Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-01-04
THE SKIES In JANUARY.


I'LL blAlbo llt UulVUnftls
Baltimore Sun.
The phases Of the moon during this
month win be as follows: New on the
Both, first quarter on the Sth, full on
the 18TH and last quarter on the 23d.
The year 1900 is the last of the nine
tenth century. In regard to this year
not a few people, in spite Of what FREE
papers, labor under two erroneous i'm.
pressions, viz: That 1t introduces a
new century, and that IL is q leap
year. The new century will not begin
before the LIST of january, 1901, and
not before 1904 shall we have leap
year.
Within this year three eclipses will
take place, two Of the sun and one of
the moon. The solar eclipse, taking
place on the 28th of May, will be
visible throughout the United States.
and be total from the southern part Of
Virginia down through Mexico, while
north Of Norfolk, Va, it will DO par
tial. In the city Of Baltimore it will
begin at I. AZ a. m. OF all phenomena
of nature there is none SO profoundly
impressive and awe-inspiring as a total
eclipse of the sun, and a trip to those
regions OF the country through which
the shadow Of the moon will sweep on
the 2Sth of May is we'll worth UNDER
taking 1t seal cely admits Of any doubt
that many thousand people Of the
Northern and Middle States of the
union will 60 to see phenomenon
which comparatively few people have
ever had the privilege of beholding.
Tho ayaraua hra,Ith nf o.,1;xsa,
track vii be nearly 60 miles. A second
eclipse of the sun will occur on the
2lst of November. 1t will be annular,
but not visible in this country. A par
tial eclipse of the moon will take place
on the 18th of June, though 1t will not
be visible in this country.
While at the beginning of the month
the sun is little more than % degrees
south of the equator, it will at its ter
mination be about 6 degrees nearer it,
its rate Of motion constantly increasing.
The planet Mercury will be first in
Sagittarius, but later on enter Capri
cornus. Venus is in Capricornus and
will shine as an evening star. In the
beginning Of the month she sets little
before 7 o'clock, but rising higher and
higher, she will set toward the end of
the month at a quarter of o'clock,
adjoining the evening skies for a con-
siderable portion of the evening. Mars
is in Sagittarius and in a very unfavor-
able position for observation. On the
10th of the month this planet will he
in conjunction with the uun and con-
sequently invisible to the naked eye.
Jupiter is in Scorpio and sets as u
morning star. At the beginning of the
month he will rise about O'Clock in
the morning, but toward the end
little after 3 O'Clock. Saturn is in
Sagittarius near the constellation Of
Ophinchus and will, like its brother
planet Jupiter, shine as morning star.
rising at first few minutes after 9
O'Clock, but in the latter part Of the
month almost exactly at s o'clock.
With the BEGINNING of the last year
of the nineteenth century, than which
no previous century has been more
productive In new discoveries and in.
ventions, it is pertinent 10 throw a
Grief reti ospective glance at what has
been achieved in the noble field OF the
science OF astronomy within the now
fast waning nineteenth century. OF
this science the reader will allow us a
few preliminary remarks: OF all the
studies the human mind may devote
itself to, astronomy occupies the fore.
most rank. 1t Is the Oldest and most
venerable of all the sciences; it EOS
sesses all the requisites OF true science
and has, perhaps, a more direct bearing
upon practical life than any other.
Astronomy has furnished us a measure
of time which is as near perfection as
1t is possible to attain. Without
knowledge and the aid of astronomy
we neither could establish our longi-
tudes and ATTITUDES nor cross the sea
with any safety. The so-called nautical
science can no more be separated from
astronomy than geometry or algebra
from mathematics. Astronomy has
called forth finer application of mathe-
matics than any other science. Analyti-
cal mechanics, so highly developed Ey
the enormous progress of mathematical
analysis finds Its finest application in
astronomy, and physics and chemistry
have largely been made tributary to it.
The contemplation OF the worlds it has
revealed cannot but call forth the
noblest and loftiest sentiments and
aspirations The boundless universe it
reveals to us infuses into us more
exalted idea and conception OF the
Creator, and thus the science of the
universe is to be regarded as one of the
grandest revelations of the Omnipotent
Ruler Of tho world. The sky on cloud
less night presents an attractive picture
even to those who know but little of
the glorious OF lbs above S, and to those
who have learned something of their
wondrous size and distances the at
traction is incomparably enhanced.
At the beginning Of this century the
knowledge of the structure of the uni
verse was far advanced, but the sur
prising discoveries of the physical
science within the century greatly
assisted astronomers to gam more GER
tain knowledge as 20 the physical
nature of the planets and stars. Astro-
physics is distinctly aa ACHE, ement of
| this century, and in this respect the
brilliant discoy cry of spectrum analysis
has found its finest application in
astronomy. Photography, too, has
largely been made tributary to us.
Economical observations. Teiegraphy,
which alone would have conferred upon
this century marked distinction, has
become an important and Indispensable
factor in the fold of astronomy, and
the ever increasing discoveries within
the range of electricity have furnished
explanations which before baffied the
lseenest rninds. Within this century ull
the numerous small Planets, called
Asteroids, or Planetoids, or minor
planets, have been discovered,
and nearly every year has added
to their number. One Of the
greatest triumphs Of mathematical
astronomy-the discovery of tho planet
Neptune, was achieved in this century,
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