The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-02-08
STARS IN FEBRUARY.
snlendid Panorama of the
Firmament in Winter.
THE wANDERlNGs OF NEPTUNE.
w.ss of Clouds on saturn-Uranus, the
Morning Star-Mars Shining With
Faint Luster.

most unobserving persons. The sun rises
sarIier and earlier each day. and sets later
snd later. so that the business man upon
/ eturuing from his Office can enjoy read
|, Inc the evening news with the same degree
y ~ comfort that be scanned his mornings
naper. being no longer dependent upon
artificial light. Although February has
onlv tgenty-nine days to the thirty-one of
January, the daylight period increases
with much greater rapidity as the sun
moves through four degrees more of decli-
nation on its way TO the equator. When
the month closes ii viii be found that
nature is shaking off her lethargy, and
that her forces are stirring beneath the
soil.
The February moon fulls on the 18th.
The growing crescent. two DAYS after quar-
/ ,eriag, is in conjunction with Neptune on
The 9Th, but, as almost three degrees sepa-
rate the two the meeting is not one for
narticuiar attention. Saturn and the
moon are in conjunction three days after
the full. but the brightness of Luna de-
tracts considerably from the spectacular
effect. Two days before her last quarter
the waning moon encounters Uranus, on
the 18th, and if one were permitted to see
the planet IN ali its glory with unaide
vision, one should have a pleasing picture,
as the two are less than degree apart.
Mars and then Mercury receive visits in
turn. the former on the 22d and the latter
the day of the new moon, on the 9th.
The coniunctions for the month are closed
by the moon drawing near to Jupiter on
the 18th.
The conjunction between Jupiter and
Venus on Saturday has already been
| noted in the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Jupi-
| Ter will continue TO draw nearer and
nearer to the sun, until in March the phe-
| nomenon Of the conjunction between the
| two occurs, and he viii be next seen in
| the early hours of the day. the leader of
| the morning stars. Some time before this
Ehe will. however, have become ingulfed
In the suns bright rays. At this season
|znumber of star groups are visible. The
Ornament never presents more varie-
gated and splendid panorama than it dis
IIpiays in midwinter An hour or two after
sunset on any Of the nights near the be-
ginning of February, Betelguese and
kRigel may be seen in the southeast, Sirius
little lower in the sky in the same quar-
Der, Procyon and the Twins in the east,
Il
head. A little later Regulus will be COM
ing up. followed shortly by Spica some
| what further to the southwark. These are
all among the brightest stars ever visible
here, and although all may not twinkle
when the curtain rises they will be in time
TO joiS in the applause and help along the
epilogue.
Neptune is also evening star and is in
good position tei telescope observation on
account of his high meridian altitude He
is stiii wandering along in the constella-
zion Of the Bull becomes stationary on the
fish, and will then begin retracing his
steps. While moving away from Aide
baran, the bright star that serves 10 indi-
cate his whereabouts in declination, the
right ascension of the two will be alike to-
ward The close of March, at which time
| the planet will be 4 degrees north Of the
star.
Saturn is already becoming more and
more conspicuous and interesting, as he
rises, almost due east, early in the morn
ing, at which time his serene light is easily
distinguishable, as there are but few bril-
iants in has immediate neighborhood.
Saturn is so far off that even at his best
he is never so bright as Venus or Mars or
Jupiter become when they are fayorably
| situated. On the globe of Saturn one can
somet,mes see few bands. but they are
faint compared with those of Jupiter
l There is no doubt that what one sees upon
/ Saturn is a dense mass of clouds. Indeed,
fseems as though he could have compare
lively little solid matter inside, for this
fpianet does not weigh SO much as bali of
| water the same size would. Like Jupi-
| Ter, il is thought that Saturn must be
| highly heated in his interior.
Uranus is a morning star There is a
very singular circumstance connected with
he moons of this planet. all four of which
feyolve in circles so perfect that one could
make true picture OF this system with u
pair of compasses. 1t is further TO be no.
heed that the four circles seem to lie ex-
sctly in the same plane. in general the
! orbits of the satellites of the great planets
are eIlipses, and, with their primary BODY.
he very nearly in the ecliptic in which the
earth moves. The moons of Uranus seem
70 have gotten twist from some acct
Genital circumstance for which il is not
possible satisfactorily TO account.
hercury. having reached its greatest
sestern elongation on January 10, began
MS backward journey toward the sun. ana
kalready so dimmed by the giinting light.
as II rpples in flowing streams of radiance,
that one can no longer see him. twill he
tome months before be is again visible. and
meanwhile he viii have passed from a
norning 10 an evening star. Although
4 successive Improvements in astronomy
are identified with the god Mercury, the
eondiuon Of the planet Is not among the
number, as il succeeds in getting far
though away from the solar system for Us
70 really perceive its beauties. Little or
nothing of the nature Of its surface can be
maze out The planet seems 10 be ball
lfghtly lighted by the sun, bat /: IS hardly
possible 20 discern features thereon.
Mars Is one of the morning stars. and is
luss now one OF the least Important MEN,
gers o. the solar family. rs he j. small in
pc and shines with hut faiat luster. on
iseeoaht Of what he promises to become
1a'er IN the year, has Importance is OF IN
geasinG interest In August, ct the time
~ h1s opposition 90 the sun, lie Will be the
yeeseryed OF a. observers
very large majority If people. no
sonet, believe that wA lien Tie term fixed
sar IS used. 1t means that tae star is i'm
Inoyable. SGch is not the case however.
the Appe.atlon is n..suouer, Tor almost
EVER star which has been observed long
shoash Is seen 20 be in motion Indeed,
rs nor at all likely. nay. IL Is infinitely
hapTonao.e, that such au 81 jsct as a really
.Aea star actual J exists. Wheu the place
~ star has been accurately determined
w measurements made with the meridian
f.foIe, and when. after the lapse OF . num-
~F OF years. the place OF the same star is
4se1in determined hy observation. i not
shFequentiy happens thai the two places