Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-03
THE JULY HEAVENS.
Nc ST GLORIOUS DISPLAY MADE ny
THE STARS ~ THE SOUTH.
Rcd Antarcs I'm the ScorpIon--The
balance VIII lie Found beyond the
Meridian Layer Early In the Eve
ning-Thc Moon.
CNew York Tlmes.)

distance from the sun, and although we
receive the most heat per day at the
time OF the summer solstice, the dis
lance we are from the sun at that time
is considerably i'm excess Of our distance
from that body in December. or when
in perihelion, as It is called. The sum-
mor solstice Is not. however, the hottest
time of the summer, for the obvious
reason. that the weather is then all the
time getting hotter. and the maximum
will very naturally not be reached until
the Increase ceases. that Is, not until
the amount Of heat lost in the night
EQUALS that stored up by day.
IL the earth's surface threw Off the
same amount of heat hourly. whether it
were hot or cold, then this maximum
would not come until the autumnal equi-
noN. This. however. is not the case
The soil loses heat faster when warm
than IL does when cold the loss being
nearly proportional to the difference be-
tween the temperature of the soil and
that Of surrounding space From this we
can see why the time of maximum tenn
perdturc comes with us between the close
Of July and the first part of August. For
similar reasons the minimum temperature
Of winter occurs about half way between
the winter solstice and the yernal equi-
nox. We know from experience that "Old
Prob does not always give US the KIND
of weather he indicates as probable, and
we also know that our weather is not
entirely made on the spot where IL Is used,
but Is affected by winds and currents
that come from great distances so that
the actual time Of the maximum tenn
peratUrc cannot be determined by any
mere astronomical considerations, but va
ries considerably from year 10 year.
But A STAR.
The earth is. after all. but a star among
the innumerable stars which float in the
boundless space of the heavens Unlike
those bright bodies. however, the exist
cnce of which is revealed to us only by the
rays Of light which they send to our
eyes. It Is not self-luminous. it possesses
10 other light than the feeble reflected
rays which IL bOrrows from the splendor
of a mighty neiChbor. The earth Is one
Of the more modest members of a small
family of similar stars clustered and re-
volying around the central luminous orb
of the sun. with which they form the
solar system.
The arrangement Of the members of this
solar system shows Law ana order every
where. and strongly fayors the idea sug-
gested by the celebrated astronomer lap
lace Of "a common origin, which makes IL
really a family Of stars whose parent
is the sun. In this family the earth occu-
pies happy intermediate position. By
its size " belongs 20 group of the small
planets, but il is the largest Of them. Its
distance from the sun makes 1t equally
free from the intense glare and the burn
ing heat which prevail on Mercury. and
from the dimncss of light and the cold
which probably are the share Of the
mighty sister planets Jupiter and Saturn.
The relative length of its day. seasons.
and year establishes harmonious relations
between them such as cannot exist in the
outer planets owing 10 the great dispro-
portion between the excessive shortness
OF their days compared with the great
length of their year.
The earth thus seems TO be better fitted
than any other member Of the solar sys-
TEN for sustaining the noble animal, man,
and the members of the animal and vtSe-
table kingdoms which adorn its surface
and give to our globe its very highest
value Whatever be the past or future des-
TIMES Of the other planets in this respect.
IL may be doubted whether any of them
possesses. at present, the physical con-
ditiOns without which life system at all
similar TO our own cannot be conceived as
possible.
In July the stars i'm the southern part
of the heavens present the most glorious
display. In fact. the contrast between
the northern and southern skies is strik-
ingly strange just at this season, as the
region 10 the northward below the pole
shows nothing Of greater moment than
the fourth magnitude. Toward the south
the corresponding section of the sky above
the horizon is singularly rich in
large stars chief among them being the
most beautiful of all the red stars, An
tafes. which lies In the heart OF the Scor-
pi0n. The words itself means, in fact,
''the rival of Mars" However, the star
can hardly be said to rival in ruddiness
or in spondor the planet-of-war when at
his brightest.
The Balance, which by night should hold
sway as the southern zodacal cOnstella-
ton one month out Of the twelve. will
be found somewhat beyond the meridian
layer at o'clock, in the evening The
space occupied by Libra has 80 degrees,
or one twelfth Of the heavens. like her
sister consultations. and possibly the ORR
ginal group was clearly extended. y
story is told 10y Servius TO the effect that
the original Chaldean zodiac had only
eleven signs, and that Libra was made
out Of the claws Of Scorpio. But We are
given 10 understand that there is ample
evidence 10 show that both the sign and
constellation Libra belong to the earliest
Chaldean and Egyptian zodiacs
The large southern constellation Ophi-
ucus is not specially interesting. 1t has
been supposed by some 70 represent Aes-
culap.us. and by others to be another ce
lestial Hercules. 1t is also said TO have
prehgured the miracle Of 81. Paul and
the viper. In which case the Maltese viper
was considerably magnifed In anticira-
ton. The figure is a very absurd one.
ana fl has been called the Nagrant, on
account OF the smallness of its legs,
giving u no visible means of support. Ii
IS quite awkwardly placed, for one would
think serpent enough TO fully occupy his
attention, yet a scorpion Is shown as being
ready 10 sting one leg and 10 pinch the
other.
VACANT SPOT.
In the group of Coruan. Boreal!s there
Is 10 the naked eye a vacant spot. where
star some thirty years or so ago blazed
out very brightly. and, though il soon so
much faded in lustre az TO be lost 10 I'M
aided vision. 1t can be detected by the
aid Cf powerful lenses At its brightest
II appeared as a star Of the second mag
nitudc.
In the east the double part of the
MILKY Way will be found in the early
evening hours well above the horizon
ana In clear weather can be studied much
more advantageously than month later
The whole OF that portion Of the Milky
Way near the constellation Of the Swan
T. fun OF interest for the telcsc0pist Even
vito good opera-Elass che bright part
Of the galaxy here Will be found 10 he
abaze with stars.