Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-05-02
The Planets in MAY.


Dog take their leave in May, and will not
again decorate the evening skies before
the winter. Their leading briliants, Siri-
us. Betelgucuse and Rigel, may be seen for
n short time after sunset in the early part
of the month, but they will have vanished
long before its close. And with them also
goes the brilliant red Aldebaran.
The first magnitude stars, which remain
throughout the month are Procyon, of the
constellation of the Lesser Dog, in the
southwest: Castor and Pollux of the
Twins, in the Wost-Pollux being the
brightest of the two, and one further
south Capella, of the Chariotoer, in the
northwest; Regulus. of the Lion, in the
south and Spica, of the Virgin, in the
southwest; Arcturus, of the Cowhcrd,
which came into view in the evening sky
early in April, is in the east, and well M
toward the zenith.
4 Within the last two or three weeks
another first magnitude star has come
into the field of vision early in the even
ing. This is Vega. Of the constellati on
of the Tyre, which may now be seen in
the northeast about two hours after sun
set. Vega and Capella are the two most
'illiant stars in the northern heavens.
The moon in May favors us with five
phases; that of first quarter, which occurs
on the 1st, will be repeated on the 3lst.
There will DO full moon on the Sth, last
quarter on the 10th and new moon on
the gath. Tho conjunctions in which the
II oon figures during the month are n t
of striking beauty as fair Cynthia 5
course is laid to pass at too great dis
lance from the planets She is nearest
Venus on the 27th. but even then there is
too much clelr sky between the two to
give us an ideal tableau SGill the cres-
cent ,ape Of the disk will he presented
10 It's, as the moon will be but two days
d, and Jupiter will be in the vicinity to
add to the picture, both planets being
south of the moon.
Saturn now graces the evening sky and
reaches our meridian about a half hour
before midnight, getting there two hours
earlier bt fore the months close. While
his disk is nightly giving us q somewhat
smaller measurement than Mt the time
If his opposition in April, the difference
is not yet sufficiently marked to be notice =
able to the unaided eye, and his sereI Q
steady light lends great attractivencss to
the portion of the sky in which nc seen S
| to float He is to be found in the const, l.
lation of the Virgin in ten degrees south
declination.
TO Uranus belongs the chief place of in
tcrest for May, for the planet comes in
opposition to the sun on the Sth, rising
about the same time that the orb of day
| sinks to rest below the western horizon.
The planet and the full moon are in
| conjunction on the same day but there arc
| d little less than five degrees separating
the two, the planet being to the nocthward.
so we can hardly hope to find him without
artificial aid to our cyesight
The gradual drawing nearer and separa-
ton of Venus and Jupiter will probably
prove the most pleasing event of the
month. We can see these magnificent
rivals and can really appreciate the fact
that they are moving If We mark ths
space separating them on successive oven
ings. On the 18th they will be at their
closest, and even though this does not b.
any means imply contact, we can be sure
of an extremely attractive picture in
which the moon will also figure.
Venus continues her eastern journey
until July, when she slowly retraces her
way in response to the powerful attrac
tiyeness Of the sun. We shall, however
have her radiant presence throughout
the summer while Jupiter is drawing
closer and closer to the sun, becoming
fainter and fainter. until, at about tbs
same day that Venus is most magnificent
he passes the sun to reign unrivaled in
the morning skies. Mars has dwindled
gradually away, his rudy, cheerful face
being now of but little prominence com
pared to the time when he blazed in all
the glory that one naturally attributes tf
this most warlike of planets. Y
| Times.