Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-01-06
COMPLETE INTERCHANGE.

IN corresponding l8tltuCes DOttn VI ~
equator. Whereas the southern summer Is
hotter and seven DAYS shorter the WIn'er
IS both longer and colder.
COMPLETE INTERCHANGE.
The perihelion and auheliou points 40
not recur at exactly the same position eacn
year in the earth's orbit, but are slowly
and steadily moving eastward. A complete
interchange will take place in about ~ oUO
years The northern hemisphere Will then
have Its winter when the earth 10 turtnest
from the sun and its summer when IL IL
nearest.
These so-called secular changes are
caused by the varying attraction OF tne
| other planets upon the earth, especially
Venus and Jupiter, 50 thai according as
they pull together or III opposite dlrec-
| tions the earth's orbit il rounded into
| circle or drawn out into more eccentric
eliIpse 10 the extent of a few thousand
miles, the changes requiring vast intervals
of time. The moon, too. comes IN Win
| her power of attraction, making the earth
| oscillate each month few hundred miles
above and below the plane OF the ecllptlc.
| 1t is somewhat unusual TO find but two
| eclipses for the present year. Sucn Is;
| however, the case. there being total
eclipse Of the sun IN April and an annular
eclipse Of the same body in October. 1t
| will be observed that the moon does not
! become echpsed during 1893. Almenacs
are able 70 give full particulars of eclpses
| and 20 predict when they are TO occur.
Eclipses occurring this year have
no very obvious relation 10 the
eclipses that took place last year
or TO those that will occur next year.
| Yet, when we take more extended view
Of the sequence Of eclipses very dehnre
principle becomes manifest. II, for exam
| ple we observe all the ecllpses OF the moon
| IN a period of eighteen or nineteen years,
! then we can predict future eclipses for
| long time. 10 IS only necessary 20 recollect
that III G,5sjH days after one eclipse
nearly similar eclipse will follow.
January contains five phases OF the
moon, az it begins early tomorrow morn
ing with a full moon, aud the same phase
is repeated on the last day of the month.
| The first conjunction between the waning
moon and Saturn will take place on the
oh quite early in the morning, and the
meeting will be very close one and Will
be we'll worth look. Uranus receives the
next visit, followed By Venus on the 18TH
| and Mercury the morning following.
Mars aud the growing crescent come
in their closest monthly proximity
on the 23d, and before the curtain IS
rung down on this tableau we are offered
the most striking feature of the month, es
| Luna and jupiter come together shortly
after old Sol has sunk TO his rest In the
west. The disk of the moon Will be less
than one-half full and the planet will be
| gloriously brilliant, so that through the
| sharp, crisp winters atmosphere we shall
have one Of natures finest presentations.
On the 9th Neptune and the moon are IN
conjunction, which closes the series tor
January without adding at all to the IN
terest or picturesqueness.
II oUADRATURE.
Saturn has now arrived at point 80
degrees distant from the sun. or, as II Is
astronomlcally termed. 1t IS III quadratpre'
He is morning star, and IS passing ON
ward his opposition with the sun, when
will take place in the latter part or March
Saturn is increasing in size and IN brll-
iancy. and will continue so TO do until the
time of his opposition, after Whlcn ne
grows smaller until he reaches his smallest
size for the year in October. AT present
Saturn is in the constellation OF the virgin
| Jupiter continues IN his attractive roe
and is far and beyond the most consplcu-
Gus evening stars. in spite Of the fact oil
there being such a large number or hrst-
magnitude twinklers IN plain sight. Jupi-
ter and the sur are in quadrature on tht
9Th. but the planet, beng an evening star
is on the opposite side OF the sun 20 tha'
ON which Saturn Is TO DO found, the two
planets being noWabout twelve hours apart
In their jourueyings around the skies
The conjunction on the ODD Win, the
moon. already referred to, Will be
sight worth watching for, as the setting
| of gems surrounding the two bril-
Gants serve but to enhance their dazzling
lustre. Jupiter, while still somewhat
smaller IN size than we have had him OF
shall have him later in the year, remains
of wondrous beauty to grace the evening
sky until April. when he draws near the
sun and finally reaches the position OF
conjunction, from which he will emerge
as a morning star to gradually WIDEN ms
distance until in November he VIII DE ~
opposition with the SUI. rising. as the lat-
| Ter sets. and beaming on US throughout
the night with brightness FAR e&ceeoiIs
that which no throws out now.
Venus. we find, is also drawing towarc
the sun. and early IN MAY she will be II
conjunction. As she IL now a morning stal
she is moving eastward toward the sun
whereas Jupiter is approaching from tnt
opnosite side: from which We can readily
imaoine that the two rivals are bound e
meet. Jupiter reaches the sun on Apri
9th and passes and encounters enus th'
following evening" two days before sht
reaches the sun herself. The meeting Il
close enough for them 10 exchange com
pliments, and il is pity that We are MOI
allowed to be witnesses OF their meeting
for we might then have repetition OF tn
fable1lr-riudns which afforded such en-
thusiastic interest az the time OF their DC
currence last spring.
THE EyENISG STARS.
Mars serves under JupIter's lead as on
of the array of evening stars and while 81
no means conspicuous Is fairly well dis
} tinguished from the stars which SURROUND
him by his steady red light. Mars and "a.
new moon are in conjunction on the go
and two days later Jupiter and the warhk
planet come together. While both are OF
their way to meeting with the sun, TN
former far outstrips the latter's pace,
September will be here before Mar
reaches the sun and once more range
himself under the banners OF the god o
the cir. Mars is now 10 be found IN IN
constellation of Pisces. Mercury has ou
little 10 say for himself this month. as ne !
eneulfed in the suns rays and Ii approach
ing that body to emerge IN February upoI
his other side and take position among TN
morning stars. Neptune IS IN conjunction
with the moon on the 9th, but the meet
ing is hardly close enough TO distlncti,
locate him. Uranus, however, IS bette
off, as when the moon comes In the plan
cts neighberhood there is Just q htti
more than one degree separating the Tvs