Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-03
IN SEPTEMBER HEAVENS.
clustering Cancellations Tbat
shine with Renewed Iusfre.


CNew York Times)
While the two most brilliant planets are
lost to the evening skies. there are other
beautiful heavenly bodies left for our en-
toyment. as no month Of all the year Is
more lavish in the bestOwal Of gifts man
september. She sits ike a queen en-
thoned. while heaped up before her are the
abundant harvests. the fruits and howers
elaborated by the sovereign power OF ,he
great central star that rules the SOAR
scheme.
The September sky will be alive win
clustering considerations that shine win
renewed lustre in the crisp and pure au-
tumnaI atmosphere. Among them may be
noted the great SQUIRE of Pesasus rising
in the east. and low down in the north-
east Is the lovely cluster Of the Pleiades
The three stars. Arcturus. Vega, and Ca
rela, known as the northern brillidnis'
are especially worthy of observation. Tor
they are all visible and opinions differ as
10 which Is the brightest Of the trio. Al
the close Of the first third Of the month
Arcturus Is the brilliant red star near lhe
northwest horizon. Vega the superb star
high I'm the north not far west or 'he
meridian. and Capella will be found IN the
northeast outshining its neighb0rs. Inc
three stars form together an irregular
Triangle
But planets and stars will lose their
lustre when, at the close of the month,
the almost full face Of the harvest-mOon
shines in the eastern horizon, just a short
while after the sunset glow has disap-
peared. and rises slowly TO the zenith
putting out the smaller stars, flooding
the sleeping earth with silvery light, cast
ing weird shadows over the landscape
and painting. wherever moonbeams rest
pictures OF ineffable loneliness, that NOR
tai pencil can never produce.
one of the most interesting recent
events in the astronomical world Is the
reopening Of the discussion respecting
the age Of the earth. as determined Dy
the so-called temperature gradient near
the surface. As deeper ana deeper
depth is reached II Is found that on an
average the temperature rises about /
degree for every fifty feet OF descent
From this and other assumptions fl has
been computed that to reach It's present
condition OF cooling. II has required about
1y1OpJ years at the very least. AS TINS
neriod may possibly be stretched TO twice
the limit mentioned. 1t gives US quite IL
lesson as TO the caution with which the
mathematical interpretations OF certain
problems in terrestrial physics should De
received 10y the average laymdh, anu
gives the latter IA iine chance 10 ett paSn
al his scientific brother. from whom ne
gets but little respect or consideration III
the great field of science.
one Of the most interesting features
OF the month lies in the fact tnat 'he
sun reaches the equator ana starts OH
ON his six months journey in south de-
mutt al X.
Is called. gives US equal days ana eduai
nights the word over. 1t has been iouio.
that there is a slow retrograde motion oil
the polnt of the suns crossing the equator
from east 10 west. or contrary TO tne
order Of the signs. as IL the poiht "u,
Nanced TO meet the sun on each a"h""'
return. To this phenomenon mas poe..
given the name OF the procession OF
The eouinoxes. This motion Is AT the
approximate rate OF degree III a. years
the equator moving on the eeiipuc' WINE
the ecuptic retains It's position heais
unchanged among the stars.
mis- REGULARITY is said 10 be caused by
the combined action OF sun and moon on
fbe mass OF matter accumulated about
tbe e.rth's equator. In consequence 81
,hIs motion the longitudes Of the heaven
Ia bodies are incrtas ms, Whiie, on COM
naring their ATTITUDES as found 10y the
ancient astronomers with those OF to-day.
,erv little change. indeed Is found. This
tmportant discovery is due TO Hppan-
chus. whose researches were made more
than a hundred years before the Christian
era. one other effect Of this procession
Is of interest TO us. and that IS its effect
upon the signs OF the zodiac, whose limits
do not now agree with the considerations
which bear the same names. For eX-
ample the sign OF Aries Is now IN the
constellation OF Pisces: and so on. each
sign having backed" so TO speak, into
the constellation west Of II.
Last molth we had a partial eclipse OF
the sun that missed US hereabout. Wen.
on the 18th. the day Of the new moon
we have another that hits us In the same
pace 1t IS very probable that an
eclipse seldom occurs over region con-
tanning so few people or so small an
amount OF territory as does this one.
IL hides about three quarters of the face
OF the sun. and is only viewed by the
inhabitants OF New Zealand. the Fiji
und Loyalty Islands. the islands Of the
Paumotu Archipelago, a few other minor
islands. and a little of Australia
But on the 80 there VIII be tota
eclipse Of the moon that we can see here
and which viii he very interesting. though
we may have TO sit up until the small
hours OF the morning in order 10 se'
the moon once more clear OF the shad
ow. From the time Of entering The
penumbra, or outer shadow. until emery
ing the other side. some six hours anC
twenty minutes are required
The solar eclpses have already been ex
planned. and few words will clear VI
the matter OF lunar eclipse. which 1.
visible at night. and is due 10 the inter
position OF the earth between the sur
and the moon. The sun IN at night-tim'
under our feet, on the other side OF tn
earth. and the earth throws long shad
ow upward II the moon enters into thl'
shadow, II Is plain that the sunlight II
partly or wholly cut of. and since sh'
moon shines by no Hight Of her own. bu
only b, borrowed Hight from the sun