Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-29
The Planets in October.

From the Scientific American.
Jupiter is evening star, and, though los
ing little of the prestige that marked his
course in August and September, still retsinl
his position as monarch Of the starlit October
nights. Observers will notice a change in the
timo Of his appearance. He is high above the
horizon when it is dark enough for the stars to
come out and sets in the small hours of the
morning. He is on the meridian at s o'clock
and sets about 1:30 O'Clock on the 31st. Hii
diameter has decreased about SO" since oppo-
sition, but it makes no perceptible difference
in the brliancy Of his light. The prince OF
planets IS leaving us and travelling toward the
sun; the earlier rising and setting and the
lessenirg diameter are the tangible proofs OF
sways his course as irresistibly as lie does that
OF the tiny atoms of meteor swarm. The
moon is in conjunction with Jupiter three
days before the full, on the 14th, at Oh. 46m.
m. being s. 81 south.
Uranus is evening star until the 18th, and
then morning star. He is in conjunction with
the sun on the 25th, at Oh. am, when he
makes his appearance on the SUMS western side
anu commences his role of morning star. The
synodic period of Uranus, or the time it takes
him to travel from conjunction to conjunction,
is 369 days, while his sldereal period is eighty
four years 1T will be noticed that the moro
distant a major planet is from the sun, the
shorter is its SYMBOLIC period, for the slower the
planet moves, the less space will the earth,
after completing a revolution, have to travel
to come into line with the planet and the sun.
Mars is morning star and is slowly making
his way toward the earth. Saturn overtakes
and passes him on the 18th, when the planets
are in conjunction. at Ion. 25m. p. M. Mars be-
ing 80 south.
Saturn is morning star. The noteworthy
event in his October course is the reappear-
ance of his ring on the 3Oth. The plain
of the ring then passes through the sun,
its northern surface comes into the light,
and the southern surface enters into shadow.
The ring continues to open until in about seven
years II Ii open to its widest extent; then grad
ually closing, 1t becomes again invisible about
1906. Saturn rises at the close of the month
three hours and a half before the sun and may
be found north of the star Beta Virgins. The
moon is in conjunction with Saturn on the LIST,
the day before her change, at IN. 26m. am,
being 2 SO north.
Venus is evening star. There is little to be
said of her, she makes her slow progress east
ward from the sun. keeping 50 close to him that
there Is only an interval Of twenty-seven min
utes between sunset aad the time of her disap-
pearance below the horizon. The new moon OF
the I'd Is IN conjunction with Venus on the Sd,
at IN. Ism. am, being p So north.
Mercury is moruing star until the 9th. and
then evening star. lie is in superior conjunc-
ton with the sun on the 9th at Oh. 35m. D.
M, when he completes his synodic revolution
Of 116 days. and comes into line with the earth
and sun, being beyond the sun and at his great
est distance from the earth. The moon is in
conjunction with Mercury on the LIST at al. I'm.
a. M, being s. 81 north.
Mars, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are morn
Ing stars at the close Of the month. Jupiter
Venus and Mercury are evening stars.