Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-11-21
RARE PHENOMENA
Wonderful Display Of Planets
Seen in Southern Sky.
Jupiter, Saturn and Venus Nearer
Than for Hundreds Of Years.
O'sp'ay Similar to That Seen b, Ancien,s in
24OO &c.

much interest is being manifested l.,
those Of an astronomica, tnrn nf n,irG
III 'he Wonderful display of bcau,,
seen III our southern sky al 4 littIa AZ
Ter dark NJ this season. MANY COM
iii'i''S nave peen made by those whu
nav" never seen those stars before. i,
~ W 20 many who have been out In
'ii' evening Know that they have an
'pi''" t"Hi'N 81 witnessing It pheno-
'hehoh seen by no other generation il,
hundreds OF Years. lut To- the ,-lucat
Ell man VINO realizes The Significance. of
me present occurrence il is a privilege
INST heartily appreciated
local dTvotee OF the astronomical
science SAYS:
IT, Just about dark. the observer viii
stand with his right hand to the ,.rSt
ana thus looking toward The south :,
the right Of the meridian. down close
to the horizon. he viii see Venus. Juni-
ter ANA Saturn in linz. diagonal To th.
meridian and pointing toward the sun
set. Venus is nearest To the sun and
much the brightest ot the three Next
To Venus. in the line to the left an,i
aboN" Venus is Jupiter. ana then Sa-
turn III the same line TO the left and
above Jupiter.
Venus IS at this time about 80 0On vn0
miles from us Jupiter SAY 500 nOn 900
miles away. ana Saturn nearly twice
rs lar as Jupiter. Either of them is
inm"ns"lN--near a thuusandfold-la
cr th&n Venus. The reason Venus
shines so much brighter than the other
two IS that she is much nearer to MS:
ana also being 50 much nearer the sun
than ;hcy she is in the glow of the
suns more brilliant ana intense light
which Is reflected to us.
They are all travelling in their NJ
hits in the same direction eastward.
but the apparent motion Of Jupiter. rs
projected on the vault Of the h.avrns
= more rapii than that Of saturn: ana
such motion Of Venus much more rapid
than either of the two. 50 that both
Venus ana Jupiter are night after night |
shortening the distance between them
ana Saturn. ANA both of them viii
nearly. or quite. oV-rtak. Saturn With |
in the next few days-Say about III. |
:dtf Of \oVemh"r-Whrn they will BE- |
nearer together. as visible in a cunvrn- |
lent period OF the ~ hours. than they
have been III hundreds of years
Just at this time the moon is ii |
close proximity to the others of this |
group ana adds much t. tn" pntnum- !
enon. Thus "" have four ot the most |
brilliant heavenly bodies iii a small |
section Of the sky. Mars is ON nearly |
tn" same line but nearer thu sun. as |
seen in III" sky, than either Of the
others, hut Mars. th"ugn distinguished |
by his steady red light. IS So far off at
this time on the opposite side ot its
ol bit as not to compare With either of
the others named in brillancy.
Mathematical calculations vary tho
fact that the great CON junction of i've
planets" Of which We learn in Chinese
tradition ani the traditions and his
tory of Other Eastern nations did really
occur about 2iO0 Years before tn. be-
ginning Of our era. That wonderful
display Was similar 10 the one NOW in
progr, s.. and though Mercury mas now
passed off the line. Vet the display.
which any observer uf cultured and
contemplative mind may enjoy on
evenings Of clear sky during the next
two or three weeks. is an opportunity
which would have excited the envy of
iiallileO or tapernicuS. / trust the boys
and girls of our schools and colleges may
feel interested in this stellar displu=.
i:ut outside OF The schools and colleges
think il Is a good and useful thing
to cultivate a taste for such subjects.
Such study is well calculated To bring
out the. religious element in our nature.
ANY Intelligent person who Will look
at these stars and give play To r"ason
will find his conception Of the Creator
enlarged ana feel inspired with senti
nlents OF adoration The heavens de
clare the glory Of Col: and the firma-
mprt shOWeth his handiWolk.