Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-10-02
OCTOBER HEAVENS.
Things Of Beauty That The Star.Galsf
viii Enjoy.
MISSION OF THE HUNTERS MOON
On Friendly Terms With Saturn ana "e''
curry Later in tho Month-Jup'ter ana
Venus Have Plans, Too.
CNnW York Tlmas.l

Csew York Timss)
In October the calm mornings or sun
shine will visit us occasionally and appear
like pIlmpses OF departed spring amid the
wilderness OF wet and windy days that
lead 10 winter We.now are beginning 10
see the difference between having The sun
on our eide the line and seeing him hurry
ing away TO the southwark. our length
enlnE nights. while they afford additional
OPPORTUNITIES to enjoy studying the starry
map. deprive us OF just so much sunlight
and make us long once more for the
beautiful DAYS OF early summer. Eleven
degrees OF southern declination are added
TO the suns record. so that at the end or
October he will be beyond the dividing
line that halves the distance from the
equator to the winter solstice.
We spoke Of the September moon as the
harvest moon, but for october we have 1t
as the hunters moon. its mission beng to
lengthen the day for the benefit or the
sportsman. The difference In successive
risings Of the hunters moon Is less mark
ed than in the case Of the harvest moon,
but Is considerably less than the moon
daily average, which Is some fhty-ohe
minutes or thereabout. While science
throws TO the wind the idea Of the moon
adding 10 the length OF the day for the
sole benefit Of the huntsman, and solves
the phenomena by the action of physical
law, It reverently retains the name made
sacred by the memories OF the past, when
astronomy was young.
The moon that began on the 10Th, and
which runs quite well through the month
of October, reaches the phase OF first
quarter on the 9Th. and f. round-faced and
full on the nth. The phase of the last
quarter occurs on the 2lst, while the new
moon does not arrive until the 28;h. on
the 14th Mars and the moon are In con-
junction, and on the 18th Neptune and the
moon, followed on the Goth by a meeting
between Jupiter and Luna. Not one OF
these can be considered as being partlcu-
larly worth looking at. on the 2Sth tho
moon pays two visits. the first to Venus
and the second TO Saturn, followed by an
Interchange of civilitios with Mercury on
the Goth, which, while the closest OF all
on the monthly calendar. finds the two
bodies quite too near the sun for our
purposes.
HIS RUDY FACE.
Mars on the 10Th reaches the position
Of opposition to the sun, and as soon as
the latter has sunk to rest the warrior
will begin to ascend the heavenly arch,
and we shall have his bright. rudiy face
throughout the night. About this time.
Mars is most favorably located for OBJ
servation, and We already are told of the
results Of careful inspection OF his disk. II
seems that the planet is in distinct
phase and has It's south pole the upper
one Its left margin IL apparently not
the edge Of the disk, but its termnator:
in other words. the line OF separation
between the hemisphere Illuminated by
the sun and that not Illuminated. This
phenomenon recalls that which is seen
in the moon under somewhat similar con-
dtions. when the tops OF the mountains
are lighted by the sun either before sum
rise or after sunset.
We are also informed that we should
consider as purely fantastic the idea Of
forests on fire or signals made by the
inhabitants Of Mars to those on our
planet. Some canals are already develop
ing. and the polar snow Is thought to be
melting. The planet now rises about
o'clock, and shines in tho east as a mag
nihcent red star.
While some believe the luminous pro-
tuberanccs on the face Of Mars TO be
volcanic mountains. Professor Schiappo-
relii says that they are clouds illumi-
mated by the sun. but suggests at the
same time that very possibly there Is Il
| third explanation. Along the imaginary
! curve that divides the illuminated disk
from the dark section there may be some
vast sea. from which the sunlight Is less
| reflected than from the land. In this
| case our eyes are attracted to the IL
| Illuminated portions. which are rendered
| more conspicuous by the neighborng OBJ
frrfl t.
| dark portion Of the disk. Uranus is fast
| approaching the sun, and this Is the last
| month for some time that we shall have
! the planet as an evening star. for early
| IN November ii is IN conjunction with
| the sun, and passes into the realm OF
morning stars. At this time It's diameter
! Is the smallest for the year. Even were
| this planet as conspicuous as Venus, We
| should hardly be able to see much Of II
now. as 1t has already begun to feel the
all-absorbing influence Of the SUMS rays
| Mercury swings away over to the most
| easterly point in his present journey
| about the sun on the 18th, and We shall
| not again this year have him so far on
that side. \ little after sunset and about
eleven degrees or 50 TO the left OF where
the sun disappeared, We shall probably
be able 10 catch little glimpse OF him,
readily distinguished from the stars i'm
mediately about him, as he shines so
/ much more steadily.
DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE.
Saturn is in conjunction with Old Sol
on the 2lst. which puts Mars and the
planet Numerically opposite one another
/ Now that Saturn has approached SO near
| the sun. We cannot distinguish HIM in
the skies. nor shall We be able TO do
so until he too. takes up position in
the morning sky. While the beautiful
planet Is now very small and Of COM
parativey little account to US. there is
satisfaction in knowing that when he
I does appear 1t will be to grow larger
/ ana more brilliant.
Jupiter now regns sovereign Of the
' early skies, and. having been in quadra-
ture n few days ago. is now moving on
toward the position Of opposition, where
he will arrive in December, and after
which we shall have him as an enjoyable
object in the crisp winter evenings. and
until the golden trumpets OF the dawr
begin sounding the day. The planet al
ready beautiful 10 the earlyriser, viii b.
larger and far more brilliant before the
year expires, and there VIII be ample time
fully to enjoy his bright light.
Venus always leaves a blank in tn
sky when she ceases TO reward our gas
. with her charming presence but in this
as in many another case good is 10 COM
from the evil We think has been don
us. While the morning sky is soon to b
deprived of her lovcllness. we are to b.
rewarded rOmc two months later B.,
having her at sunset in the western skies
shining with apparently renewed lustr
after so many weeks absence. Will
the year will be drawing rapidly 10
close when this happens, W. shall hay
a glorious pair to look at FOR a numbe
of weeks as Jupiter will then be shining
In the eastern section Of the sky.
Neptune has. no very distinctive fea
lures in October and he Is ranged undo
the banner of Jupiter as a morning star
While Familiarity spoken OF as one OF on
neghbors. this planet is too far ava.
from US to take prominent part. TIL