Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-02-11
THE CITIZEN. i.
Astronomical Items.


The solar eclipse of the 1st inst. which
however was not visible in Butler
was not of that class which interests as
tronomers in general as unlike the total
eclipse, the annular eclipses afford no
opportunity for investigating henature
of the corona and hence contribute
little OF nothing to scientific Bnowl-
edge.
At opposition to the sun on the nth
the moon makes a very close approach
to the shadow of the earth and there
would be partial eclipse of the sun as
viewed from the moon. If, at the dis
tance of the moon the shadow
of the earth were as broad rs the earth
itself the moon would enter the shadow
and be partially eclipsed. But the
shadow of the earth being in the shape
of cone, decreases considerably be
tween this and the moon, and vanisnes
at a distance of about 640, 900 miles be
yond the moons orbit. The vanishing
IDlIAb VI tltt ttbl III NAAtitApN 10 tlArst
point in space in line with the centers
of the earth and sun, where the earJh's
angular diameter becomes smaller than
the angler diameter of the sun.
Contrary to the general supposition,
the quantity of light given by full
moons is different from time TO time.
This is because the moon is not always
at the same distance from the earth
its obit being elliptical-and the
amount of light full moon gives is in
versely proportional to the square of its
distance, or is directly proportional to
the apparent area of its visible surface.
Accordingly when the moon is full at
its least possible distance from the earth
it gives more light in nearly the ratio of
4 TO 8 than when full at the greatest
distance. The most brilliant full moon
of1997 will be Easter moon of April 18th
and the least brilliant will be that of
December Sth.
The planet Jupiter which will shortly
be conspicuous in the evening sky, is
now in the constellation Leo and is only
a few degrees from the star Regulus in
the heart of the Lion On the evening
of its opposition to the sun which occurs
the 23rd. inst, Jupiter rises at 5. SO at an
amplitude of AZ degrees north of the
east point, and his radius vector, or
distance from the sun on that date is
499i million miles, and distance from
the earth 40S million miles.
Mars is in the constellation Taurus,
the Bull; and is almost in line with
the bright stars Aldebaran and Capella
the former of which is popularity known
as the bulls eye, Adebaran resembles
Mars in color but it is only half as
bright. The relative motion of Mars is
from the earth at the rate of nearly
mil lion miles day, and it is therefore
constantly growing less brilliant On
February 1st its distance from the
earth was 50, 47j, 900 miles, and on the
10Th. its distance from the earth viii be
equal to one astronomical unit which is
equivalent to the earth's mean radius
vector, and is 90, 800, 900 miles
Even the casual observer will have
noticed the growing brilliancy of Venus
which illuminates the evening sky with |
splendor. The queen of the |
planets is now in the constellation of |
the Fishes, and will be at her greatest |
elongation of 46 deg 3Gmin. east from the |
sun on the 10th. inst. She sets on that |
evening at 9:31 at an amplitu de of 10
deg. north of the west point.
Venus resembles the earth in many |
ways and is known to have an extensive
1t therefore is to be inferred |
that this planet as well as Mars is in
habitable. The law OF analogy inter
poses no insuperable barrier to such an
inference, but on the contrary rather |
supports it, aud it must be admitted |
that plurality of worlds is more likely |
than the opposite opinion But at the I
same time it is most improbable that |
all the planets of this solar system are
for aside from the earth, |
only Venus and Mars appear to be |
favorably situated with respect to the
sun Not only is an atmosphere abso-
indispensable to the support of life but
a proper degree of light and heat is |
also requisite, and when these are alb
sent or deficient, it may safely be as
sumed that no life of high order does
or can exist. Hence we may conclude
that the phenomenon of life as known
to us on earth is certainly absent from
such remote planets as Uranus and |
Neptune.
ArrCTre,1, (fpnocs