The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-07
THE HEAVENS IN JUNE.
Whereabouts of the Stars Which All
Observers Know.
New York Times.

New YORK Times.
The most important of June astronomical
happenings is the arrival of the sun at the
extreme notherly point in its course. Ever
since it left the southern solstice in De-
cembef, it has been journeying in this di-
rection. This movement is of course ap-
parent only, being caused by the actual
movement of the earth in the opposite di-
rection. The sun is alluded to as moving
Servaton.
On Dec q the sun at noon was at
point directly above the observer at the
Tropic of Capricorn. 1t dashed across the
equinoctial line on March 20, when it's noon
mark was exactly overhead to residents at
the equator, and still speeding northward,
on June 70 at the summer sOlstice, or
standing place of the sum-" it swings in
its course, grazes the zenith of the Tropic
the south, and the middle of the six
months night at the south pole is reached.
Almost all of the conspicuous star groups
visible in the winter months have left us
except those in the neighborhood of the
pole, and the distnctively summer con-
stellations have taken their place. Orion,
the, Bull, the Charioteer, and the Twins,
with the splendid luminaries Betelguese,
Rigel, Aldebaran Capella, Cactor and Pol
lux have departed on long summer vaca-
ton. The three last named make their
exit a few minutes after sunset in the open
ing days of the month and on evenings
later on are not seen at ALL
The armament, however, is by no means
devoid of attractions because of the abb
SenCe OF tneSe OrDS. In the southwest,
about o'clock in the evening of the open
ing days of June, Regulus may be seen in
the tip end of the handle of the sickle
shaped group of stars composing part of
the constellation of the Lion, the opening
of the sickle being downward. Near the
zenith point is the brilliant red star Arctu-
rus of the group known as the Cowherd.
To the southeast Antares. in the sign of
the Scorpion, may be seen. Affair is the
middle and the brightest star of three ar
ranged In a line diagonally near the hori-
bout half from
horizon to the zenith in the northwest is
the bright, Steel-blue star Vega, the leading
luminary in the constellation of the Tyre.
At this hour, at the beginning of June, the
Great Bear will be high above the Pole
star in the northwest and sinking toward
the horizon, while the W-Shaped group of
stars comprising the most prominent part
of Cassiopeia, the Lady of her Chair,
will be low in the northwest and mounting
toward the zenith.
The moon, beyond the fact of it's always
having a very important part to play dur
ing the lovely summer evenings, when We
are stroltng in pairs, has no very great
prominence in this month of June. The
usual visits are paid the different planets
as the various paths converge, but the
meetings are not particularly close, espe-
c1ally where the most Dflliiaht planets ar
concerned. The first of the series is be-
tween Neptune and the moon, which oc-
ours on the LIST, and which is duplicated ON
the 2Sth, the planet being well TO the
southwark in each case On the 9TH the
growing crescent and the warlike Mars
turn comes next, and that or Uranus on
the 18th, but there is too much clear sky
between the participants to make th tt
very interesting tableauX. Saturn IS the
next to be visited. and, ii we nnd the
planet its very close proximity to Uranus
will serve to indicate the position OF the
latter. Venus has very distant visit on
the 26th, followed on the 18th by an inter-
view between Mercury and the moon
Mars is an evening star, and is to be
found in the constellation OF the Crab His
disk is small enough now, but ii shrlnks
still more before the close of the year, and
we shall not have many events or inter-
est in which this planet will take a part
until after the new year has come Mars
sinks below the horizon four hours after
the suns disappearance, but the planet is
gradually gaining upon the sun the dis
lance between the two being leSSened by
three-quarters of an hour before the end
of the month. Mars and the moon are in
conjunction on the 5th, and this will be
the closest meeting between moon and star
for the month: but We cannot promise any
thing particularly interesting on the occa-
sion.
Jupiter is now well inside the quarter
with the sun which position he reaches
early in September. when he Will join the
morning stars 10 once more enter the lists
as a rival of fair Venus AS Jupiter draws
nearer and nearer the sun his face becomes
less brilliant and his size diminiShes Yet
he will reappear with increasing Dimensions
and renewed briliancy. We shall still have
this mghtest of the planets to gaze upon
in the evening until midS dmmer has passed,
but after he goes the evening skies VIII be
partly deserted for a while one of the
most interesting features concerning Jupiter
is his connection with the smaller bodies
that reVolVe about him and which have re-
ceVed the name of satellites. the discov-
cry of which is quite generally regarded as
marking an important epoch In the history
of astronomy. These comparatively small
objects are situated in a remarkable man
ner on the border line which divides the
objects visible to the unaided eye from those
which require telescope aid. 1t has been
stated frequently that these objects have
been seen with unaided vision. but II is sufi-
cient TO recite the well-known fact that
Notwithstanding Jupiter had been familiar
To the unaided eye for countless centuries
and in the clearest skies. no one ever dis
covered the satellites until Calico turned
his newly invented telescope upon them.
This telescope was no doubt a very feeble
instrument, but the feeblest instrument is
quite adequate TO show objects so close to
the limit OF visibility. Hence it is that we
have so frequently urged the use OF opera