The herald., 1898-05-14
the HEAVENS N MAY
THE SUN SLACKENMo SPEED
MOVES NoRTH
Phases Of the Noon and Changes Of
the Plansts During the
Month


Month
The beautiful singing sky of May, with
the sea sparkling as though It were fairly
smiling, should make US all feel like the
children Of the open air." who used to 1--we
in the valleys Of the Orient. keeping aioof,
but loving the sun, the wind, the mild.
sweet reproof of occasional showers. and
all that goes to make the earth bright and
fair. Though so much has been written
about our debt to pure water. yet we owe
quite as much to pure air. How wonder
full 1t is; 1t permeates all our body, 1t battles
the skin In a medium so delicate that we
are not conscious of its presence, and yet
so strong that 1t watts the odors OF dow-
ers and fruit into our rooms. 1t IL the
vehicle Of sound and brings to us the
voices of those we love and all the sweet
music of nature. 1t covers US overhead
in glorious arch of blue and lights up the
morning and evening skies with fire. 1t Is
so exquisitely soft and pure, so gentle and
yet so useful, that no wonder Ariel Is the
most delicate, lovable and fascinating OF
all nature spirits.
A Genuine Moving Day
The earth, or, as the Latins called 1t,
Tellus from which some wag suggests,
originated the expression, do tell u.s. is
the third planet in the solar system, md
the one on which we subsist with all our
important Joys and sorrows. Surprising
our planet to be suddenly arrested on its
axis, we all, with our goods and chattels,
would be showing to the surrounding
l. 49, - Is,~
ally means in this big city Of ours. Ev-
erything would be projected into the air at
a speed of 173 miles minute, which. while
| somewhat exceeding the usual rate Of pro-
gress of a furniture van, would hardly mix
things up more hopelessly. Every moth
er's son and daughter Of us would describe
the arc of a parabola, which is probably
the only description we should be able to
give Of the affair. This catastrophe to the
tax gatherer or to any one sufficiently col
lected to enjoy It,, would doubtless be ex.
ceedingly amusing, but as there would
probably be no time for laughing, we pray
that 1t may not occur until after our de-
mise, when. should 1t take place, our mon
ument will probably accompany the move
ment.
| The Sun slackening Speed
The sun perceptibly slackens bis speed
in May, compared to the tremendous rate
at which he moved last month. and at
the close we find he has advanced six de-
grees and one-half on his journey toward
the furthest northern point that he reaches
for the year. OF course. though. he warns
up the earth much more and gives us beau
tiful long twilights to be enjoyed In tine
open before the days get too warm. There
are two planets In opposition this month
with the sun, Uranus and Saturn, and
with these two exceptions SO much more
important to the planets than to the sun,
old Sol does not enter conspicuousiy into
the monthly phenomena.
Phases Of the Moon
Full moon occurs on the 9Th, last quarter
on the 18th, new moon on the z0rh, and
first quarter on the 2Sth. Some people as
sert that IL the new moons bright cres-
cent appears to encircle the whole disk of
the moon, 1t is an unfailing sigu Of bad
weather. A statement SO positive in Its
character should have something to sup
port it, but, unfortunately for those who
make 1t, 1t Is not at all justified by the
known facts. For example, in many IA
| vored parts Of the world the condition
| of the atmosphere is mostly always pro-
pitous to seeing the young moon in the
| arms of the old, as 1t is called, and, accord
ingly, in such localities 1t possesses no par
ticular significance.
| On the other hand, in countries given to a
chronic state of mist and haze, the phe-
nomenon, from its rareness, attracts more
attention and indicates an unusual clear
NJ in nj vrht
| backed up by other signs, may or may not
herald the approach Of rain or wind. That
which denotes one kind Of weather in one
locality may signify something totally diff
ferent in another; much the same way that
In the northern hemisphere the barometer
rises for north winds and falls for the
same winds in the southern hemisphere.
Mercury Morning Star
Mercury begins the monthly show by be-
Ing in inferior conjunction with the sun
today and passing from the realm of the
evening to that of the morning stars. On
the 18th this planet and the moon are In
distance, besides which the planet will not
be visible for another few days. as 1t does
not reach its greatest western elongation
two before and after this date we can find
Mercury shining in the eastern sky a short
while before Old Sol comes along and puts
out all the night lights.
Uranus at His Best
Uranus shows how well disposed he is
to play prominent part in the heavenly
tableaux by taking on the 22d the most
favorable place he can to show of his fine
points. On that date he is in opposition
with the sun and rises at about the hour of
sunset. At this. period in his journeyings
Uranus is at his largest and brightest but
to see him to advantage one should have
artificial aid to vision On the day follow
ing the full of the moon the planet and
moon are at their closest for the month, and
fairly close proximity to the latter might
serve to enable us to find the former were
it not that the brilliant light of the full
moon quite puts Uranus out of view,
A Galaxy Of Evening Stars
Saturn comes In opposition with the sun
about one week after Uranus, and we shall
then have his mellow light for many an
evening to come and at a season when we
can thoroughly enjoy watching his majestic
passage across the heavenly vault. On the
,,ota of this event-the N1th-the Dlanet he-