The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-01-03

night. He Is distinguished from al the
other planets by his enormous magnitude.
His volume Is more than Loo times that
OF the earth; and his brilliancy renders
II very easy to distinguish him, as he out
shines all his surroundings. Can we
wonder that the Romans called Jupiter
the god Of the air?
Jupiter. at this time. is In the constel-
lation Leo. Last year this time he was
n the constellation Cancer. and next year
this time We have to look for him In the
constellation Virgo.
Jupiter requires about twelve years to
make one revolution about the sun, so
that he dwells about a year I'm each of
the twelve consultations of tho Zodiac;
Aries. Taurus. Gemini, Cancer. Leo, Vir-
go, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius. Capricor-
nus. Aquarius. and Pisces. Jupiter Is
puch distinguished for the remarkable
manner In which his satellites or moons
are situated on the border line which d.
vides the objects visible TO the naked eye
from those which require the aid OF a
telescope. Some have stated they have
seen these moons with the naked eye;
but II seems little strange that although
Jupiter has been n familiar object 10
the unaided eye for thousands Of years.
yet the satellites were not discovered I'LL
Galilea looked at them through his newly
invented telescope.
Saturn can be seen I'm the east for sew
eral hours before daylight during this
month. Next TO Jupiter. Saturn is the
largest of the planets. Looking skyward
about 3 o'clock during the evenings OF
ms month we behold magnificent ga.
laxy OF consultations spread out to our
view.
The Great Bear Is slowly climbing up
from beneath the North Star, while far
Just emerging above the horizon. and not
far distant from Jupiter. Gemini. which
contains the bright twin stars, Castor
and Pollux. Is climbing up in the East
10 the south OF Gemini is the bright
star. Procion, while still farther, In a
southerly direction, we see Sirius. the
Dog Star. now favorably situated for
observation. This is the brightest fixed
star In all the heavens. 1t was early
observed by the Chaldean shepherds
the plains of Babylon. And the ancient
Thebans determined the length OF the
year by the number of its risings
THE MAGNIFICENT ORION.
To the west OF Sirius we see Orion
the most magnificent of all the heavenly
consultations. Whoever looks upon this
constellation and learns its name will
never forget IT. There are seventy-eight
visible stars In It.. and when on the
meridian II is visible to the entire habit
able world There are three stars of
the second magnitude together I'm a
straight line. which constitute the Belt
OF Orion. These three stars make a
hne exactly three degrees in length. They
are sometimes called the Ell and Yard
In Job they are called the Bands OF
Orion, and the ancient husbandman some
times called them Jacobs Rod. To the
northwest OF Orion we see the Pleades
and Hyades. while to the north of Hyades
Is Auriga, with milk-white Capella. al
most on the meridian. Perseus contain
ing the bright but variable star Algol,
Is situated i'm the midst OF the milky
way, and is now a little past the merid-
Ian. while to to the west and south of
Perseus we see Cassiopeia Andromeda
the Diamond, and other beautiful con-
stellations. Indeed, the extraordinary
splend0r OF the winter skies has attracted
the attention OF mankind in every age,
from the time the Pharoahs held the
children of Israel in bondage and Rome
levied tribute on the world to our own
present time When. upon a clear. cold
night, one looks upward ct the magnih-
cent panorama spread out before him,
awe for the Eternal One, who made 80
many worlds and causes them 10 move
with such harmony throughout space?
Can we wonder that the science of
astronomy has been cultivated by man.
kind I'm all ages? For II IS at once the
most interesting, the most exact, the
most sublime. and the most useful OF
all sciences.
When we consider that many OF these
stars and planets are much larger than
our own world, how can We be so vain
as To think they were created simply
for us to view? Are we not almost
forced to believe that many or them are
inhabited2 Some no doubt, by mortals
like ourselves, and others by the I'M
mortals.