The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-15
THE HEAVENS N MARCH.
THE sVM WILL MAKE An EVENLY
BALANCED DAY or THE Goth.
Of the Planeas.-Phases
Of the Neon asd Her AilegeA
Iaauenres-The Physical Phases
aua size Of some Of the Planets.

March ,s always Gre ot the most inter
esfsag OF months. from All ASTRONOMICAL
standpoint. for IL contains one OF our
greatest blessings. the coming OF the
Eua 10 the northward of the equator. The
event. important and cheering TO Us
though Ii be- also brings with X a feeling
OF irnrsttSnee at the cold weateer which
10 often hangs OF in q most clustering
chilly fashion. On the 9th the sun en-
rers the sign of Aries and shines alike
on the tuss and or The unjust through
out the world Were 4 rot for the suns
unreiaxins hand Of gravity that II ex-
tends TO the different worlds they would
all be flying OF in "a straight line. whose
end they would probably never reach.
This tendency must be usomsntarily
curbed and the planet held in It's true
curve about the sun. These giant worlds
must be perfectly handled ard their
speed regulated, all OF which Is accom-
flished by the sun. which may be sad
To be perfsetualiy swinging them al arms
length. BY the suns forvr the zsphyrs
barely stir the leaves or We have the
storm or the hurricane. and IL is by its
means that tbs merchants white-sa4led
ships are blown safely home and the cleo
trio power il made TO show its swiftness
and willingness 10 serve man. So the
sun carries OF The niiasma Of the marsh
the pollution of cities. and then sends
the winds 20 wash and cleanse them In
the sea spray.
Phases Of the Moon.
The Moon begins and closes It's monthly
list OF planetary conjunctions by meetings
with Neptune on the LIST and the 18th. IL
is not, however. a month for scenic effects
IN this particular. for none of the meetings
are particularly close. Jupiter and the
moon are at sheir closest OH the sth. but
the moons disk Is just after the full and
throws too much light on the picture TO
suit Us. On the sth We have full moon.
al which time the moon is little south Of
the equator and moving 10 the southwark.
Last quarter occurs on the 18th, new moon
on the I'D. and the phase Of first quarter
on the Seth. The proximity of the moon
10 us is probably what has caused its rep
ntation as affecting all sorts of remark
ably queer things. No celestial body ex-
cept the sun has ever had a similar infiu-
enee, 10 which the whole world-men, ami
mails, plants. minerals. and all-have from
time To time been accessible According
10 Eteilla, the moon governs vendors and
playWrigh,s Of all kinds. masters CT great
works. menageries. gamblers. bankrupts,
counterfeitsrs and Warehouses;. that Is 10
say, the moon rules over all those whose
business II il 10 work during the night
until sunrising. or TO sell provisions for
the night Ii is not without a cause. one
t.ons. that the moon il so near US; 10 il
were az far OF rs Saturn it would not be
able Ia answer 10 all of them.
The Monster Planet saturn.
Saturn opens the ball by being at the
quarter point of his course on the "a. He
~ moving on toward opposition when he
will he most fav0rabiy located for obser-
yatiou. and will remain in sight from the
time Of his rising until the breaking day
hlotS him from the sky. II you happen
one day To take IA Journey to the planet
Saturn. which is scarcely more than 800
00oos miles from Us, you would feel on
approaching II an unspcakabe aStonish-
ment. 10 which IL would be difficult 70
compare any sentiment of surprise fe; on
this earth Imagine an immense globe.
not only the size of the earth, but as large
as IA earihs put together 1t revolves on
its axis with such rapidity that in spite OF
lis size Il acconplishes its diurnal rotary
movement Ia about ten hours. II has a
system OF wonderful rings surrounding II,
which do rot remain lmmoVable but are
carried along with the circular movement
round the planet that in rapidly exceeds
that Of the planet itself The domain OF
the Sdturnine world is not confined to this
:or beyond the rings there are eight moons
revolving. whose radt increase the system
10 diameter OF $4,000 miles.
Jupiter md the Earth
Jupiter progress ma jes,ically toward the
point Al which he will be in opposition
and where he will arrive Oh the 18th At
this time he viii present a glorious object
In the eastern sky, coming into view about
as the sun has set. and shining with a
hrilianCy and power exceeding that which
he succeeds in attaining n any other time
OF the year He becomes also at ihat time
an evening star. and will remain in that
category until October. thereby giving us
a splendid opportunity 20 watch him
sweeping rnatesticaily through the spark
ling dome. II ever al a future time any
OF our readers should happen 10 inhabit
Jupiter. they would have considerable DIFF
aculty III discovering their former coun-
try. To do so they would have TO rise a
little before the sun. and 1--WE or six min
utes before the rising look 20 the east for
a very small white star. With sharp eyes
perhaps they would perceive IT, ami so
know that the earth still existed. Again
they would find f. xix months later at the
Nest. n few minutes after the setting of
the slig. Tbe inhabitants OF Jupiter never
se1 the earth dining the night. although
- - -p-1c.s.iy is the middle Of clear nights
ihat we are best able 10 observe this mag
ni1lcent planet.
our Frontier Planet Neptune.
%ept8ne also reaches The position Of
Qua6TAtUre. ana arrives there on The 10Th
On chg lst ~ i In Can junction with the
growing moon. and again or the 2Stn
,hsS.- -sgaafffef-z ot44sa s,4ut~k,