The times., 1898-05-15
The Heavens in May.

(Frou the New YORK Mail and Express)
Strange as it may seem, Mars. the goo
of war is the only one of the bright
planets which IS not situated well for OBJ
servation during May Venus, Jupiter,
Saturn. Mercury. and even Uranus are
prominent in the Spring skies, but it will
be late next FAN or early in the Winter
before Mars claims much attention from
the astronomer, amateur or otherwise
OF the five planets mentioned as Observ-
able during May all are to be found in the
evening sky except Mercury. The latter
is at its greatest western elongatiOn
from the sun on the morning OF the 2Sth
and should be visible about that time
of the month low in the east just before
sunrise.
Mercury was an easy object IN the eve
ming skies around the 10th OF last month,
although the weather prevented observa-
ton on several evenings. and those who
identified the shy planet then viii be en-
couraged TO repeat the experiment IN the
early morning. For a long time the Greek
astronomers failed 10 recognize that Aer-
curry as morning and evening star was the
same body. and consequently they had
two names for IL. They called II Apollo
when morning and Mercury when evening
star. They made the same mistake about
Venus, calling it Phosphorus as morning
star and Hesperus as evening star.
Even though Mars is not present 10 add
TO the war excitement. Venus. as far as
briliiancy goes-one might almost say
senSatiOnaIism-is good substitute
There is no star or planet which can COM
pare with Venus at its brightest and the
planet now visible IN the west as soon
as the sun sets, is growing brighter each
evening, and wiz continue TO 90 so until
the 25th Of October next. Il is an almost
/ certain sequel 10 the appearance Of Ne-
nus at its brightest in the evening skies
( for duigent observers TO write letters 70
/ the newspapers about the electric star,
/ or If they are New Workers, 10 attribute
I the bright light Of the planet 10 some
/ strange fire balloon sent up by Edison
over the Orange Mountains for reasons
I best known 10 himself
( Ii is pretty safe to venture the predic-
/ ton that Venus this year will be taken as
I a Government signal to warn Of the ap-
I pTOach Of a Spanish deet- Venus IS not
+ vet so bright as to attract all this atten-
/ tIon but as has been said. II is steadily
! growing brighter and is now so prominent
/ that no one who looks AT the western
/ heavens a half hour after sunset can miss
! the glorious planet. Once found It viii be
/ an increasing delight to watch IL grow
/ brighter with its greater distance from
/ the sun
I Jupiter crosses the meridian. or is due
/ south and high up in the sky. about
! o'clock during the first week in May, and,
/ ike Venus. cannot be mistaken. its great
/ blaze OF steady yellow light surprising
/ anything else in the vicinity and being q
/ sufficient guide TO its whereabouts. JUpi-
( ter is still in the constellation Virgo, not
! far from the fourth magnitude star Eta
/ Virgins. OF the other planets. Saturn
/ and Uranus are in opposition on the 18th
/ and 22d, respectively The latter is then
! of about the brightness of sixth magni-
/ tude star and under the most favorable
I circumstances is just visible TO the naked
/ eye. 1t can only be distinguished from
star. however, by its motion, and unless
/ one is willing to plot the position Of the
/ planet by right ascension and decIinatiOu
I on a star chart. and then compare obser-
vations on evenings a few days apart 10
/ see if the suspected body has moved. it
{ is useless to expect TO identify it. Saturn.
| on the other hand is q conspicuous OBJ
ject in ScOrpio. in the neighborhood OF
/ the bright red star Antares. More de-
/ tailed comment. however, can well be lefs
/ until next month