Evening star., 1900-06-30

among the oldest. being referred to by
Homer as well as by Aratus- 1t is almost
exactly opposite Orion on the celestial
sphere. and like Orion is partly in the
northern and partly in the southern hemis-
phere. The head of the Serpent which
Ophiuchus Is supposed to hold. formed by
the eyes-are of the third magnitude. is
about ten degrees directly south of the
! Northern Crown The tip of the tail Is at
about the same distance west of the star
Altar in the Eagle.
Oph;uchus stands above the Scorpion,
which may now be seen-at . o'ciock-ex-
actly south. its brightest star. Antares, be-
ing then nearly on the meridian, at one
fourth of the distance from the horizon to
the zenith. The Scorpion is one of the
finest Of the summer consultations. spark
ling with stars # every magnitude as We'll
as being a striking figure. One has no
difficulty in making out the claws of this
gigantic celestial insect. at the right OF
Artares. and its tail is also distinctly trace
able curving downward on the left. The
legs can easily be imagined.
The Balance.
West of the Scorpion, between it and the
Virgin. near the center of which stands
the star Spica-now about setting between
west and southwest-:s Libra the Balance.
the seventh OF the twelve zodiacal constel-
la,ions. This constellation is said to have
been formed in honor of the Emperor Au-
Sustus and to have been made up of stars
taken from the Virgin and the Scorpion.
However this may be, the group of stars
which undoubtedly originally formed the
claws of the Scorpion is now regarded as
a part of the Balance.
Adjoining the Scorpion on the east is
Sagittarius. the Archer. the most striking
part of which is group of eight or ten
stars, which one can shape. with little
imagination. into the figure of a horse with
a rider upon its back. and which was pos
sibly the germ of the cons ellation, though
forming now but small part of it. Five
stars of the group referred to-the left
hand fve-form the Milk Dipper. SO
called apparently, because it is in a posi-
ton to scoop up a portion of the Milky
Way, on the border of which it lies. The
brlliancy of this Star-beSprnkled region
of the heavens is enhanced this summer
by the presence here of the lordly planet
Jupiter-above and al the right of Antares,
and quite too brilliant to be mistaken for
an ordinary star-and the planet Saturn.
farther east, near the head of Sagittarius,
! resembling the star Arcturus both in color
and magnitude.
The Planets.
Mercury will be visible as an evening star
throughout the month. being at its great
est elorgation east of the sun-26 degrees =
mimi. .es-on The 4th.
Venus will be an evening star until
July $, and after that date morning star.
Mars. in the constellation Taurus near
the star Aidebaran. Continues to be a morn
ing star. rising a about . a. m.
Jupiter, near the star Beta Scorpii is
still magnificent evening star-without Il
rival since. the withdra wal of Venus. Its
movement is now ''retrograde.' or toward
the west, a movement easy 20 observe ow-
ing to the proximity to the planet of sev-
erai bright stars. On July 2S it will he
stationary. and after that date its move
ment will be direct, or toward the east.
Saturn is an evening star. in The position
already pointed out. Its opposition 10 the
sun occurred on the 25d Of this month IL
Is Therefore now shining with It's greatest
briilancy. On July 10. at II pm. an in
te;estinS conjunction of Saturn and the
moon VIII occur, the planet being only
about three-f"urthS of d degree south of
the moon. Saturn. like Jupiter, is retro
grading.
Uranus. an evening star. is about five
degrees north of Antares and about twice
as far east of Jupiter. 1t can be seen dis
tinctIy by a person of good eyesight with
;he naked eye and by any one with an
opera glass.
Neptune, morning star, in Taurus. rises
at about 30 a. IN.
On July the earth will be in aphelion-at
its farthest from the sun.