Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-07-12
ABEAUTlFUL PHENOMENON
The OccuItntion ofthe Planet Mars by the

The Occultation of the Planet Mars by the
hIoon.
People who happened g. be stor-ga ling about
o'clock last night Witnessed IN the eastern
heavens a beautiful celestial phcnomcnon-the
orcultation Of the planet Mars by the moon.
The state Of the atmosphere WIS favorable for
its being secn 70 The best advantage. The time
OF frst contact with the eastern limit OF tho
moon, as taken Al tho DISPATCH ONCE and by
The Benedictine fathers Of st. Marys church,
who kindly sont their notes % tho DISPATCH by
Professor Muller, was 1907. Tho duration was
one hour and two minutes.
The New York IiWcs, In speaking OF the phe-
nOmenon, says:
~ the time Of this occultation Mars will be
nearly az IFS least distance from the earth, or
about 80. .OOO. 900 miles In round numbers. The
very nearest approach at this opposition viii
occur on August 1th, when two planets will nI-
prOach each Othcr as near as 3f,S2u.OOO ne
suppOsing the mean distance OF the earth TN
the sun 10 be o. .OOO,OUO miles, which l. IA M
probability very near the truth. Under the most
favorable circumstances the earth and Mars can
never approach each other nearer than
$4,000, 900 miles.
AN IMPORTANT EyRST.
The present opposition which occurs on Au-
gust 81 Is the most favorable one that has Oc-
Cured since September, 1877. The ono OF sep
tember, 1877, was "a little more favorable thnn
the present one Will be, because II occurred
when the planet was little nearer its perihelion.
An August or Il september opposition is much
more favorable than n February or March Op-
position, because they appear near the peri
helion point OF Marss orbit. For instance the
longitude (heliOcortr1cl OF the periEeliOn oi
Mars's orbit IL 333 degrees from the first point
Of Aries. Every year the earth has this same
longitude on August 2fth Nov, n Mars has tho
same longitude it will bring the Two planets Oh
the same side Of the sun, and az nearly their
least distances from each other.
Tho opposition Of August comes nearer full
flng these conditions than any other which
viii occur until the year 1909. Every oppO-
sitiOn following the one Of next month Will
occur under less favorable conditions until
the one OF February, 1901, Is reached, which
Will occur under the least favorable circum-
stances pos iDlc. At this opposition Mars WI!
be distant from us somewhat over 0O,0OO,OOO
miles instead Of 3j.OOO,OO miles as az present
The opposition viii occur near 1873 degrees OF
Longitude NEAR the aphelou point or about
loO degrees distant from the present one.
WILL GROW NoEg FAVORABLE.
Every opposition succeeding this one will grow
more favorable again until the one OF 1909 Is
reached, when the planet viii be once more
fagoraby situated as al present.
Ii Is OF the greatest importance that Mars
should be carefully observed during the latter
part OF July and during August and September
The planet will be nearest TO the earth, 90 that
IL satellites viii be easily seen in good telescope
TIE Cnly tbing unfayOrable will be the planets
great southern dcclnatlOn. During most OF the
month OF August II viii be situated In about 20
degrees south declination, which will only
bring IL about % degrees above our southern
horizon ia this latitude, even whom on the me-
ridan To all observers provided with good
telescopes good wOrk can be done by measuring
the petitions and distances Of the small stars IN
the same field Of view with Mars. Good obser-
Yati0ns OF this kind Will add greatly 10 our
knowledge OF the patallax and distance OF Mars
from the earth. which Is used In determining
our distance from the sun.