The times., 1898-11-08
A MONTH OF SHOOTING STARS.

November 10 the month In which the
celestial rockets are most numerous, and
from the 11th to the 18th we may expect
to see them shooting through the sky in
vast numbers-far greater than in Au-
gust, when we SO frequently were called
upon to admire their briliiancy. says the
New York Times. The bright objects that
furrow the sky appear to emanate from
the constellation Leo, not far from the
star Zeta.
The moon has the phase of last quarter
on the 9Th. on which day there is con-
junction with Mars. There Is new moon
on the 18th. first quarter on the 10Th and
full moon on the 9th. On the I'd there is
conjunction with Neptune. which again
occurs on the 18th, the planet being al
most three degrees south of the moon.
On the 9Th Mars and Luna are at their
closest during the early hours of the day.
On the 7th the waning crescent and Ju-
piter have a somewhat distant meeting.
followed on the Nth by one between the
moon and Uranus. The closest event of
this kind for the month takes place on
the Nth. Some few hours after meeting
! Uranus our satellite draws very near
Mercury. and the following day passes at
somewhat greater distance than Saturn.
Venus and the growing crescent come
quite near each other on the 18th, show
ing that these four planets-Uranus, Mer-
curry. Saturn and Venus-are fairly well
punched together and all are in close
proximity to the dividing line between
the evening and the morning stars.
The heavens at this time have not very
many OF the planets that we have been
used to seeing all Summer, and in the
early Autumn. Our favorites are now so
close to the sun that we cannot see them
in their accustomed places. and when
next they appear 1t will be as morning
stars under Jupiter's commanding pres
ence until fair Venus once more asserts
herself and forces him to retreat van
quished.
Neptune Is morning star, and Is to be
found in the constellation OF the bull but
too far from Aldebaran. the brightest star
of the group. to have 1t aid In the identi-
fication OF the planet. While, as has al
ready been said. there will be two con-
functions this month between the moon
and the wanderer. neither of them is suf-
ficiently close to give us an exact idea of
the planets location. Mars is also a
morning star, but beyond the fact of be-
ing in conjunction with the moon on the
5th there is very little for him to do this
month in the way of contributing to our
NO-t-
stellation of the crab. but none of the
stars of that group is visible to us in the
November evenings.
On the 1lth Mercury and Uranus are in
conjunction. and on the lith the former
planet and the moon are at their closest
for the month. Later. on the 18th. NJ r
curry and Saturn meet, followed two days
after by n meeting between Mercury and
Venus All of this sociability is due to
the fact of Mercury's drawing away from
the sun while the others are approach
ing We are denied some beautiful celes-
tial pictures in not being able to see all
the wonderfully beautiful bodies moving
about In such close proximity.
Uranus after meeting Mercury on the
llth is in conjunction with the moon on
the 18th, and then nothing of particular
moment occurs until its conjunction with
the sun on the 25th. After this Uranus
joins the morning galaxy. Jupiter has
long since established himself as supreme
ruler of the morning and We now have
him to usher in the day, as he rises an
hour and quarter ahead of the sun and
shows himself in the beautiful hues OF
early dawn, that so gradually fade away
as the more powerful light of the sun
comes up behind them. Saturn and the
moon are in conjunction on the 18th, and
Mercury and Saturn on the 18th. These
phenomena are followed on the oath by
another meeting between Saturn and We
nus the former at that time moving with
less comparative rapidity toward the sun
than he was when the two planets met
last month.
Venus. fair and beautiful has almost
passed from our sight for the present.
and We are obliged to take on faith all
that is said about her meeting the other
planets. When next we see her lovely
face the new year will be here and the
queen will be among the morning stars,
when only the early risers can see her.