The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1895-05-09
The Bright Skies in May.

The moon passed through Its nrst
quarter. on the first of May, was full
yesterday; will pass through its last
quarter on the 18th, and appear as
"new" on the Oath. It was in peri
gree, or point nearest the earth, on
the Sd instant, and will be in the
same position on the 29th; and it
will be in 'apogee, or the farthest
point from the earth, on the 10th;
the difference of it's distance in both
of these positions being 2o,23o
miles. The reason why the moon is
not at uniform distance from it's
primacy, the earth, is due to its orbits
being an ellipse and not circle.
On the first of this month the dis
lance of the sun from the equator
was a little over Is degs., while on the
last of the month it will be rather
more than % degs., ranging during
the month through an arc of nearly
70 dogs. During April this difference
was little more than IL degs., prov
ing that the same apparent motion
in declination diminishes as it ap-
proaches its northernmost point
the summer solstice-at which point
we in the Northern hemisphere have
our longest day and shortest night.
The planet Venus is evening star,
and will be found in the constellation
of Taurus, or the Bull, the second
sign in the zodiac, which the sun en-
tered about April Goth. Jupiter,
Mars, and Saturn will also act in the
capacity of evening stars, Jupiter and
Mars being in the constellation of
Gemini and Saturn that of Libra.
Gemini is the third sign or constella-
ton in the zodiac, and which the sun
enters about May Fl. tits SO named,
the twins, because of the two bright
| stars, Castor and Pollux, contained
in it, the former being furthest to
the west, and the latter furthest to
the east. Jupiter will set a little
after 10 o'clock, and Mars will retire
at about II o'clock in the evening,
while Saturn will shine until it is
wrapped in the morning twilight,
Just when it is on the point of setting.
Aries, resembling ram, is the first
of the twelve signs in the zodiac,
and which the sun entered at the YER
nal equinox on March 81.
| The planetary aspect of the skies
during the early hours of the even
ing will be fine one, as the four
brightest planets-Venus, Jupiter,
Mars and Saturn-will adorn the
heavens simultaneously during those
hours.
| On starlight nights, at about. 6
o'clock, the Great Bear may be seer
nearing his meridian on his daily Cir
cult around the globe. This con
stellation, also known as Ursa Major
is one of the most conspicuous o
the northern consultations and il
situated near the pole. 1t contain
the stars which form the familia
Dipper, and Ursa Minor, or Littl
Bear, the constellation nearest tn
north pole; also, the pole-star, whicl
is situated in the extremity of tn
tail. =
Whatever may be the time of tn
g year or of the night, there are Away
five consultations in view. The
never set, but increasingly revolv
about the pole-star, and are Gale
d the circumpolar constellation. The
attract attention both by the pee,
J. liarity of shape and their always b.
# ing visible on clear nights. The sin
< ilarity of the two Bears is a strikin
b coincidence. Between them wind
the long constellation Of the Dragon
the head of which is so distinct
= marked by a trapezium, or irregula
four-sided figure, of stars. Cassi'
. peia, with its W-like shape, is ais