Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-06-04
THE SKIES IN JUNE,
The Month of tho summer SoIstioe-PosI-
tion Of the PLANETS and Phases of the

Moon.
This is the month OF the summer soils
tice In June tho sun attains the greatest
northern declinatlon, and the astronomi-
cal summer begins. The event occurs
about five o'clock in the Afternoon of the
goth, eastern standard time. In the course
of the month the sun will cross the Milky
Way from Taurus to Gemlni At the end
of the third weok the sun will be received
by Gemini. and at the time OF the solstice
will he close to the wonderful star clus-
ter called IS. Looking at the MONDAY
sun In the middle of the month, IL will be
interesting to remember that Orion, with
all his splendors of belt, sword, double
stars. clusters and nebulac, which made
so brilliant a display during the winter
evenings is now hidden by tho blue screen
of the atmosphere Just underneath the
place occupied by tho sun, and that II
the latter should be Suddenly extinguished
the surprising spectacle would be present
ell of the great luminaries OF winter gilt
tering through the warm summer air.
The majority of the planets are too near
the SUM- or too inconveniently situated, to
be we'll seen this month. Mercury Is low
in tho west In the constellation Taurus,
just after sunset at the opening of the
month, but on the 10th 1t passes between
us and the sun, emerging as a morning
star after that date
Venus Is also in Taurus as morning
star. and at the beginning is situated
about halfway between the Tyades and
the Pleiades. She is moving eastward
and gradually gaining upon the sun, which
she will overtake, in the centre of Gemlni
on the Sth of July After that date she
becomes an evening star.
Mars makes a long excursion through
the constellation Pisces, passing into Aries
at tho end of the month. But, although II
rises not long after midnight, 1t cannot
yet be studied to advantage even with
the aid of a powerful telescope, because
its distance from the earth is fully humid
rcd million miles greater than when the
planet is in opposition.
Those who wish to sec Jupiter during
the present season must make haste The
great planet is sinking rapidly toward the
western horizon, and by the end of the
month. will set as early MS nine o'clock,
1t Is in Cancer moving slowly toward the
southeast, but It will not pass out Of that
constellation before disappearing from the
evening sky.
Saturn is still in Libra, and during the
month will move slowly westward 1t is
finely placed for telescope observation,
crossing the meridian about ? p. m, in the
middle Of the month. 4 singular split
ting up Of the central bright ring into
four parts separated by exceedingly mar
row divisions resembling faint hair lines,
has been lately noticed In Europe, Similar
phenomena have been observed in this
ring at various times as far back as the
days OF IIerschel. The most natural ex-
PLANTATION OF them seems TO be that they
are due to recurring variations in the dis
turbing attractions Of the planets satel-
lites These new divisions Of the rings
are hopelessly beyond the power OF ordi-
nary telescopes, but BARS division, which
always exists can easily be seen. An ex-
ccllent opportunity is now presented for
seeing some Of Saturn's satellites. A good
i-inch telescope under favorable condi-
tons will show FIVE OF them.
Uranus Is IN Libra. eight or nine degrees
east Of Saturn, but although visible to
the naked eye only tho trained observer
is likely to SEQ It without optical aid.
Neptune, in Taurus, comes into conjunc-
ton with the sun on the eth.
June opens with n waning moon, which
reaches last quarter on the morning of the
I'd. Tho juno new moon comes on the
morning of the 18th: first quarter on the
morning of the 18th, and fun on the morn
ing of the 25th. The moon will be nearest
the earth on the night of the goth and
farthest on the morning OF the 5th Gar
rett p. Servill in Scientific American)