Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-12-10


The sun enters the Sign Capricornus on
the list at 8 o'clock IN the morning, az
which time astronomical winter begins,
The sun, as the word solsuco implies,
seems 10 stand still for two or three
days, and then turns his face 20 bless
with his light and hU0t those living in
the northern hemisphere, Months will
puss, however, before the change is per-
ceptblc, storms will lower, tempcsts
rage, and cold CONCEAL ne, but the duuiln-
ion of ice and SNOW Is shattered, aud
each succeeding day brings rs nearer
TO the day when winter aud spring Will
embrace each other
While the Christian year does not
begin 1T this great physical epoch, Il Is
none the less the beginning OF the ma
tuial year, The oldest nations Of the
earth. heather though they were, lived
far nearer 10 nature than do we OF this,
supposed to be more civilized, period.
1heir ycur began when the sun had
reached his furtherest point south. II
was The jubilee of the yonr TO their sim
pie natures the longauucpoted hour
when, with music, dancing, and festive
offerings they paid homage TO the rude
detics they worshipped, aud ON whose
power they relied with unquestioning
belief. The sun was to their simple faith
the great representative Of the deity
aud the winter solsuce the time particu-
lurly devoted TO religious worship.
The diminutiou Ia the amount OF day
light Ia December IL but slight compared
10 what II was In October and Novem-
Der, aud about the dmc Of the solsticc
| there Is practically no difference for
| several days. The equation of time, or
| the difference between mean and appar-
ent time, is also at minimum 80 that
| the time of sunsetting aud sunrsing
shows but little change. When the
| new year comes In, however, there
will have been nm increase OF daylight
amounting to over three minutes.
II seems very odd TO MS nowadays
that the twelfth aud last month Of the
year should be taken from the Latin
word meaning the tenth month But
| II was the name giyoh TO 1t when the
year began In March with the vernal
equinox, Since January has been con,
sidored us the first month, and It and
February have been placed beior,
March, this months name Is in reality
| a misnOmcr. but Il was retained to pre-
| vent greater confusion than that which
existed. The moon which fulled on tho
"a can hardly be considered as the
December moon as IL began on Noycm
Der. The last moon for this year H.
ushered IN on the 10Th inst, away down
In southern declinntiUn. This makes II
kNflht ANAn wa NAANh hN''"i N'AAAfH ~
and gives Us In consequence the number
twelve as the exact number Of the com
ing year.
On The 18th The moon occults Saturn
Mt $40 In the morning, Washington
mean time, for which tmc the elements
for the prediction of OCCUPATIONS are
given Washington tine Ii minutes ~
seconds slower thnn our seventeen Tne-
ridinn, or Eastern STANDARD time. Irin-
US * occulated on tile 18th and Jupiter
on the 10Th. On the 10Th there IL con.
junction with Venus on the 18th with
Mercury, on the 18th with Mars, the
monthly as well NJ the nnnunl record
being closed on the Both, or at least very
early on the morning Of the 31st, by
second meeting for the month between
Neptune and the moon.
1upitor's claim to The rank Of being
the most important Of the evening host
II far beyond dispute. for although he
Is getting further md further from u.s.
Ills brilliancy causes him far to Outshine
all surroundings and render IL very ensy
10 distinguish him, and makes II Q very
simple matter 20 see why the Romnnn
designated Jupiter rs the god Of the mir.
Beyond the pleasure unusually melted
BIZ q glimpse at this wonderful planet.
our interest Is Intensified by the news
quite recently received Of the conirma.
ton Of the report OF the discovery of a
Rfth satellite. These little moons are
gituntcd IN n remarkable manner on the
border line which divides the objects
yisahle 10 the lnaided eye from those
which require telescope MD IL has
hean gtntrd frequently that these moons
have been seen with the unnided eye.
but without entering into any contru'
yersy on the matter. u y suihcicnt 20
recite the wen known fari tiat' notwith.
standing Jupiter has been familiar ia
the unnided eye for countless centuries,
and IN the clenrest skies YET no ono
ever discovered the satellites untii Gnlileo
turned his Iewly-invented telescope upon
them.
feeble instrument but the ieebifst IN
rtrnmcnt IS quite adequate 70 show
objects 70 close 10 the limit Of visibility
These little objects resemble stars, but
they can be- distinguished from stars by
their ccascless movements around ihe
planet. which they never tal 70 acctim'
pnny during his entire circuit OF The
hsafpns The eclipse Of a. satellite must
NOT be attributed 10 the iuiaryerti0n "a
no body Of Jupiter between the satellite
aud the earth. which occurrence j. called
an oceultatlou Tbs eclipse ~ fhc in0ff
striking phenomenon Of the two, hccnlf,
the satellite, NJ the moment lt Dlaugri
Into shadow, Is still OF some appaie.i
distance from the eder Of ihe Planet
anu - Auus seen tlfAtlF ny ~ llH no
:neut Of the eclipse. u au circulation
lie satellite. IN plssing behind tho plauet
Is. az the time Of fiaappeafnnee, cinac 10
the planci's bright edge and the eyiin,,
ton Of tbs light o. tlc niffiiiie eau not
he observed with the same diatin inesi
az ilie occurrence Of nn eclipse.
The velocity Of light can " aaesr
tained by observations Of eclipsas o.
Jupiter's satellites, II we calculate. tlf
moment when the eclipse takes place