Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-10-06
OCTOBER HEAVENS.
THIS MONTH BRINGS MUCH OF IN
TeRESr TO STAR-GkzERS.
Tho Hunters Moon 10 GLADDEN. the Eye
sixteen CopJunctioos. and tho Moon
rigures IN Ninc--Abcnt the Planets.

Int little change in this equality noticea-
be before the present month came in.
long before It's close, however. wo shall be
quite forcibly aware of the fact that the
days are getting much shorter, and that
the nights are 1T the same time grow
Sne longer. The crisp. clear October
evenings VII be lull os enjoyment for
those who ike TO watch the movements of
The mciahers Of the solar family. so
CLOSELY allied in destiny with their earthly
brother. and whose very light and life are
derived from the same great source.
The sun having left his i. 7. c. upon n
poor. persplring community In n most i'm
pressive manner, the Ike OF which has not
been known for years. departed to smile
upon the antarctic regions for the next SIX
months. during which time his light will
be an almost unknown quantity IN the
home OF onr own polar bear. and OF the
iccbergs which N the summer months are
driven down 20 obs'ruct the paths OF
ocean commerce.
While we are accustomed to regard the
sun as the moasurer Of time we are apt 10
overlook the fact tina. the period Of two
successive transits OF the sun that we see
Ia too irregular for us 10 get clocks TO con-
form TO and that astronomers had to con-
ceive the idea of creating al imaginary
Gun, which. like the stars. would be regu-
lar IN motion. The interval between two
successive transits Of this imaginary sun
Is termed a mean solar dav and is equal 10
the average of oil the apparent solar days
IN year. IL l. tins TO which our clocks
and chronomotcrs are adjusted.
TIE EQUATION TIME.
The difference between the place Of the
real and imaginary sun is familiarly known
as the.cquation of time, which Is a varying
quantity. as sometimes the imaginary sun
Ia ahead Of tho real one. while at other
times il Is astern of il. We must also be
careful 10 note the fact that the sun-dial
marks apparent time only. and conse-
ouentlv It's indications will only agree with
clock time when the real and imaginary
suns happen 10 coincide or pass the meri-
dan at the same instant. his actually
occurs four times in twelve-month. about
April 18th. June nth, August 3lst. and De
cember 2fth.
The new moon. which is inst becoming
visible in the southwestern section Of the
skv. was ushered in on I'd. and Is called
the Hunters Moon. and next TO the Har-
vest Moon is tho most admired and best
known Of the year. Our satellite is still at
point in the elliptic near enough TO the
sign Of Aries for her 90 make o small angle
with the eastern horizon when rising,
though larger than that OF last months
"
comparatively slight change in the time of
her appearance. The bright n gifts MI orded
by the unusual amount If moonlight We're
supposed IN DAYS Of old 10 be a special in
terposltion Of Providence in behalf OF the
hun'sInen IN the pursuit of their fayOrite
sport.
After the full on October 18th the moon
rises for three consecutive nights with nm
average difference considerably less than
4. tor NJ an a
tons for the month are sixteen in number.
~ rather more than usual. OF these the
moon figures in nine. She has already
made her visit TO Mercury. Saturn. and
Venus. and today she exchanges cOmplI-
ments with Uranus. On October lfth Ju-
piier and the growing crescent come TO
their nearest point for tho month. hut the
too brilliant fac of the three-quarter moon
Will prevent this meeting having much
E 'gnitcance even were il very much
closer one than IL il. On October 20th the
iai-diStant Neptune IS in CONJUNCTION; on
the 18th Saturn for second time In the
month: on the nth Mars. and on the 3lst
Uranus, also ior Hsecond time.
JUTITEE's COURT.
jupiter. although having passed away
from BIS position IN opposition 10 the sun
when he rose al sunset and looked down
from tho zenith at midnight. j. still gl0ri-
Gus O. gaze upon as the early evening twl-
ght 7. vrAls him higher aud higher in his
Path across the heavens. and be- sinks 20
rest below the western horizon in the
small hours Of the morning. He H. Low
In tho constellation OF AquarUs, and, as
lee rcmHins nb,u' . yer IN each constclla-
ton. II is Ialrly easy II locate his sur
rounding. While az presen: holding hrs
own and k ping up his court with ap-
parently undlminiShed brilhancy, he Is
slowly hut surely GuprOachln. his down
fail. when b. VII have 10 weld to the
more dazzling luHro # the queen Of all the
planets. which Will very shortly appear to
grace the beauties f the autumn twilight
Venus has now fairly joined the galaxy
Fl evening stars. and her shining dia-
mCni-lke RAYS VIII in another six weeks
be- plainly visible shortly after the sun has
set. u.s. the planet l. gradually withdrawing
from the powerful sunlight that has in
quilted her for several months. Before the
wear closes we shall have promise Of her
again assuming the bcwitChlng aspect that
made her 40 prominent ali object IN the
early months Of the year, when she was
more than -four times her present SIZE. The
constellation Of the Lion holds this peer
less gem, which. although well down IN
southern declinetion, viii continue her
course away from rs until she reaches the
furthest point III her c0quettish career
more turn her face 10 tho nOrthwar1
Uranus Is the third of the evening stars.
and. allhough well hevond our normal Vi
sion. can be- found with telescope aid. He
IL IA fairly important member of the plane
tsry family fOr the month. as he Is twice
III conjunction with the moon, once to-
day, aud again on the last day Of the
month, just before the old moon turns
into the new. Ia addition TO this some
W hat n -. t.la 10 IN
superior conjunction with the sun on tho
18th. and after that dato Will be- classed
with the morning stars. az course such
proximity 10 the conire of the solar sys-
TEN renders II more than usually d fiji
cult matter u find him. On the 2Gth IRA
nus and Mercury are III conjunction.
HIS RINGS GoSE.
Saturn has lost his rings. which have
been gradually disappearing ever since
ISIS. when they were open to their widest
extent. The reason for this somewhat
startling announcement, which very posi-
Ily may be found in the Lost and
Pound" columns of the Celestial Regis
tor. ~ accounted for by the fact that the
plane Of the ring passes through tho cart b
and Is consequently seen edgewise As the
thickness of the ring probably does not
exceed 100 miles. an insignificant amount
when one deals " th the immense distance
scpaIating Us from Saturn. II Is not ,!sI DE
10 US here on our planet. On
October 3Oth the plane OF the
rng will pass through the sun. short
lv after which II will reappear and
another change Will occur. The face Of
the rin.. that has for the past fifteen years
been illumincd bv the sun, viii then pass
into shadow and the other face will bask
IN the bright sunlight IN its return for a
similar interval. when the ring Will again
disappear, and SO ON.
These peculiar features Of the planets
are taken advantage OF by those who will
no doubt be found 20 be otherwise than
weather-wise 20 indicate terrible storms
and gales but 10 those who are not IN the
weather ring II seems very difficult 20 see
just what bearing the two have upon each
other. Saturn's pale yellow light can be
seen in the eastern sky Just before the lit.
tie Jumps OF daylight begin 10 make them.
selves visible above the horizon.
Mercury Is morning star. but he keeps 20
much within tho suns influence that IL Is
only with difficulty and under very fgvora-
bic circumstances that he can be seen.
Only sharp eyes will be able 10 find him
about eight degrees south of the sunrise
point little less than All hour before sun
up. This In. however. positively his last
appearance for the year, as he il again
drawing toward the sun, with which he Is
conjunction H.. %,