Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-02
THE HEAVENS IN MAY.
Partial and Total Eclipses OF the Moon
Places Of the Planets.

Partial and Total Eclipses OF the Moon
Places Of the Planets.
From the New York Timss
The delights OF fragrant breeEes, bursting
buds and exhilarating atmosphere, which have
always been associated with the month Of May,
will be supplemented and heightened this year
by the charms which the armament will un-
fold For about half the month the evening
hours will be chsersd and bsautifed by NOON
light Venus will be increasing in brillisncy
and the bright stars forming the consultations
that have now become quite familiar will add
their radiance to the tableau.
The moon which was new on the 26th Of last
month reaches the period of first quarter on
the Sd, and on the 18th, when at the full, there
viii be partial eclipse, visible in this latitude,
and the moon will rise with = portion Of its
face hidden. The moon enters the peunmbra
about 2:45 O'Clock, passes into the deeper
shadow alittie after 4 o'clock, leaves the darker
shadow at about 7:80, and is entirely clear at
s:45 in the evening. II We consider the diane
disk that is in the shadow during the middle Of
the eclipse will be represented by 0.959
We find our midday shadow moving further
and further down town as old Sol gets higher
up in the heavens and gives rs more OF his
light and warmth. The increase in the length
of the day is almost an hour, Just the reverse
OF what We had last November, when the sun.
away south OF the line, was hurrying toward
the winter solstice. It's speed slackens as it
approaches the solstitial points. so we shall
toward the close OF the mouth than they are at
present The difference in declination for one
hour today is a. 8 minutes while on the 31st il
is but 2v.6 minutes.
There are probably other events Of greater
importance to the professional astronomer than
ran ~ rlAn of I..r. Al. TO-
skies, after his long seclusion in the suns rays,
but the lovers Of the giant planet who are
among the early risers will take q great pleas
ure IN welcoming an old friend to whom they
babe goodbye SO many weeks ago. Not one of
the glittering host that bestud the morning
sky can compare with the glorious planet, which
has grown somewhat larger and more brilliant
since we saw him, due very possibly to his hav-
ing borrowed little from the sun during the
somewhat lengthy time he tarried in old Soils
presence. Three days after the quartering OF
the waning moon Jupiter and Luna are in
conjunction. the former passing about degree
and three quarters to the northward.
Neptune sets about o'clock and is an even
ing star until the goth. on which day he is in
conjunction with the sun, aud will then become
a morning star.
Two days before the full moon Uranus is in
quite close proximity to the moon, the distance
between the two being little more than three
quarters OF degree which makes 1t the closest
injunction for the month.
Mercury now has place under Jupiter's lead
as one of the morning stars, and gradually in
creases his distance from the sun until the
18th.
Venus still remains the most attractive celes-
tial body in the evening skies. The beautiful
picture that was so striking to those who were
fortunate enough to observe it on the evening of
the 29th Of last month will not be repeated this
month. for when the planet and the moon are
at their nearest, on the 2Sth of this month,
two days after the appearance OF the new
moon, almost two degrees will separate the
two.
If we look due south about o'clock in the
evening We shall find a very pretty bright star
shining above the horizon at the same height
as that Of the sun on April 1. This fair gem
in Saturl. and he Is getting to the meridian
earlier and earlier upon each succeeding night
as he approaches the point of opposition with
the sun, where he will arrive in September,
after which he will become q morning star.
Mars is morning star, and we find him on our
meridian about o'clock in the morning, SO far
south, however, that We should not pay him
particular attention il 1t were not that this
namesake Of the mighty war god 10 growing
daily in size and brilliancy and gives promise
already Of being still more attractive. Later,
when he rises in the middle OF the evening and
we see his rudy face expanding, we shall have
more to say Of him, and meanwhile. time spent
upon reading up what the scientific people have
discovered i'll this wonderful neighbor of ours
will whet our appetite for still more remark
able disclosures that We are promised are to be
made in midsummer.