Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-11-08
THE SKIES in NOVEMBER.

moon will be full on the 9th, last quar-
ter on the 18th, new on the 22d and
first quarter on the Goth. On the 9th
she will be nearest to the earth and On
the 1Tth remotest 1t is generally
known fact that In consequence Of tho
equality Of the times OF rotary motion
of the moon 90 her axis and of revolu-
tionary one around the earth We cannot
see more than enc half of her surface,
and that half only. This assertion,
however, must be somewhat qualified,
for certain oscillations OF the moon,
called librations, enable us to see a
little more than Just half her surface.
These oscillations or librations arc of
three kinds. While the moon rotates
uniformly on her axis, it revolves in its
ellipticaI orbit with unequal angular
velocity. Near the apogee, where 1t
moves slowest, she rotHtes more than so
degrees on Its axis, while passing just
30 degrees around us, and thus reveals
little Of the remote hemisphere on
the eastern size. Near the perigee, on
the other hand, where the orbital
motion is rapid, she makes less than
one-i0urth of rotation while going 80
degrees around the earth. This brings
into view little of the other hemis-
phere on the western limb. This is
called the libration in longitude. A
second libration, called the filtration in
latitude, is due to the fact that the
moons axis is not quite perpendicular
10 the plane OF her orbit, and her poles
consequently lean toward the earth
alternately, Just as the earth's pole
leans toward the sun to produce sum
mef and winter. This allows us to see
at every revolution OF the moon little
way toward her poles. The third kind,
the diurnal filtration, is, strictly speak
ing, not so much libration of the
moon, but Of the observer, though the
effect is in reality the same as if it
were a true lunar filtration. The moons
motions have reference to the earth's
centre. We look down over the western
edge of the moon when she is rising
and over the eastern when she is setting
by an amount sequal to the radius of
the earth AS seen fiom the moon-that
ia, about one degree, the moons paral-
lax. Speaking of the neon, we re-
iterats the remark that the belief of an
influence OF the moon upon the weather
here on earth is a superstition not
worthy Of the present enlightened era
In which we live. OF course the moon
exercises an influence upon the earth,
as manifested by the tides, but none
upon the weather, though even some
scientists have attempted to prove that
there IL slight differences in the rain
fall at different phases Of the moon.
The greatest difference thus claimed
is SO slight that it would require the
most subtle observations to detect it.
In lo
belief that the signs Of the moon in
which the crops are planted influence
the growth of the latter. Such anotion
is as preposterous as that of fortune
telling and witches.
On the lst of the month the sun was
nearly II degrees 70 minutes south of
the equator, while on the last it is q
little more than 81 degrees 81 minutes
south of it-that is, only little more
than ! degree from it's southern
boundary, the winter soistica. On the
22d Of November an annular eclipse of
the Gun will take place, though not
visible on the continent. The path of
the annular will begin west of Africa,
cross the southern portion Of that con
tinent and extend through nearly the
northern part of Australia.
The planet Mercury will be in Scorpio
during the greater portion of the
month, but toward it's termination
enters Libra. Venus, acting yet as q
morning star, will bsin Leo and toward
the end in Virgo. Since she rises be-
tween 8 and o'clock in the morning,
a considerable time before the morning
twilight begins to irradiate the heavent,
this beautiful planet may be seen for
some time by early Users. Mars is lin
gering in Leo and rises little after IL
o'clock in the evening. Jupiter, which
fol- so many months has adorned the
evening skies by his genial light. will
cease TO be an evening star, since he
will vanish from the sky at the time of
sunset. The planet is still in Soorpio.
OF Saturn, which is yet in Sagittarius.
we may catch glimpse, since it will
set few minutes before 7 O'Clock in
the evening.
The calculation OF the distances of
the planets, though it cannot but
appear somewhat rerplexing to those
unfamiliar with mathematical pro-
cesses, presents no difficulty to the
astronomer, aud, having determined
these distances, it is only necessary to
measure their apparent diameleis in
order to find their absolute diameters
in miles, There is, however, a blue
halo about the planets which renders
an accurate observation OF the apparent
diameters little more uncertain than
it would he without that halo. In con
neotion with this we learn from a
recent number Of scientific paper
that by new deyioe that halo about
the planets may be removed. This new
device is due to Prof. j. j.. See and
Mr.. George Fl. Peters, at the United
States Naval Observatory. 1t is a
color screen for improving the detini-
tion of refraoting telescopes, and it
consists of small cell containing fluid
through which the light Of the stars
passes in reaching the eye. The cell is
attached to the e-pieoe OF the tele.
SCOPE. The fluid used In this cell is
deadly poisonous and SO corrosive that
il drop of it were to get into the eye
total blindness would ensue. The
scientists use different mixtures. BY
means OF this device the measurement
of the diametsrs of the planets can be
accomplished with greater exaotness
than has hitherto been possible. Thus
the d ametsr OF Neptune is claimed to
be reduced from 80, 900 to 81, 100 miles !;
Uranus from $4,000 to 2S, 800 miles
Saturn has his diameter diminished over
l, 200 miles, while Jupiter IL reduced
some 300 miles. The diameter of Venus
is found to be 1853 miles, with an
uncertainty of 10 miles. Prof. See
finds that Mercury has diameter of
only 2,460 miles, $40 miles smaller than
the received value. thus making it very
little smaller than our NOON.
Another note Of interest is that As
tronomer Wolff OF Heidelberg has dis
covered three asteroids by means of his