The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-01
ON FAMILIAR TERMS.
THE MOON TO FRIsK WITH HER
SISTER PLANETS THIS WEEK.


To Be in Speaking Distance Of Saturn
This Week and Again On the 31st-A
Good Month to Study Saturn-The
Other Planets.
During this month the moon will make
! several close approaches to some of the plan
cts, but no actual ocoultation will be visible
| here. On the 4th. at o'clock p. M, the
moon will pass very close to Saturn. This
will occur again on the evening of the S1st,
at 10 o'clock, and at both times the planet
will be occulted in the southern hemisphere.
On the Goth the moon will also occult Jupi-
ter, but we will not be able to see it. On
the 7th, at o'clock In the morning, the
moon will pass L 35' to the south of Uranus,
and this circumstance will enable amateurs
to locate this planet, which is not always
easy to find.
MERCURY.
This swift planet passed its superior con-
junction on Feb. 16 and it Is now rapidly ap-
preaching its greatest eastern elongation,
which it will reach on the 18th, but as it
passes its perihelion on the Sth it will be too
near the sun to be seen at the best advantage.
A close Observer, however, may see it about
VENUS.
For a few months we must bid adieu to
the Respondent goddess or the skies, for she
is now passing behind the sun TO US aud
consequently lost In his superior light.
MARS.
Mars Is still plainly visible in the south
east at dark, though its rudy light is grow
ing more and more dim az we speed away
from 1t. It will be remembered that on Jan.
25 this planet was only about ~ from
Jupiter, the large star now considerably
below it. This motion. which is continuous,
easily distinguishes a planet from a fixed
star.
JUPITER.
This planet Is still the most prominent
star in the western sky, though its great
distance from us at present places US at
great disadvantage in observing it. Ia
few weeks 1t will pass out of view through
the dense atmosphere near the horizon, and
we must wait several months before we
again salute with our telescopes this giant
OF the heavens in the morning sky.
SATURN.
Toward the close Of the month and for
many weeks thereafter, Saturn will be in
the best position for observation. 1t will
be In conjunction with the sun on the goth
and will then rise at sunset Il rises almost
exactly in the easb-only q to the south,
and it may be easily recognized by its large
size and steady white light. just
below it is Spica. the large
fixed star in Virgo. Saturn revolyes
around the sun in about thirty years at a
distance OF 1856, 000, 900 miles. Its diameter
is 100000 miles and its volume is 700
times that Of the earth. It's density is so
small that it would float upon water. 1t is
attended by eight moons, one OF which is
larger than the planet Mercury. Besides,
it has three broad, thin rings extending
| round it, which, together With the moons,
present a most imposing aspect In a large
telescope. A glass of moderate power will
reveal these rings, now extending quite OBJ
| liquely across the disk OF the planet. They
consist Of myriads of small, solid bodies, or
meteorites, revolving in huge swarms
around Saturn, and they stand as strong
evidence to support the nebular theory of
the formation of the collar system. 1t will
be six years more before these rings will
present their broad side to u.s.
URANUS AND NEPTUNE.
Neptune is in the constellation Taurus.
now nearly overhead at dark, and Uranus
| crosses the meridian at $3.50 O'clock in the
morning. 1t is in the constellation Libra,
and as it will be in opposition in April, and
| best observed then, we defer its exact loca-
ton and description till that time.
! THE CONSULTATIONS AND FIXED STARS
On the meridian in the south at dark ia
Sirius, or the Dog Star, by far the largest
| fixed star in the heavens. This star rises
aud sets with the sun in July and August,
hence the name dog days Above and a
little to the east is Procyon, or the Little
Dog Star, and still farther up and nearly
overhead are two large stars close together,
called Castor and Pollux. Castor is farther
north, and good telescope will reveal it to
be double. East of these about $50 is Reg
illus, the brightest star in Leo. It is stu.
ted in the handle of group of stars in the
shape of sickle, forming one of the best
defined figures in the heavens Regulus is
situated almost exactly on the ecliptic.
Overhead and little to the northwest is
Capelle in Aurlga. 10 the south and little
to the west is Orion, with many bright
stars. The three stars in a line are
called the "bandsn or "belt" of
! Orion, and as they form a line
about 80 long, they are sometimes
called "the celestial yard stick" 1t is con-
venient to refer to In judging Of distances
among the stars. The red star above the
belt is Betelgeuse, and the one below is
Rigel. Both these stars are receding from
US fifty times as fast as a cannon ball moves
In its swiftest flight. and still their general
| appearance is but little changed since the
days of Job, who mentions this constellation
in poetic strains. OTIS AsHMoRE.