Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-02
THE HEAVENS IN MARCH.
Movements of Stars and Planets for the
Coming Month.

coming Month.
From the New York Times
The sun enters the sign Aries on the 10th Of
March at 10 pm. The vernal equinox then
takes place, the astronomical spring begins and
the days and nights are equal all over the
globe.
This last assertion must, however, be taken
with qualifications. Such would be the case il
it were not for refraction, which lengthens the
day from four to eight minutes at the expense
Of the night When the suns disk is really be-
low the horizon, to us it has the appearance Of
having risen, sunrise being thus accelerated
from two to four minutes. The reverse takes
place at sunset, the sun being visible for a few
minutes after his disk is below the horizon.
Refraction, therefore, adds a few minutes Of
precious sunlight to the short winter days.
The March phases Of the moon begin with
the quartering OF the new moon that came in
yesterday. on the 5th; there is full moon on the
18TH last quarter on the 2lst and new moon on
the 2Sth. This evening the moon and Jupiter
are In conjunction, and on Tuseday Venus and
the moon. This evening Luna will be midway
between the two planets. and. although the fine
tableau presented four weeks ago will not be
equaed, still they will be well worth looking at.
On the 4th Neptune and the moon will be at
their closest for the month, but neither this
"
any particular merit. as there are more than
three degrees Of defamation separating the
two.
On the 18th Saturn ana the moon come
within degree and half Of each other, fol-
lowed by Uranus on the 18th, which latter is
the nearest that the moon approaches any of
the planets. Mars turn come on the 2lst, the
day of the quartering of the waning NOON
Jupiter again on the 9th, Mercury on the 29th
and Venus closes the monthly list by being
honored with y second visit
Venus is evening star. The queen OF the stars
Is. during the month, peerless among the plan
| etary family She is growing larger and in
| creasing in briiisncy, being now only about
one-fourth the size that she will be in July.
Had il not been for the greatsr interest that
Venus and Jupiter have recently attracted the
place of honor for the month should perhaps
| have been assigned to Saturn, for while Jupiter
fades from sight Saturn oncc more becomes
prominent. as he Is in opposition on the 10th.
| or at u distance OF $50 degrees from the sun.
and changes from q morning to an evening
| star Ii not as brilliant in the east in the early
evening as Venus il in the west he has the adj
| vantage over his fair rival Of being visible
| long after she has sunk below the western hori-
Zon.
f, His rings are now in far better position for
our observation than they were, and to those
who have access to q telescope a study Of these
| wonderful circles and outer circles might. in
view OF the present discussions that are taking
pose of discovering any possible accompanying
| fringes.
Mars is morning star. Rising some four or
| five hours ahead OF the sun he gradually
| widens the interval separating the two and on
| the 29:h is in quadrature, or ninety degrees
| away from the sun.
Mercury Is far too near the sun for rs to see
him.. rs he il in superior conjunction with
| that luminary the 9Th emerging therefrom
to encounter Jupiter some six days later, as
the latter is about to be embodied in Old Soils
warm embrace.
! Uranus is in the constellation Of the Virgin,
! about two degrees south Of Spica, which is q
bright. Heterogeneous star, the most brilliant
| OF the group Uranus is in conjunction with
the moon on the 10th, the two beiug only about
a diameter Of the moon apart, 50 that one can
! form on that night fairly good idea Of the
planets whereabouts, the latter being to the
southwark. Then, il one looks about -four
diameters Of the moon TO the northward. ht
can see Spica-
Neptune Is in conjunction with the moon or
the 4th. and this begins and ends the interes
in this last known member Of the solar family
for the month.