Evening star., 1901-11-02

presents an interesting study. The star
was nrst seen by Rev. 7. d. Anderson az
Edinburgh on February 22. at about am.
Greenwich time. and was then estimated to
be of magnitude "a. The curve drawn by
Prof. Wilson shows a rapid rise In bril-
lancy until maximum was reached near
mldnlght Greenwich time) on February 2y.
when the star of 90 magnitude or of
about the brilliancy of CapeIla. From this
time until midnight. February 27 there
was a regular decline In brightness down
to about the second magnitude At this
point the curve begins to undulate slightly
at first and still descending slowly untu
by March IL the star had dropped to mag
nitude 3.5. Thenceforward the curve IN
more markedly undulatory. the range OF
variability. apportioned into periods OF
from two to four days. being in some in
stances nearly or quite two magnitudes
On March 1920 the star had fallen to the
so magnitude, and thereafter IL varied
quite regularly until in the latter part or
April its range was between magnitude0
4.25 and 5.I5. The star is still visible
through an opera glass. Its fluctuations
are not very marked now, ranging some-
where between 6.5 and 40 magnitudes.
Meteora.
The prospect of any very marked shower
from the Leonid swarm this year is not en-
couraging. Still. it will be well for all
who are interested I'm these phenomena to
keep close watch on the sky after mid
night on November ID and Is. One never
knows what may happen in the case Of
these as yet only partially understood me-
teoric streams. 1t is by no means certain
that astronomers were not in error I'm ex-
pecting the periodic Leonid shower" last
year. Some maintain that the last peri
Mellon of the swarm was In 1867, and that
the period should be regarded thirty
four instead of thirty-three years. On the
23d or 24th of the month the Andromeds
are due-the supposed fragments of Biela's
comet Their radiant is near the star
Gamma In Andromeda, which. on the nights
In question. will be nearly overhead at
O'Clock.
Minima of AIgol.
The first minimum of this star to occur
during the month at an hour convenient
for observing will be on the goth at 10
pm Another minimum will occur on the
23d at pm.
The Planets.
Mercury will be a morning star after
November 4, but will not become visible to
the naked eye until about the middle OF
month, when 1t may be looked for In
TIN Putheast, from an hour to a half hour
bef6le sunrise.
Venus is now a respondent object in the
early evening in the southwest She 10
nearing her greatest elongation east from
the sun. and is increasing rapidly in brill
iancy. On the 18th of the month she viii
be In conjunction with Jupiter, and on the
10Th with Saturn.
Mars Is In the Scorpion and sets before
pm. November 3 this planet will be in
conjunction with Uranus at a point about
10 degrees northeast OF Antares.
Jupiter and Saturn, both In Sagittarius,
will be In conjunction November rs at 1
am. Washington time. The Interval be-
tween them will then be somewhat less
than the apparent diameter OF the moon,
Jupiter passing south Of Saturn by this dis
tance. On the preceding and following
evenings both planets may be seen together
In the field Of a telescope which magnifles
not more than thirty or forty diameters,
but unfortunately they will be at so low
an altitude that no satisfactory Views Of
them can be obtained.
Neptune Is In Gemini, at a point about
midway between Aldebaran and Pollux II
is Of about the eighth magnitude and 10
therefore barely visible through an opera
glass.