The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-11
Orion, Mighty Hunter.
Now GIorfies the
Southern Sky.
SIRIUS AND REGULUS VISIBLE.
., 80.
Favorable Month for the Circumpolsr Constel.
Iations and Other Fixed Stan-Rel.
alive Positions Of the Planets.

us from an astronomical standpoint. for.
with the exception of the zodiacal light
that about this time makes It's appear
ance in the western horizon. there are few
features OF special interest to attract us
A remarkable appendage to the sun which
extends TO an immense distance from 1t
produces the phenomenon OF the zodiac
al light. pearly glow is sometimes seen
TO spread over part of the sky In the vi
cinty of the point where the sun has dis
appeared after sunset. The same spec
tacle may also be witnessed before sun
rise and II would seem IL the material
producing the zodiacal light, whatever IL
may be, has a lenslike form with the
sun In the center. The nature of this OBJ
ject is still matter OF great uncertainty
1t is probably now quite apparent to even
the most casual observers that the suns
influence is more powerful now than 1t
was at the opening of the year A length
ened daylight is also perceptible. We
have both an earlier sunrise and later
sunset, which unite In giving us almost an
additional hour of precious daylight. The
speed of the sun as IL moves on its way
toward the equator is also increased in
February over what IL was in January,
southerly declination decreasing nine de-
grees between now and when March comes
in.
We can begin to realize at this time. now
ever. that as the sun pours forth in all d.
iONAiphs viii IHost pTOuikdi infTduty It's
torrents OF light and heat, that our earth
IL intercepting but small fraction OF the
whole. II seems as though the greater part
OF IL must be wasted In the depths of space.
Our fellow planets and the moon also nave
but a trife bestowed upon them. The por-
ton allotted to us Is. however. very pre-
cious. for II the radiation of the sun were
intercepted, all life on this earth would
cease. An immovable atmosphere would
brood over an ocean which. If not actually
frozen. could be only disturbed by the sui
len undulations of the tides. and the deathly
silence 2ervading the surface of the earth
would only be broken by volcanic disturb
ance. Such. at least. is the reasoning of
scientists who delight in specializing upon
the theories OF the improbabiities.
February furnishes but six conjunc-
tons In which moon and planets are inter-
csted. and. while three OF the planets are
occulted there are no very picturesque
events scheduled for the evening skies.
Early risers may be repaid on the oath by
watching the near approach of the moon
TO Saturn and the hiding Of the latter from
view for short while.
At about . O'Clock in the evening the
glorious constellation of Orion stands in
mid-heaven almost due south, while over
head is the constellation Auriga the prin-
cipal star of which. Capella. ranks in
splendor second only TO the Dog Star as
Sirius Is Familiarity known. In the north
the two most striking OF the circumpolar
constellations-the Dipper Tor the Piow, as
our friends in England call it,, and the
W-shaped figure Of Cassiopeia, THE Lady
In Her Chair'-may be seen at about
equal attitudes above the horizon, the
one to the right and the other to the
LETT OF the pole stars. In the east Is the
constellation Leo. containing as a frst-
class attraction the bright star Regulus.
This sickle-shaped group of stars forming
the head of the constellation. IS about
one-third of the distance from the hori-
zon to the zenith. At about the same
altitude In the west is noticeable a pair
OF second magnitude stars In the head OF
Aries,
These first magnitude stars can easily be
identified by noting their relations TO one
another on any clear night az given here
Capella VIII be found almost directly over
head, Betelgeuse is the upper and Rigel
the lower of the two bright stars in
orion. Sirius is situated below and "A 1T
tie to the left--the left of the observer IL
meant--of the constellation Its SURPRISING
briliiancy rendering its identity unmistak-
able Prooyon. still further 10 the left
and at greater altitude. Is at about the
same distance from both Sirius and Betel-
geuse, forming with these two stars near
~ an equilateral triangle. Aldebarsn is
TO the right Of orion. the three stars in
the Giants Belt lying midway between
this star and Sirius.
Regulus, although usually reckoned as a
star of the first magnitude hardly equals
any Of the others under that heading in
brilliancy, Midway between Reguius aud
Capella, little below a straight limo
drawn from one to the other, are the
Twins--Castor and Pollux, the Gemlni OF
the almanac. Polux. the more southerly
Of the two, Is somewhat the brighter.
Venus, brilliant and charming. IS about
two and a half hours behind the sun. and
In tho constellation OF the Water Bearer.
II Is pleasing to know that this nost
beautiful OF the planets il getting xradu-
ally larger and ioyelier as she gets fur
Their and farther away from the sun and
that this process Of becoming more en-
ticing viii continue until the year Is half
gone.
for as to see him, and IL in conjunction
with the latter on the sh. When he
passes to the ether side he viii be an
evening star. and early in March we shall
probably he able to ind him Just after
sunset.
Jupiter IL up now away ahead OF the
sun. and on the 2sta wtil be At the Posl-
ton known ss aUsSrsture. which - six
hours In advance Of the sur, and half
way on toward opposition. He Is still
the most conspicuous oo3ect ~ the morn
ing hours. and his size IL Increasing az he
draws on TO the ha..-way post
Uranus is ranged under Jupiters han
ner as one Of the morning stars. and he
Is oceu4.ed BY the moon on the I'D % the
month. Uranus and Jupiter keep fairy
close 20 one another IN some 81 the events
on the monthly programme for less than
three days after Jupiter Is in auadrature.
Uranus experiences a similar phenome-
non.
Saturn :. another OF Jupiter's intimates
In the early morn and Is also one Of the
occuited. He also will reach qusdratGre
the coming month. but "a a bit outeissseS
by Jupiter In the race toward opposition.
MarS Is the last u the planets for eb-
ruary 20 b. IL conjunction with Luna.
This meeting is not Of particular inter-
est. as there Is too much distance sepa-
rating .ne two celestial actors. Mars Is
new In the constellation OF the Goat