF MS setting varies Dut little from night
o nlght. On tne lltn ne Is In conjunction with
ne crescent moon; put TWO degrees separate
ne Two; tne Pianet however, mas become so
mail that IL IS haroly conspicuous enough to
lttract very mucn attentlon. Inc conjunction
WIN neptune On Tue Iotn mas peen ALREADY re-
erred TO. OoserVationS OF tnls planet show
nat changes are continually taxing place In Its
Iarlous lakes and canals. Ihe latter are at
lines hidden from our sight and their size va
les In width from oIa 10 loo1a miles. while in
ome instances thelr length measures more
han 5.5ooH miles. All OF nearly all divide in
Wo parts, whlcn process OF duplication is most
as In period OF "a hours the trans
ormatlon occurs simultaneously along the
Whole length OF the canal. When it is to take
,lace the canal until then single and clear like
black line, becomes nebulous and grows
wider.
Changes in the Marteap Lakes.
Inese changes IN tne Martean lakes ana
nee aDnear from ScliaDarAlli's observations