The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-03-07
THE HEAVENS IN MARCH
me PRACTICAL USE MADE OF THE
SCIENCE or ASTRONOMY.
Conjunction OF Planets-The Cons
stellations-Beauiy of Venus.

| VI NdICH dic do AohoNo.
New on the Sd; first quarter on tn,
1lth: full on the 18th, and last quarter OF
the 18th.
The planet Venus. which Is still ar
evening star will continue to act in thi:
capacity until about the last Of April
This beautiful planet. which shines will
a light so splendid that none can mis-
take her, can be seen before the twi
light has ceased TO be visible. And she
will set about 8 o'clock In tho evening.
Venus never shines In the western nor
lion more than three hours after sunset
nor appears in the eastern horizon more
than three hours before sunrise. Con
sequently any star or planet. no mat
ter how brilliant which sets later OF
rises earlier cannot be Venus Owing tt
certain laws in optics. Venus will be al
her greatest brilliancy on the Ist OF
this month.
The Royal Jupiter, king Of the planeta-
~ host, now forms an object IN the
heavens well worthy OF attention.
This largest Of all the planets can be
seen Just above the eastern horizon as
soon as the sun has set in the distant
west; and he continues TO shine with a
brilliant light nearly all night setting
| just before the sun rises.
The planet Mars, so much like our
! earth. sets between and CLOCK IN tne
morning. While the ringed planet Sat-
urn rises soon after II o'clock In the
evening and shines the balance OF the
night. Thus are the nocturnal skies
| during March particularly honored by
| the presence Of so many bright planets.
INFERIOR PLANETS"
or the planets Mercury and Venus are
! denominated inferior planets. while the
others are known as superior. Now, as
nn ~ a
relative size OF the planets. but TO in
dictate their situation with regard TO The
earth, II would be better 10 adopt the
terms interior and exterior
Mercury and Venus being interior plan
cts because their orbits are within the
earth's orbit. or between ii and the sun.
while the other planets are known as ex-
terror because their orbits are beyond
the orbit Of the earth.
Superior planets will alternately be In
opposition and conjunction with the sun.
While inferior planets have no oppose
tion but two kinds OF conjunction SUI
perior and inferior. the former when the
sun is between the earth and the planet.
and the other when the planet comes IN
between the earth and the sun.
The nodes are the two points In which
the orbit OF the planet intersects the or
bit Of the earth or the ecliDtic.
When an inferior planet is at IFS in
ferior conjunction and near its nodes.
transit may occur. which will manifest
itself By an important phenomenon. viz;
Tho apparent passage Of the planet over
the suns disk. appearing thereon like
a dark, round speck.
In the case of Mercury a transit can
only occur when within degrees and
II minutes of the node. and in the case
OF Venus when within 4 degrees and 30
minutes.
For certain reasons transits Of Mercury
can only happen in May and November.
and those OF Venus in June ana Deem
Der.
The last transit of Mercury occurred in
November 1884, and there Will not be
another one I'm this century. The last
transit OF Venus occurred December, lNsZ.
and there Will not be another such Oc-
currence for 23J years from that time.
FIRST OF THE SCIENCES.
The value Of a science Is generally es-
timated By its practical utility, and the
benefits mankind derive from its use.
And by such a measure astronomy must
unquestionably rank as the first Of tho
sciences for IL is at once the most in
terestng and the most useful Of all the
sciences.
Yet there are many who in the mad
rush and whirl Of business never stop to
think how heavily we are indebted TO
this noble science. But for II the white
sails Of commerce could never Traverse
the painless waters. bringing 20 our
shores the products Of other clmes.
But for II agriculture would necessarily
be I'm a backward state. for a successful
cultivation Of the soil depends upon
knowledge Of the course of the sun, the
length OF the seasons. etc.
But for II our chronology would be
confused mass and society would have
no exact measure Of time without which
10 would soon run into confusion. In
short but for this noble science We could
not exist as a civilized people.
Looking overhead about g o'clock dur
ing the evenings Of this month We see
the heavens have put on somewhat
changed appearance since last month.
orion. which last month was almost
directly overhead. has now passed the
meridian and is slowly approaching the
western horizon. To the northwest Of
orion we see Taurus. containing those
two remarkable clusters of stars known
as tho Hyades and Plciades. so often
mentioned by the anclents. Close 10 the
western horizon we see Aries the Ram
which may be readily known by means
o. Two bright stars in The head about
4 degrees apart. the most northeasterly
az the two hcing the brightest lIpplr-
chus. informs MS that twenty-five ccn-
turtles ago Aries occupied the first sign
in the eclptic. But I'm consequence OF
the procession Of the equinoXcs. Aries is
now the second constellation in the 10
diac.
BEAUTIFUL CONSTELLATION.
Almost halfway between Aries and the
north star. and 2 little towards the east,
We see a constellation which can not fan
10 attract the Observers attention. This
is Perseus. containing the bright and va
riahle star Algol. which can be easily
distinguished by means % three stars OF
the fourth magnitude. lying "a few de-
erees southwest of II and forming a
small triangle.
AS Algol continues above the horizon
eighteen hours ont of every twenty-four.
10 may be seen every evening from Sep
tcmbcr 10 Nav The Niiky-Way around
Pcrseus Is very bright.
Southeast OF Porseus Is Nuriga. with
miik-white capela. Capelh may be
readily known hy little sharp-pointcd
triangle formed by three stars. three or
four degrees this side OF IL. on the left.
To the southeast Of Auriga We see CENT
nj. containing the bright twin stars CAS-
tor and POlluX. situated on the edge OF
the Milky-Way.
PolluX Is the brightest Of these two
stars and IS situated about four degrees
southeast Of Castor. These two stars
are now almost directly overhead. Due
south Of Pollux and at n distance OF
twenty-three degrees We see Procion. "a
very bright star in the Little Dog
While about twenty-siN degrees south
west OF Procion l. Sirius the brightest
fixed star in all the heavens. Ursa Ma
ior. the Great Bear IS climbing up high
above the horizon and will ere long be on
the meridian. There are seven bright
stars I'm the Great Bear. Familiarity term
ed the "Dipper."