Evening journal., 1898-11-02
COMING WINTER S SKIES
The Planetary Aspect of the
November Heavens.
ABOUT MASON AND DIXoN's LINE

IEhREEl1tlAlS GAiuIUlE BY AS
TRONOAIY-TETE SOLAR SYSTEM
VIEWED FROM REMOTE NEP-
GUNE- STELLAR ASPECT OF
THE SIXTIES.
In course Of the month Of November
the moon will pass through her phases
as follows: On the 9th she will be in
her last quarter, on the 18th new, on
the goth in her first quarter and on the
9th full. On the 4th she will be in
apogee, and the 16th in perigee. While
on the 1st of November the sun is a
little over14 degrees 80 minutes south Of
the equator, he will be at the termina-
tion OF the month but IA degrees dis
tant from the extreme southern limit
the Winter solstice.
About the middle of the month and
in the latitude of Baltimore, the sun
will rise and set "a degrees Is minutes
south Of the true east and west points
the reader should firmly impress on his
mind is that the latitude of a place is
exactly equal to the spherical distance
of the north pole from the horizon Of
the place in question, and consequent
ly the determination Of terrestrial lati-
tude becomes distinctly an astronomi-
cal problem. In fact, in geodetic and
topographic measurements the science
of astronomy is often resorted to, and
as to the nautical science it is alto
gcther based upon astronomy, and
ing that the north pole of the heavens
is 1A degrees from the north star,
Poiaris. we have only to determine the
distance of that star from the horizon
of the place Of observation, at the up
per and lower elimination of the star,
10 determine the latitude of the place.
When in 1764 Mason and Dixon came
from England to mark the boundary
line between Pennsylvania and Mary
land. an historic line, still called by
the names Of these TWO men, they OBJ
served with great carefulness the
height OF one Of the circumpolar stars.
and then measured a straight line
south until the star at the same time Of
4 day was one degree nearer the horizon
. than when they started. In this way
& they had actually measured one degree
8 of the earth's circumference. The
n reason for this is simply because the
latitude OF place is equal to the ele-
4 vation Of the pole from the horizon.
Since that time many such lines have
been measured with all the nicely
s. which modern improvements OF instru-
ments have rendered possible. It might,
at first, seem strange that measure
n nents OF terrestrial lines can be con-
lected with and be made dependent
lpon the observation Of stars, but to
81 The thoughtful mind nothing can be
s simpler and more natural. There are
more than half dozen methods OF
computing terrestrial latitude, which
7ations, and longitude also may be de-
.ermined by such observations. From
IN economic point Of VIEW then, there
S no more important science than as.
ronomy. for the most indispensable
hingsS as for instance, the determina-
ion of time, hinge on it, and naviga.
ION on the trackless ocean would bt
impossible without the potent help o.
he noble science of the stars.
THE PLANETS.
The planet Mercury passes, in th'
course Of November, through the con
aellations Libra, Scorpio and Saglr
arius. coming like Venus quite clos'
the red star Antares in Scorpio
About the middle of the month Mer
ury and Venus will be close together
& yut ais the constellation within thi
boundary Of which they both will bt
It that time will be then beneath The
lorizon during the night, an observa
(. ion Of this close conjunction viii b.
nut of the question.
Venus will be in Scorpio during tn
Whole extent of the MONTH thougl
cry close to SagitGarius at its termi
E lation. Jupiter is in Virgo, and as thi
constellation has set, the great plane
glll not be seen in the evening skies, ,bu
nay be noticed by early risers close t
he eastern horizon about o'clock IL
he morning. acting in the capacity o
al morning star. Mars is in Cancer an
lso shines as a morning star. Satu7
in Seorpio and not very distant fror
is sister planet Venus. Could Uranu
.1 ,e seen with the naked eye. its prox
s. nifty to Venus and Saturn would pre-
||E ent an interesting spectacle. The II
& note planet Neptune is in Tauru:
where he has been lingering so IONS
nd will continue doing so for con
ideralble time to come. This plane
y marks the limit of our SOAR system
or all attempts Of discovering trani