The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-10
THE PLANETS IN OCTOBER.
Month OF the Hunters Morn, with O
Sky OF Great BriIIfancy.
New York Times

new 1Ork Times
The is now Fastening away toward
the south, and we shall find the days at
the months close almost an hour and
half shorter than they are at present.
Ihere Is almost four and three-Quarter
hours difference between the days length
when October closes and its duration at
the time Of the summer Solstice. What
chiefly distinguishes the sun in astronom-
ical annals for this month is the fact OF
there being an annular eclipse on the 9th.
TALLY seen in the Western section OF the
county county , though tte path Of the annulIs
a northwesteriy ' direction across the ie Pa
cifc ocean. This Is the second and last
eclipse for the year. the former one hav-
ing also been Of the sun.
In October comes the hunters moon.
whose mission Is TO make longer days for
the benefit OF the sportsman. This moon
comes in on the 9Th, the same day that the
eclipse of the sun occurs; has the phase OF
first quarter on the 18th, is full on the 18th.
and for te ast timer 2h wee DO we nd
five phases of the moon in one calendar
month. The first Of the lunar planetary
and the all-but-faded-out crescent come
very close TO each other. We cannot, how
ever, see this meeting nor either OF the
principal actors at that time, owing 10
their being so near the sun. On the fol-
lowing day Saturn and the moon are as
close together as they will be In October.
This happens just two minutes before the
old moon gives way to the new.
Mercury and the growing crescent are
our satellite has not yet passed far enough
from the suns engulfing rays to be visible
without the use Of a telescope. Uranus is
passed on the following day at a very re-
spectful distance, followed Wy a meeting
with Venus two days later. Then comes
Jupiter's turn the day after the full of the
moon, with Neptune next in order. Neither
of these meetings. which close the monthly
role, Is Of Importance TO US. as there is a
VICE space separa n sne neaveny Doo ths
morning stars, where he is destined 10 re-
main the remainder OF the year. Last month
saw him in conjunction with the sun,
which sounded his death ixnell as an even
ing star. He has been gradually growing
fainter as he withdrew frog earth. but from
this he will increase in size, and at the
close OF the year his disk will be the Same
as IL was in April.
Saturn should probably be given the first
place I'm Importance for the month, as he is
in conjunction with the sun on the Sth. after
which he will be ranged among the morn
ing stars He and the moon are In con-
junction on the 9Th and on the 3lSt he over
hauls and passes Mars. Watching this race
would be a very agreeable occupation, no
doubt, and one filled with interest but UNI
fortunately the sun has them ali TO himself.
and his light is too powerful Tor an unalded
vision to pierce. Both planets. when In con-
junction. are In the constellation Of the Vir-
Mercury is an evening star. and is bound
to the eastward end OF his tether, where he
close to the moon on the 10th as he can get
for this season, and will meet Uranus on
the 18th in the constellation CT Libra. quite
close to the borders OF virgo, wnicn seems
a grand rallying center for October planets,
four of them being almost within the limits
of that constellation.
Uranus is also an evening star, near
which the moon passes on the 18th, and. as
have said above Mercury On the 10th.
This superb planet is plunged into space to
such remote distance that even the best
of our modern telescopes cannot make OF
it q striking picture. We can see, as Her
schel did, that IL has a measurable disk,
from measurements 4
concluded that the diameter OF the planet
is about Sl.7o0 miles. This Is about four
would result in a volume for Uranus sixty
four times as great as our sphere. IL we
anay Jrbsr 20 , enc ahalogles OF wst s FEEL
but little doubt that Uranus must rotate
about an axis. 1t has not been concluded
with any certainty to the existence or
markings on its surface definitely enough
TO be watched during its rotation.
Venus has yet two months eefore reach,
Ing her greatest distance TO the eastward
Of the sun. She IS increasing In size and
brilliancy, and shines serensly IN the ten
der light Of the west just after sunset. On
the 18th she and the four-days-old moon are
in conjunction, and, while they are not 30
very close together. IL will be a very pretty
picture in the opalescent green or the even,
ing twilight The unaided eye cannot tell
what shape the brilliant Venus really hast
still less can 1t reveal the true beauty OF
the crescent. II the diameter OF Venus
were several times as great as IL actually
is-were Venus, for example, as large as
Jupiter or some or the other great pltilets--
then its creation would be reaaily fliscerned
by the natural vision.
Jupiter now rises so much earlier IN the
evening than he did. that he already seems
as one of the evening stars, whereas. he Is
still a morning star, and shines with peer
less luster until dimmed by the erubescent
sky OF early dawn, which heralds the near
approach of the orb OF day In another
month Jupiter will have reached the point
of opposition to the which is the most
favorable place for observation. Opposi-
ton, as the word implies. means that ne -
opposite TO the sun. as far away from him
as possible. rising at sunset crossing our
meridian at midnight and setting at sun
rise This most important rnArLber OF the
system Will be superb through the month,
being so large and so brilliant
Neptune has no great prominence this
month, but he, too, Is approaching opposi-
ton, and will arrive there early In Deem
Der, but he Is 50 far from US that even at
this most noteworthy point In his career he
fails TO catch our eye or add much 70 our
amusement This great planet revoives
around the sun ar a mean distance OF 2.TSO-
200 miles. ano the journey, though ac-