Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-27

nitudes. 1t Is also double star. and Is
very pretty object for small telescope, its
components being yellow and green. About
six degrees below Alpha Herculis, forming
with it and Alpha Ophiuchi a very obtuse
angled triangle, is very pretty pair OF
fourth magnitude stars. which mark the
left shoulder of Ophiuchus. The figure is
quite striking Cne and is easily remem-
bered when once observed ophiuchus
stands with his feet to the south. one Of
them resting on the Scorpion; Hercules is
represented as kreeling, and his feet are
toward the north. Together these two con-
stellations cover a region of the heavens
about ninety degrees liz length-the dis
lance from the horizon to the zenith.
Facing the west. We shall have directly
in front of us Arcturus. at two-ffths of
the distance from the horizon to the zenith,
and on the left. barely above the horizon,
Spica, in the constellation Virgo. Ten de-
grees farther to the left and only little
higher above the horizon, Is the planet
Saturn. nearly as brilliant as Arcturus but
of a color more inclined to orange.
The Dipper. the great landmark of the
northern skies, will be found tonight in
the northwest at about one-third of the dis
lance from the horizon to the zenith. The
moonlight has SO toned down its stars that
we notice what is ordinarily overlooked,
nitude. Dubhe, the upper of the two
Pointers" is much the brightest of the
seventh was formerly classed first
magnitude star-while Megrez, the fourth
We find the Pole Star as usual by means
of the Pointers. To the left of this and at
a greater altitude, are the two Guardians
Of the Pole. They are directly above the
Pointers, in the Dipper, and are very
nearly in a line between them and the star
Vega. In the same line, rather nearer to
Vega than to the Guardians, are the fam
ing eyes, of the Dragon. and the lower por
ton of whose tortuous body may be traced
winding partly around the Guardians and
directly above the dipper
In the northeast, at about the same alti-
tude as the Dipper, may be seen the W.
shaped figure of Cassiopeia. The Square
Of Pegasus is fairly above the horizon, a
little north of east
The Moon.
What are the latest views of astronomers
regarding the earth's nearest neighbor-
what do they profess actually to know
about it? In answering this often-asked
question we may dismiss, as not likely to
interest the readers for whom we write, all
consideration of the trouble which astron-
omers are having over what they call the
Lunar Theory" farther than to say that
with all their acumen and ingenuity they
have not yet gotten the movements of the
moon down to point so fine as to be able
to predict with mathematical eXactneSs
where the moon will be at any given time.
While they can do SO with precision more
than sufficient for all practical purposes,
there is always very minute outstanding
error in their calculations, for which they
/ have thus far vainly tried to account.
The subject of the moons birth and in
fancy, as we might say, has lately been in
vestigated automatically, particularly by
Professor George Darwin; but we can here
merely glance at some of the conclusions
reached. 1t is thought that the earth at
that early period in it's history rotated on
its axis faster than now, possibly in
period of three or four hours; that the moon
was originally much nearer the earth than
it is now, and that the period of its revolu-
ton round the earth was correspondingly
short The moon also must have had a
rapid rotation on its axis. like the earth
and other planetary bodies formed by the
condensation of gaseous, or perhaps of
loosely aggregated matter.
When once the earth and the moon had
become separate bodies, still in plastic
condition, each by it's attraction would raise
upon the other great tides. which moving
around each body in direction contrary
to that of its rotation on Its axis acted
continually as a brake, checking gradually
it's motion of rotation and frightening it's
day. The same cause, it can be shown.
would tend to accelerate the movement of
| the moon in its orbit, thus throwing 1t
| farther from the earth. Finally it reached
| its present distance from the earth. with
| it's rotation so slowed down that it now
turns on its axis in exactly the same time
| that it requires to circle in its orbit round
| the earth. Hence it now always presents
| to the same side.
These mathematicians tell US that the
| tidal action of the moon, though now
confined to the earth's seas, and by no
| means as efficient as formerly, when it
raised great swells in the eartf's molten
mass, is still slowly frightening the day.
A time must come when the day will equal
| the month in length. Nay, more. since the
| sun also exerts a slight tidal action upon
| our globe, eventually the day and the year
| will coincide in dura ton, as, according to
the observation OF NJ. Schiaparelli, is now
| the case with Venus and Mercury. These