The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-09-03

y
nomical as well as political.
We mad delightful exhibition OF to-
tai eclipse OF the moon last March, and
in the same month~and last yontb certain
favored parts OF the earth had a view OF
partial sun eclipse. Tonight we have an
eclipse OF the moon, total, visible right
here at home. Moreover, on the 18th in
slant, remote spots on this planet will be
regaled by another partial eclipse OF the
sun. The highest number OF eclipses
l possible in any year is seven, five of the
sun, and two OF the moon. This year we
are having five, a very satisfactory pro-
gram to the eclipse experts.
The exhibition tonight bids fair to be
a glorious one with the weather condi-
tions all favorable. Over our city OF Prov
idence the eclipse will begin at II O'Clock,
and will begin to be total at six minutes
past midnight, the middle or full eclipse
being due at three minutes before one
The total eclipse will end at AS, and the
moon will retire from the shadow at 2:54
o'clock.
great many people will be looking
skyward tonight, and something OF what
they may see there may be OF interest At
9 o'clock we shall find dire city overhead
the Swan, better known as the Northern
Cross. On its west is the Lyre, marked
by the bright star Vega. Still lower in
the west, midway between the horizon
and the zenith, Is Hercules, not marked
by any bright stars, but interesting be-
cause astronomers believe thar somewhere
within its border lies the "apex of the
SUMS way"-the point toward which the
sun, with its large family of planets,
comets and meteors, is moving In space.
Near the horizon, between west and
northwest, is Arcturus, a star which RI
walls Vega in brilliancy, and which, ow-
ing to the fact that the incest observa-
tions at present possible have failed to OBJ
tain any certain indications of its dis
tance, astronomers are coming to look up
on 1t as, perhaps, the most stupendous
sun "within our imperfect cognizance. ~
Unquestionably it surpasses enormously
in bulk even Sirius, which is itself many
times larger. than the sun.
Between Arcturus and the constellation
Hercules lies the Northern Crown, a
nearly complete oval figure formed by
five or six stars, OF which the brightest,
Alphacca, "the Pearl OF the Crown, I" is of
the second magnitude.
| South OF the Swan are the Dolphin-a
little group of small stars rather larger
and more diffuse than the Pleiades-and
to the right OF this the Eagle, marked by
the star Altar, OF the first magnitude.
Low in the southwest is the Scorpion, at
the center OF which is the ruddy first
magnitude star Antares, "the SCORPIONS
Heart" Between the Scorpion and Her.
cules is Ophiuchus, the Serpent Holder.
The head Of ophiuchus, marked by s.ar
OF the second magnitude, about three
fifths OF the distance from Antares to
Vega, is close beside that OF Hercules, al
SO marked by star of the second magni-
tude, which, however, is variable in its
brilliancy.
Fomalhaut, the principal star in the
Southern Fish, may be seen in the south
east little higher than Antares.
In midheavens in the east is the great
Square Of Pegasus, large quadrangle of
second magnitude stars--a figure so strik-
ing that no one can fail to identify 1t.
Three OF these stars only belong to the
old constellation Pegasus. That OF the
lower left hand corner OF the square
marks the head of Andromeda. This star |
is the first in line OF four, of about the |
same brilliancy and at about the same |
Instance apart, winch curves downward |
toward the left. The first three in this
line belongs to Andromeda; the fourth,
on the extreme left, belongs to Perseus.
Above Perseus is the wshsped constella-
tion Cassiopeia, or "The Chair"
The Great Dipper will be found tomor-
row night right side up between north
and northwest. The region between this
and the star Vega is occupied by the
Dragon. The tip OF the Dragons tail is
directly above the "Pointers" in the Dip
per- From this point the constellation
curves upward, first to the left, then to
the right, then to the left, like reversed