The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-12-02
THE SKIES IN DECEMBER.

are above our horizon during the evenings
OF the winter months. New moon will oc-
cur about the middle Of the present month.
and that will be a favorable time to see
the stellar hosts in all their glory. At $50
o'clock the Milky Way extends across the
skies from east to northwest. making a
pretty curve to the south around the polar
star and carrying Cassiopeia and Perseus
as the central figures. Below these are
Andromeda. Triangular. Aries and Pisces.
West of Cassiopeia is Cygnus, which Is
between Lyra and Pegasus. and in the
southwest Aquarius Is nearing the horizon.
East of Perseus is Auriga. which is fol-
lowed by Gemini and Cancer. Ursa Major
is seen in the north. toward the east: CAMS
Minor is rising in the east and CAMS Major
in the southeast. Almost centrally divided
by the celestial equator, midway between
his rising point in the east and the merid-
ian, and closely following Taurus. who car
ries the Pleiades and Hyades, is Orion, the
most beautiful Of all.
Note the large number of bright stars
above the horizon at this time. Sirius,
Rigel. Bethelgense. Aldebaran. capella and
Procyon are all east of the meridian: Affair
is In the west and Vega in the northwest.
To add a few more would complete the list
OF all the brightest stars ever seen in this
latitude.
To the south is Cetus. whose wonder
fur star. Mira. is at this time very near
the meridian and is due to reach maxima
on the 9th. This was the first variable
known. and Is the typical star of a class
to which almost one-half of the variables
belong. Its period is about eleven months,
during more than two-thirds of which it is
OF the ninth magnitude. while at it's max
mas it varies. sometimes becoming a sec
ond. at others only a fifth, magnitude star.
Interesting and instructive telescope OBJ
jects abound in the field reviewed but the
opera and field glasses should not be over
looked. Those whose ocular aid is limited
to the latter should repeatedly sweep along
the Milky Way as 1t now presents itself
and examine carefully the great clusters in
Perseus. The eye does not require much
aid TO obtain a good view of the great neb-
ulae in Andromeda or the cluster in Cam
Ger, and the Pleiades and Hyades, as we'll
as the sword and belt regions of Orion,
are all splendid low-power fields.
Two new comets have just been discov-
cred. the first by c. ID. Perrine, of Lick
Observatory. on Nov. Is. in the constella-
ton Virgo. Reports from Mount Hamilton
say 1t is of considerable size, Is gradually
growing brighter and will be visible TO the
naked eye about the middle of December
The second was discovered by Professor
Brooks, of Geneva. n. Y, on Nov. p, in the
constellation Hydra
The planets are all morning stars during
the first week OF the month. Neptune will
be in opposition on the Sth. becomes an
evening star and will be Joined as such by
Mercury on the 10th. Neptune is in the
eastern part of Taurus, while Mercury
moves from Libra into Scorpio. and during
the month passes through Scorpio and
Ophiuchus and on to near the eastern edge
of Sagittarius. Saturn and Uranus remain
in Libra, with Mars for company until
about the middle of the month, when the
rudy planet moves into Scorpo AS Mars
leaves Libra on the east. Venus enters from,
the west and passes Saturn on the 22d In
the afternoon, and Uranus on the 18th.
these two being the only conjunctions of
planets during the month. The one occur
ring on the 22d will be quite close. Venus
passing thirty-three minutes north of the
also pass in declination. and will be seen
has passed her crescent phase. and will be
In periheiion on the 18th. On Nov. u the
atmosphere was exceptionally clear In this
locality and many persons followed her
with the unaided eye until after the sun
had crossed the meridian
Jupiter is in Cancer, and his motion will
be apparently retrograde during the entire
month. He is not far from the PrResepe,
l. Il. l.
in northwesterly direction.
The moon fulls on the "a, at 1898 a. m.
passes Neptune in the afternoon of the
same day and Jupiter on the 9Th. last quar-
ter occurring on the 9th. at Loo a. m. She
will be in conjunction with Venus on the
18th, Saturn and Uranus On the 18th. Mars
the next day. Mercury on the 18th. and be
a new moon on the 18th. at 1890 a. m.
First quarter occurs on tie 3D. at 11:21 D.
m. ana the second full moon of the month
at 2:31 p. m. on the last day of the year.
Weather prophets whose predictions are
based on the time of day the moon changes
will have an easy time this month. as all
these changes. except the one on the 3ist.
occur within less than an hour and a quar-
ter of midnight
The following appeared in a prominent
place in an indianapolis daily of last Thurs
day: M -
..rhe fact that there will be two
moons in December. for the first time since
Christ's birth, 1885 years ago. Is the cause
of some speculation among those who are
superstitious as to whether or not the event
may not portend the second coming of the
Messiah"
If the superstitious persons referred TO
will investigate this matter they will find
that the moons of December 1885, are
exactly the same in number and kind as
occurred in December. 1851. and December.
1876.
The sun enters the sign Capricornus. and
marks the commencement OF the astronom-
ical winter. on the fist, IN the evening.
W. p. wALLHEISER.
Bedford, Ind. Nov. 30.