Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-02-10
THE SKIES IN FEBRUARY.


In her last quarter on the 18th, new on
the goth, and in her first quarter on
the 2Sth. On the lst and 2Sth she will
be in apogee and IN the 18th ia peri
gee. At the beginning Of the month
the sun will yet be II degrees south of
the equator and at its termination S
degrees, passing in course of the month
through an arc OF 8 degrees, whilst |
during January the arc passed through |
amounted to only 8 degrees.
The planet Mercury will be in SaGit- |
tarius at the beginning OF the month,
in CspriGornus in the middle, and in
Aquarius toward the end. Venus will
be in Capricornus, ana during the
latter portion Of the month in Aquari-
US. Until the middle Of February
Venus will still, act as morning star,
but from that day until the beginning
OF December hB evening star. She may
then be seen during the second half OF
the month near the western horizon a
little after sunset. As the elongation
will keep on increasing she will in
creaBe in brilliAncy and a few months
later present the finest object in the
evening skies. Mars ia in Capricornus
within whose boundary lines this planet
will remain during the month. Jupiter
Ia 10 the constellation Virgo and shines
as a morning star. Saturn is still in
Scorpio. To follow the planets Mer-
curry and Venus in the sky, both of
which perform their circuits around
the sun within brief periods, require
frequent and regular observations, as
they do not linger long in any of tho
Eodiacal consultations. Tho period OF
Mara is longer-nearly two years and
this planet is, therefore, more easily
followed. As TO Jupiter, ii passes in
average through one constellation in a
year, and il we can remember in what
constellation ii was a certain year we
CAM with tolerable certainty, designate
the constellation in or near which it
will be certain number OF years after
ward. OF course, to find its exact posi-
tion is the business of the professional
astronomer. 1t 10 scarcely necessary to
say here that the boundary lines Of the
consultations are not so distinctly
marked as those of countries on geo
graphical maps.
When. in star-lit night, we look at
the aky all studded over with stars
which, even to the naked eye, sp-
pear 80 numerous as to ill the be-
holders mind with wonder and rever-
ence for the magnitude Of the universe,
but when viewed through telescope
will impress it with the idea OF in.
finitude, the thought will Involuntary
arise in US, what position our earth, OF
rather Our solar system, occupies among
those countless worlds. 1t is a question
of profound iuterest that has given rise
to much speculation. Among the sciences
which, in their development, have made
such gigantic strides since the time
xgh "a 81 fhs. nm
agea began to be dispelled by tina ir
resistibly inBtreaming and all pervadinp
light OF modern times, astronomy occu
pies no mean place, ami its achieve
ments must be reekoned as one of tht
most convincing evidences of what thu
human intellect is capable of accom-
plishing. Still, in all sciences, no matte
how advanced they be, much remaini
to be duEe. In regard to the exaG
position of our solar system in the side
real universe astronomers are still to
great extent cropping in the Clark, and i
is not absolutely certain whether thi
difficult question will aver be salts
faotorily and conclusively answered. Il
order to fix the SUMS relative position
to other sidereal bodies or SYSTEMS it j
necessary to know more about the dis
tances of the latter than we really IL
Know. There lies tho difficulty. IL i
true that by inclosine thu annual paral
lax of few fixed stars within certai
limits we have been enabled to get
glimpse-for II is really no mora tha
ihat-uf their enormous distances iron
us. The nearest of these stars, who's
distances have been estimated, is Alph
Ceutauri, the brightest in one of th
consultations of the southern hemie
phere. We're we TO givs this distance i
numbers, 1t would convey no meanin
even to those who are familiar wit
large numbers and not easily appalle
by them, but by comparing it with tn
space traversed by that quickest OF a
travellers. light, we may bring it with
our power OF comprehension. light
transmitted through space at the rat
OF 1876, 600 miles per second, and it take
three and a half years for the light {
that nearest Of fixed stars to reach VI
il row we take into consideration thu
there are hut few stars the distances
which have been roughly estimated an
that our knowledge Of the motion of OF
solar system through sidereal space
yet excesdingly crude, it may he east
understood that an accurate determin
tion OF the position of our aolar'sys
in the sidereal heavens is at preset
out of the question, and can rema
only matter Of untrustworthy spec
lation until, by improved means OF O
Bervation, we have attained more pr
else results in regard TO stellar di
tances and motions. The ceabrat,
astronomer, HerHchel, in discussing b
ideas OF this structure of the heaven
based certain conclusions he arrived
on the unwarrantable ASSUMPTION th
there ia certain law in regard to t
distribution OF stars. The lumino
belt across the heavens, which is know
by the familiar and characteristic mar
of the Milk Way, also called the Galax
lacks that uniformity of breadth viii
We fluid in that other belt called [
zodiac. nor ia there everywhere {
same brightness. While 10 the zodiat
constellation Sagittarius the Mil
Way is extraordinarily brilliant, il
rather faint in other parts. Betwe
the consultations Cygnus and Scorr
the Galaxy is divided into two streal
that are nearly parallel. it cuts {
pane Of the ecliptic at an angle of
degrees. The greater number of /
stars we can see with the telescope |
in space that has the form of rour
fiat disk, near the centre OF which c
sun is situated. This is about all II
can be said with any sort of certain
OK the situation of the sun among
stellar worlds That future astronomo
with improved means of observable
will arrive at more definite conclusit
with respect to the question can.
course. hardly be doubted, but will