Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-02
THE AUGUST SKIES.
What Can Be Seen by an Observer
During the Current Month.
METEOR MOVEMENTS DESCRIBED,
Together With Those Of Sirius, Brightest
Star of Them ALL
PLANETARY FACTS TERsELY NOTED

InrougnOut tne month Oh august the sun
hurries away toward the South and the days
shorten, the heightened nights admitting of
satisfactory repose after the heat and
humidity of the dog days. Rather more
than nine degrees of declination mark the
path of the sun between the first and the
last days OF the month, his speed being half
as much greater at the close than it is to-
day. From this it can be plainly seen, says
the New York Times, that as the sun recedes
from the summer solstice the days decrease
more rapidly.
The August moon fulls on the 9th away
down in southern declination, at which time
it always seems so much nearer and clearer
to US than when it passes high overhead
nearer the zenith, as is the case when 1t has
corresponding northerly declination. The
nearly full moon and Mars are in conjunc-
tion on the 7th, but the distance separating
the two, added to the brilliant light of the
moons full disc, detracts from the beauty
Of the event. On the 18th the meeting with
Jupiter is a very close one indeed but it
happens in the early morning hours and
there Is again too much moonlight for
proper effect. The day after last quarter is
billed for meeting with Neptune, followed
two days later by meeting with Venus,
and four days after there is conjunction
with Mercury, which we are not permitted
to see as the two are so very close to the
sun at the time. On the Oath there will be
quite pleasing tableau, in which Saturn
figures conspicuously, the moon completing
her monthly course by passing very close
to Uranus on tire 9th, at almost noontide
with us.
Mars Has the Place OF Honor.
To Mars, without question, must be ac-
corded the place of honor in the monthly
annals, and those of us who have watched
his progress and increasing brilliancy will
no doubt take genuine pleasure in reading
all about what the scientists will discover
on the 4th, when he is in opposition with
the sun, and comes above the horizon about
the same time that the sun disappears on
the opposite side.
This phenomenon of opposition occurs
once in 7S0 days, his synodic period, at
which time he is in line with earth and sun.
1t is only once in every 15 or II years that
the earth and planet are SO situated as to
bring them to their closest approach. The
earth at her most distant point from the sun
when at her nearest point. Still the dis
tance between these two points is COM
paratively small In the case of Mars her
nearest to and farthest from the sun is 13, :,
900, 900 miles.
On August Mars is nearly at his least
distance, while the earth is about at the
greatest distance, so that the two being in
line they must be almost at their nearest
| point of approach. The distance between
them will be 80, 900 miles, whereas if
| opposition occurs when Mars is at aphelion
or at his furthest, then the distance is ex-
| tended to $1,000, 900 miles. The apparent
diameter and briliiancy of Mars vary greatly
with the changes of distance, the planet
| being four times as bright when in opposi-
| tion un Ter the present circumstances as it is
when at its greatest distance.
Improvement OF Instruments.
The instruments for accurate observation
| are 80 greatly improved over those formerly
| in use that 1t is not too much to expect that
| some new light may be thrown upon the
! perplexing problems of double canals, in
undations, and melting polar ice caps On
the maps of Mars already printed we find
names given to the grand divisions of land
and sea, and these are fully as familiar to
the professional as the markings of land and
water on the terrestrial globes should be to
/ L .
chance similar to the present, and this to
many of us means positively our last chance.
/ Jupiter's throne is again in danger, as he
no longer reigns supreme among the morn
| ing stars. Venus is there to challenge him
and wrest from him the glory that he has
been enjoying for the past few months. He
is, however, growing larger and more beau
tiful, and we find him at our meridian we'll
| above the horizon about o'clock every
morning, some five hours in advance of his
charming rival, who rises about two hours
preaching day. On the 14th Jupiter is sta
tionary in his course among the fixed stars,
after which he majestically begins to retrace
his steps, in which direction he continues
| until December.
| 1t is only to the early risers that Venus
| appeals but she is lovely to gaze upon as
she appears above the horizon. Her color
frequently changes rapidly from red to q
bluish-green during the first few degrees Of
her trip toward the zenith. So much are
these changes noticeable that she has fire.
as ships colored light, and the bright
eyed man on the watch often gets well
laughed at for not being able to distinguish
the one from the other. Saturn is evening
star, but is too near the sun and too far
from us to play very important part in
the monthly annals. His rings, however,
are becoming more and more distinct. Still,
it will be some little time before we notice
very great change in this planet.
Mercury Not of Great Moment.
Mercury is not of very great moment to
us just at present; he is too much overpow-
cred by the sun, which he is rapidly ap-
preaching, and with which he will be in in
ferior conf JUNCTION on the 25th. At present
he is an evening star, and is to be found in
| the constellation of the Lion.
Uranus can be found as to his where
abouts on the 9th, at which time he is in
| conjunction with the moon, only portion
of a degree separating the two. We can
| not, however, pick him out with the unaided
vision. With the exception of this meeting
| with the moon there is nothing of import
ance to be said about Uranus.
Neptune is morning star, and is in the
| Taurus group, where we have been used to
look for him these many weeks past. His
| right ascension is 4 hours SO minutes, and
his declinatiSh 200 34' north. He is ap-
preaching the position of quadrature with
the sun, which he will attain early in Sep
| tember
Who does net know that very beautiful
occurrence which We call shooting star, or
which, in its more splendid forms, is some
| fimoe callod n ma or Ara hoIl0 A ANAL