Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-06
MAY SHORTEN WINTER
Effect Of the Conjunction of Jupiter
and Venus on the Sun.
RESULT OF LOCAL OBSERVATIONS.
Professor Very Furnishes Some Interesting
Information.
SCIENCE AND THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM

The courtship of Jupiter and Venus is
making more disturbance than any love
affair of modern times, but then it will help
out the grounding in his weather predic-
tions. One feature of the conjunction will
be that the sun will get measles in the
shape ofa new sun spot. This sun spot will
be like the stirring up of fire, and will
Increase the temperature so that the
grounding will be helped out in his promise
of the death of winter.
Last night the two planets we're appar-
emily within few inches of each other,
but in reality they are separated the usual
distance of about $4,000, 900 miles. The
solar system has decided that chaperone
will not be necessary to keep watch over
the meeting which will take place early
this morning. AT the Allegheny observa-
tory Prof. Very took observations last night
and he says it is one of the most beautiful
of the astronomical phenomena. Speaking
of it he said:
1t Was a Rare Opportunity.
''It is seldom We have an opportunity of
seeing two planets in one field of observa-
tion. Tonight Jupiter and Venus had the
appearance of being very close together. In
fact, this is about the closest conjunction of
which we have amy record. These two
planets are in conjunction about every 20
or % years. Venus, of course, was much
more brilliant on account of its
being nearer the earth than Jupiter.
It is only about 370,00O,OO0 miles
away. Venus had the appearance of being
made of FURNISHED silver, while Jupiter
was lead colored. We get the reflection Of
the atmospheres of these planets, but we
cannot get a glimpse of the surface. Jupi-
ter's diameter is about Sc, 500 miles, or more
than II times that of Venus, which is 2, ZOO
miles The surface of Venus is so covered
with clouds that it is impossible to deter
mine the diameter accurately, and these
figures probably involve an error of 30 miles
either way.
SIT has been very easy matter for as
tronomers to detect on Mars evidences of
climates and seasons, and typographical con-
ditions corresponding wonderfully well with
our own. For instance, the white spots at
the poles are believed, and with good rea-
season, to be ice fields, such as exist at our
Arctic and Antartic seas. Again, Its rota-
tion is accomplished in "a hours 81 minutes
and %. 67 seconds, which is only q little
more than half hour longer than the
earth's. With Venus it is supposed that
she does not rotate on her axis, but always
keeps one side turned toward the sun. To-
night she appeared in position between
the half and the quarter full.
About the Star of Bethlehem.
Prof Very was asked about the wander
ing star of Bethlehem and at once declared
he did not believe there was such star, and
further answered by asking, ':Do you read
the Bible?"
81 do" sincerely replied the reporter
''Then you must know it saws the star of
Bethlehem was only visible to the three
wise men. 1t also states that it stood over
the stable where the Christ child lay"
When asked as to whether any star that
moved in respectable astronomical circles
would be guilty of such conduct he opined
that it would not and said: 81 doubt
whether such a star exists. There may be
variable star which fancy has given that
name because it is supposed to appear Mt
intervals which would have made it promi-
rent about the beginning of the Christian
era"
''What effect will the conjunction to-
morrow have on the other heavenly bodies?"
According to the law of attraction of
matter for matter, when these two planets
come in a straight line with the sun it will
likely create some disturbance. 1 believe
it will cause another sun spot The history
of these spots is that they cause an in
creased radiation of heat, as if it was
stirring up of the internal fires"