The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-11-01
THE SKIES In NOVEMBER.

Venus will practically be the only even
ing star of the month. as Saturn and IRA
nIs are already lost in the rays of the sun.
Saturn will be in conjunction with the sun
on the 18th, followed by Uranus three days
later. Mercury, Mars. Neptune and Ju-
piter are morning stars. Mercury reached
greatest eastern elcngation Oct. "A and will
be in fairly good position to be seen in the
early morning for a week yet, rising more
than one hour earlier than the sun. He
then approaches the sun rapidly, passes
about two degrees south of Saturn on the
18th, thirteen seconds south of Uranus on
the Goth and passes superior conjunction
and joins Venus as evening star on the
18th.
Venus will move rapidly eastward
through the consultations Scorpio and
Sagittarius, but does not increase the APP
parent distance between herself and the
sun to any great extent, setting at e:2s
D. IN. Nov. 1, and thirty-five minutes later
on the Goth. She can be easily seen in the
southwest just after sunset and will. dur
ing the month, increase in brightness from
G17 to 734. The phase is becoming more
gibbous, $1,000 of the illuminated portions
OF the disk being turned towards US at the
close of the month.
Jupiter will be at quadrature, ninety de-
grees west of the sun, on the last day or
November. He will. during the month.
move a little more than three degrees east
ward in the constellation Leo. and is at
present, about eight degrees east and "a
little south Of the first magnitude star
Reguius. He rises just after / o'clock
a. IN. Nov. i, before midnight on the Both.
and is well located for early morning OBJ
servation.
Mars Is the most popular planet at pres
ent and will continue to receive more at
tention than any of the others during the
next few months. His apparent diameter
is 15.4 seconds on the 1st and 17S seconds
on the 30th ;sthe resultant increase in
brightness being readily observed. He rises
at TAI D. m. Nov. 1, at $50 on the 18th, and
before $50 on the 30th. Since Jan. i our
ruddy neighbor has moved from the region
of the constellation Scorpio to his present
position in the western part of the con-
stellation Gemjni, long journey to the
northeast. He becomes stationary on Nov
/, and before the close of the month will
move westward six degrees, back into the
constellation Taurus, and will continue this
retrograde motion during the remaining
weeks of the year. The earth and Mars are
now rapidly drawing nearer each other
being at present a little more than sixty
millions of miles apart The distance will
be decreased about ten millions of miles in
November, the nearest approach happen
ing during the first week in December, some
days prior 10 the opposition of Mars, which
occurs Dec 10. The perihelion Of the orbit
of Mars is in the same longitude as that
the earth reaches in the latter part of Au-
gust, and the most favorable oppositions
must therefore occur about that time. On
account Of the great length of the SYMBOLIC
period OF Mars. which is $50 days and much
longer than that of any of the other
planets of our system, these most favor
able oppositions do not occur more than
once in every fifteen or seventeen years
The last one happened in 1882 and there
will not be another until 1909. The degree
Of favorableness of the opposition does not,
however. affect the zeal of our observers,
and every opportunity to study the planet
is utilized. The improved and enlarged tel
escapes bridge the increase of space in a
great measure, and results of observations
reported from our great observatories show
that much interesting and profitable work
has already been accomplished.
The moon passes Mercury in the morning
on the flQ, anu the sun Oh the 0tn, new
moon occurring at 11:27 a. m. Saturn and
Uranus are passed on the following day in
the afternoon, and Venus the 7th in
the morning. 1t reaches first quarter on
the 18th. at 11:40 u. m, and will be full at
4:25 a. m. on the 10Th. There are no planets
10 visit in the region Of the sky .raversed
between these two phases. but on the same
morning and at very nearly the same time
IL reaches its full phase, ii will pass over
the Pleiades. hiding in quick succession the
stars 10 Tauri. Pleiadum, q. 20 and %
Tauri. Neptune is passed on the 2lst, In
the evening. and Mars about noon on the
ed. Last quarter occurs on the 27th at
SAB p m. and the conjunction with Jupiter
early in the morning on the 18th.
Favorable times for observing Algol at
minimum will be on the 7th at IL u. m; on
the 10th. at y. m, and st 10 p. m. OH the
20th
The Leonides meteors. whose radiant Is
In the constellation Leo. are TO be looked
for about the Nth and 18th of the month
and the Bieids two weeks later. The radi-
ant OF the Bielids Is In the constellation