Evening journal., 1899-02-09
FEBRUARY'S SKIES.
From Now Until October Mars
Will Be the Evening Star.
VENUS AND JUPITER THE MORNING
PHASES or THE MOON DURING
THE PRESENT MONTH-THE
STAR ORION NOW HIGH UP IN
THE HEAVENS


THE HEAVENS.
When during the evenings Of Feb
ruary the irradiation Of the SKY, aris-
ing from the evening twilight, has suf-
fciently faded to permit the brighter
stars to emit their genial light, a
bright red star may be seen low down
n the east, which by It's reoness and
brightness will at once BE- recognized
as the planet Mars, Of ali the visible
objects in the heavens, with the ex-
ception OF the fiery sun ilself, the
mcst intensely red After a ,ong alb
sence from the evening skies this fine
planet will act from now until the
end Of October in the capacity OF an
evening star. Northeast Of Orion.
Which Is high up in the sky, the two
bright fixed stars, Castor and Po.lux,
n the constellation Of the Gemini, VIII
be seen not far from Mars in present
situation. which by his fiery presence
renders that portion Of the heavenly
vault particularly conspicuous, and
cannot fail to engage the attention Of
anyone that considers It worth his
while to cast his eyes occasionally at
the marvellous map OF the heavens.
VENUS AND JUPITER.
Venus and Jupiter are still morning
stars, the former rising about A O'Clock
in the morning, the latter about mid
night. Venus is in Sccrpio and Jupi-
;er N Virgo. THESE TWO beautiful
panets may be seen by early risers in
the morning skies shining with that
wondrous lustre thar forms one of
their characteristic features. Saturn
/ Is still in Sagittariue, adding its
brightness to the general appearance
Of the morning sky and enhancing its
beauty Inferior b Sirius In bril-
liancy, Il sufficiently outshines the
other fixed stars to be recognized as a
planet, shining with steady, yell
lowish light, which, though It changes
but little in appearance from month
to month, within a psrico Of fifteen
years gains and loses nearly one-ha.i
Of it's brightness, according 10 the
phases of its rings.
THE HEAVENS IN THEIR GLORY
The principal consultations that il
our latitude come to the meridian al
about 9 O'Clock in the February even
ings are Orion, CAMS Major ant
Gemini. In cloudless nights the SIX,
at all times presents a fine appearance
but at no time such a splendid on
as when the constellation CT Orion &
high up in the heavens, as it viii b
during this and the greater part o
next month. It contains two stars o
the frst magnitude. four Of the Gee
ond and a number Of lower magni
tude. It represents a giant with BEL
sword and a club, which he brandishe
IN his right hand, while with mis- lei
, ne holds the ions skin. The frsd
magnitude stars are Betelgeuse an
S Rigel, the former making one Of tn
two shoulders. the latter the left FOO
Not far from B5telgeuse or A.ph
Oronis, a bright second-magnitud
p star marks the other shoulder, whic
- g called Gamma, or Be,latrix. Ha
= way between Betelgeuee and Rig
@ three fine second-magnitude stars at
distance Of one and one-haf degree
;, from each ether indicate the positiC
, of the great Hunters Belt These a
II called Delta or Mintaka. Epsilon
rs Alnilam, and Zeta or AlnNah. 1'he'
three stars are sometimes distinguish
j. ed by the name Of the three stars
!, probably because they are OF such
h unique appearance as to position al
n equality Of brightness. Occasional
II we meet with the name of The Thr
II Kings" since prolonged in two opp
> site directions they point cut &
h Pleiades on one side ana the gre
A. Dog Star, Sirius. on the other. In En-
De and they are known as the Ell a
80 Yard. because the length Of the Ii
connecting them is almost exact
\ three degrees in length.
it THE DOG STARS.
is Due s-uth Of the belt, in the pl
IN .ongation Of the sword, quadrilatel
L Of four stars forms the constellati
a Lepus, or the Hare, one ct the anci'
ge forty-eight of the Amaigeet. nhe t.
ch brighteet are Alpha Leporis, or Arm
CT and Beta, or Nihalthe other two
re ing Gamma and Delta. Producing
- lire cf the three stars in the belt
81 Orion, it will pass through scar
rs such superior bril.iancy as to be
IN once recognized as the KING OF fl
I'll stars, Sirius, in lustre excelled only
~ ~ Venus and Jupiter, and. by Mars o
IN when in its most favorable positi
res From times immemoriar Sirius
lhe Borne the name Of the Dog Star, fr
oN the constellation CAMS Major, or
l.