The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-11-11
STARS IN NOVEMBER
kn Eclipse Of the Moon, but not
Visible This Far
North.
Also an Unusually Brilliant Dis
play or Meteors May Be
Expected.
Movements OF the Planets During tht
Month Described by an Astronomical
Writer Of New York.

November la always conspicuous for one
thing, so that if there are no other very
marked phenomena we are always sure of
having one distinctive feature, and that Is
the meteors, The earth In November will
surely plunge through the great meteor
zone that lies in her pathway about she
18th. and meteors will be seen on the nights
OF the 18th. 18th and 18th. though no one
cnn tell beforehand whether a more bril-
liant display than usual will reward the
patient watch of the observer, or whether
the falling stars will DO few and far be-
tween.
Every year brings us one step nearer to
the expected epoch when the meteors in Mo-
vember will fall like raindrops in a tropical
storm aud the heavens will seem 10 be on
fire, SAYS the New York Times. The year.
! 1899 is set for this grand celestial illumina-.
/ ton, and tits not so very far away. Each
succeeding year between now and then may
show MS an increasing pyrotechnic display.
1t is thought in course of time, instead OF a
number of years elapsing between success
Give meteoric showers, the'e will be a dis
play we'll worthy of our admiration each
year.
The meteors are technically known as
leonids, because the point from which they
seem to rsdiate is in the constellation Of
the lion. which is known assronomieally as
Leo, and are easily distinguished from
other groups. They move swiftly, are
characterized by a g~reenish or blush tint,
while the trains they leave behind are bril-
liant and remain for some seconds. The
best time to look for leonids 10 about three
O'Clock in the morning, when Leo il we'll
above the horizon, though they may be seen
at any time during the night.
The leonids have a romantic history. 1t
has been proved that in the year 126 Of our
era Temples comet came very near Uranus.
which turned the comet from its course and
imprisoned it in our system. 1t has ever
since continued to revolve In the orbit In
which it was compelled TO move BY a re-
~sistless power, the perihelion resting on the
earth's orbit and the aphelion reaching be-
yond the orbit of Uranus. The comet
reaches the earth's crossing place once in
thirty-three and a quarter years, and then
the great meteoric showers occur. In the
case of the sonidg the meteor swarm fol
lows the comet. MANY asst ronome 8 be-
lieve that the comet itself is the thickest
part of the swarm, and that the meteor
swarms are simply the dob ia of the comet.
With q speed considerably lessened from
the brisk pace taken in October, the sun ia
iourneying on toward the winter %solstice,
his motion in declinatlon at the close OF
November being only half what it is at
present. The decreasing foliage warns US
that winter is approaching, and that snows
and frosts are to be endured befo o we
again have old Sol on our eide the line.
The radiance of these autumn twilight
evenings and their golden setting. the ever
varying lights and shadows, the magnificent
~colorina of the leaves, all produce a halo OF
npaa,f ul ha1utv TINT hallnCa to no OknAr
season of the year.
November also contains as an interesting
celestial phenomenon an eclipse of the
moon, the last event of the kind for the
year. but, unfortunately, we are not allowed
to see it in this latitude. III la all the more
interesting from the fact of it's being q tota
eclipse. It's beginning will be visible gen
orally in the northwest portion of North
America, the Pacific ocean, Asia, and the
e~asterly portions Of Europe. while the
the northwest Pacific ocean, Australia
Asia, Europe Except England and Spaln)
and the east portions of Africa.
The event takes place on the day of full
moon, which is when the earth is In line
with sun and moon and between the two
moon moves and SO loses its light { ON the
sun. Full moon occurs on the 4th, and, nj
though no new developments a Q expected
a description of the coloring of the moon,
DISK l9 always OF lnG6T9BG. lu0 phase Oh W.T.
last quarter of the moon occurs on the llth
followed by the new moon, which makes It'll
appearance on the 10Th, and the first quar-,
ter on the 9th. The first of the monthly
lunar conjunotIons is with jupiter OH thu
I'd. and. were it not that the moon Is SO
near the full, We should have a rare treat
as the planet ia 30 large and beautiful anc
the two are 30 very close together. Still, i
the night prove fine we shall find ourselves
taking a second look at the picture. Nel
tune has his visit on the 9th, but fails tt
give US any particular pleasure, as he is 81
far away and 80 very hard to determine
Saturn, just after the day of last quarter
ing, will offer something worthy of al
encore, as the waning crescent and til
planet are very close to one another.
The most attractive number on the pro
gramme will be on the 10Th, in which Venu
and luna are the star perfo mers. Les
than a quarter OF q degree will separate tn
two. and as the moon is about half way be
tween the third quarter and the new til
size Of her disk will not be sufficient to in
~terfere. On the 18th Uranus and the moo
are at their closet for the month. Mercur
follows. and then Mars, the last on til
9th; but not one of the three will be- of III
particular interest TO US. Jupiter's tur
comes once more, about mlanlght on tn
10Th, and although the meeting is not quit
30 close as the one earlier In the month
promises to 9 most inviting.
Venus still reigns triumphant in tn
morning skies and shines most gloriousl
some hours before sun up. She ID DRAWN
altogether too close to the sun, and it wi
not be long before we shall cease to see he
beautiful face. The eclipse, however, wi
result in our having to gaze upon her at
more favorable time, for her disappearance
IA a morning planet means that when sh
comes back to us it will be as queen of til
evening skies. She is at present in the con
stellation of the lion, and the wonderfu
meteors that have been mentioned may b
taken as rays of dazzling br%illianoy eman
ting from the fairest of all the planets.
Jupiter is quite the most interesting G
the evening planets, and although he
drifting slowly away and his dipmeter
steadily Decreasing, his bright disk sparkle
in the heavenly vault, rendering him yer
easy to distinguish from his sul rounding
His two meetings with the moon-the on
on the I'd and the other on the 29th-ai
rather remarkable on account of the clos
proximity in which the two will find them
geives upon both occasions, 80 if we mil
the first night we can promise %ourRelvt
that the second will be equally worth lool
ing out for.
Saturn is coming out from his long re
treat and is again attracting the attentio
of those whose earlv rising admits of the
taking in some of the most interesting
the tablesux recorded on the MONTH
bulletin. He 10 gradually drawing awr
from the sun. and when we find him ne,
year ranged among the evening twinkle
mi A. -- ~.