Evening star., 1895-05-25

In fact, the epoch or the equinoX"-aS
1880, 1880, etc-ls always attached to the
catalogue as a necessary item. This is one
of the host of "annoyances'' with which
astronomers find themselves continually
beset.
The zodiacal consultations are, from one
point of view, the most interesting of all
of the consultations. They represent the
earliest device of our very remote ancestors
10 MAKE OF the heavens great timekeeper
for the regulation of their works and
days" 1t is in this sense that the heavenly
bodies served primeval man for signs and
for seasons" The fact that the great
sphere of the heavens has an apparent an
nual revolution, and that the different sea-
sons of the year are marked by different
stars or groups of stars-that. for example,
in the spring of the year certain stars rise
with the sun; that is, are seen just above
the eastern horizon before the dawn causes
them to pale from view, and that certain
other stars thus rise in the autumn-must
have been observed at a period long an
terror to that which can be assigned to the
origin of astronomy, to the study of the
heavens by special observers. The zodiac
was the final outcome of this necessity of
continual star gazing for the practical pur
poses of daily life. AS it has come down
to us it forms a broad band in the heavens,
sixteen or eighteen degrees in breadth,
along the center of which runs the ecliptic,
or path of the sun. 1t is the great high
way of the sun, moon and planets-the
yellow road" as it Is called by the
Chinese. The division of this highway into
twelve equal parts, or signs was evident
ly suggested by the movement of the moon,
there being twelve complete lunations dur
ing the year. Each sign corresponds, there
fore, practically to one lunar month and
more exactly to calendar month of the
tropical year.
The Planets.
1t was noted of the month of May. as
remarkable circumstance, that the planets
were. with one exception, evening stars.
At the beginning of June they are all even
ing stars, and are all above the horizon at
the hour of sunset, although they are then
invisible, of course. Their relative posi-
tons are s'lown on the appended diagram
CT the zodiac.
Mercury Is now in one of it's most favor
able positions for observing with the naked
eye. Its silvery white light will adorn the
western evening sky during the first half
of June. On the Sth it will be in conjunc-
tiCn with Jupiter in right ascension, the
apparent distance between the two planets
beirg then less than one degree. On the
21St it will again be in conjunction with
Jupiter, but both planets will then be too
near the horizon at sunset to be visible.
Venus and Jupiter will be recognized
without difficulty from their great bril-
liarcy. Mars, now having the appearance
of a very red star of about the second mag
nitude, is nearly in line with the two
Twins, at a distance below them about
equal to their distance apart.
Saturn will be found in the southeast at
O'Clock. 1t Shines, as an orange-yellow
star of the full first magnitude. 1t is about
10 degrees east Of Sfica. with which and
Arcturus it forms al large nearly right
ang!sd triangle.
Uranus is now in an excellent position to
be found with anlopefa glass 1t is in the
constellation Libra about 3 degrees east
of the star Alpha. This star which is of
the third magnitude, lis to the eastward of
Saturn, about the same distance as Saturn
is east of Spica. Alpha, Librae Saturn and
Spica form a very oblique-angled triangle
furn .aal s-i1 dos e;-Ns Il
tifying Uranus by means of this star, a
diagram is here Igfven showing their ap-
pearance in the rfield'' of an opera glass.
Note that Uranus is the lower of a pair of
stars of the sixth magnitude, seen below
and to the left of Alpha This star Is a
wide doeFb1e easily separated with an opera
glass, a fact which win aid in identifying
it, 7- .H
On the 2ist of the month, at noon. Wash
ington mean time, the sun wfll enter Can
cer and summer will begin.