The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-04-07
STAR GAZTNG IN APRIL.
Saturn Is Seen mt His b st on the %3d-Ns-
nus yerv BEAUTIFUL.

The sky no longer has that hard look
Which is so distinctive Of low Thermometer
and chilly wind. The gray vapor, which
we often see half way 10 the zenith, soft
ems TO white at the edges. and only thinly
wells the sun during the early morning
hours Suddenly the orb itself makes the
moment an enchanted one, shaping forth
I'm ever-changing cloud pictures OF the
heroic ages and the deities OF the heather
heavens. The day god AZ such times
shows no railating iight-only fiat white
disk. rather larger 10 the eye than usual,
gliding through diaphanous gray cloud.
II Is the silver sun OF April. the winged
herald Of the lengthening days, soon TO be
full OF greater splendor.
The sun during April makes rapid prog
ress i'm his jOudney northwaru, increasing
his deciination about ten degrees in the
course OF the month, although his motion
at it's close Is not quite so rapid as at
Irts ent.
We arc not very kindly treated this
month by celestial pictures In which the
moon plays a conspicuous part.
Saturn this month reaches the halfway
mark in his travels about tho heavens, for
the 23d finds him i'm oppositon with the
sun, rising about as the sun sets and con-
tinuing in sight for the 1niainder OF the
tNtilIHs ~ Aill1 Anfi| w" fAioR - ~ 80
largest for the year, and the planet is
most favorably sltuated for observation.
lie is in the constellation OF Libra, and, as
there are no very bright stars In that par
ticular locality, the planet Will be fairly
conspicuous.
Venus shines most radiantiy, even be-
fore the twilight IS finished and she seems
to grow more beautiful each succeeding
night. She Is about as large as our earth,
and when at her brightest outshines about
fifty times the mOss brilliant star. Yet,
like all other planets, she CLOVIS only with
the reflected light of the sun, and passes
through phases like those of the moon,
only we cannot see them with the naked
eye, While most attractive and never
tiresome, Venus has been one OF the most
useful Of the planets, as to her We owe
mainly the power or determining the dis
lance and, consequently, the magnitude
of the sun.
Jupiter. having passed his quadrature
last month, is drawing nearer TO the sun,
but on his way has a meeting with Venus,
which, although not a very close one, is
still OF interest 20 us. on account of the
participants. The event Is looked for next
month, and meanwhile the gradual APP
proach OF the planets will be worth our
Witnessing In June we shall lose sight of
this king OF brilliants. as early the fol-
lowing month he draws in toward the
sun. and when next we see him, It will be
IN the early dawn shining as morning
star.
Uranus Is a morning star, but another
few weeks will find him also In opposition
10 the sun, following close upon the tracks
of Saturn, and, like the latter, changing
from morning TO an evening star. He is
quite close to the border line of separa-
ton between the Balance and the Scor-
p.On. but rather too far from Antares, the
brightest star an the latter constellation,
TO admit OF its being # much service as
an indication OF tho exact locality Of tho
planet.
Mercury IS moving again toward the sun
from tho western limit of his swing and
Is row Numbered among the morning
stars. little later. when at the far
eastern point Of his course, We can pos
sibly have a glimpse OF him soon after
sunset, but only for a short while. as he
settles down 10 rest soon after the light
OF day has disappeared.
Mars and Jupiter are I'm conjunction on
the 18th, and they come close enough to-
gether TO induce our watching for the
meeting. Last month the noon visited
Mars before Jupiter but this month we
find the reverse TO be the case. from
which we can judge that Jupiter has at
last overtaken the warlike planet and
will beat him on the race toward conjunc-
ton with the sun.
Neptune and Venus are at their closest
for the month on the 10Th. the latter being
some three degrees further 20 the north
ward This WILL however, serve in a
measure to locate Neptune, and, II We can
familiarize ourselves with the appearance
of the stars in his immediate nelghbor-
hood, We can form for some time to come
an idea of his whereabouts.
The consultations are very attractive
In April, a number of the most brilliant
being In view during the early evening
hours In the northern heavens the Little
Bear Is passing above the horizontal posi-
ton. which he had not quite attained last
month, while the Great Bear is overhead
and inverted. King Cepheus is now i'm
medlately below the pole. and. like many
an earthly monarch. IS standing on his
head. Cassi0peia is where IL can be al
ways found-on the opposite side of the
pole star TO that occupied by the Dipper
In the southern sky, Hydra, the great sea
serpent, occupies the leading position, and
Il the longest and almost the largest OF
the consultations. In the east there Is
Bootes and underneath are the stars OF
the Serpent. In the west, Taurus Is pass
ing from sight The Twins, followed by
the Lesser Dog are approaching the mid
west, and hang like glorious crowns over
the giant Orion as he passes TO his rest
beyond the western horizon.-New York
Times.
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