Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-12-12
DECEMBER SKIES.
The Winter Solstice The Planets ant
CONSULTATIONS Full Moon Tor
Christmas.

" i'll move farthoi and farther away rom
other, rot to meet again FOR twenty
years. Venice will soon rcttdce hcr steps
not i'm season to GVertake her sister
planets. Before, however, they finally sep
aratc, the planet Mars. which has been
u quiet Spect Itor OF recent planetary
movements. will join the company. a ne"
series CT groups is formed. but so low
in the southwest that only IN" care
full watcher will behold them. Mars, moN-
ing rapidly eastward, oVtrthkcS saturn IN
the 18th atd Jupiter on the nth, passing
the former / degree and the latter y do
gree southSard The three planets may tie
seen from i've to $50 y. m. nearing Inc
southwestern horizon. Mars will he below
the other W. ara Will he very much
fainter Tn crescent moon passes the
group on the 18th, its path lying about ,
degrees farther north, A very pretty St'l-
lar picture will be presented on that over
ing and ON tho two following, rs the moan
haStcnS tow lrl the BRILLIANT Venus. Thrl
planet Uranus, whi>h has been at an
Observed member of the l.. 'tary galaxy
during all those weeks Is th' iirSt TO leave
tho evening Sky. The sun oVcrtakcs it on
the Gth and ia, planet enters the morning
sky. rising before tn" sun. saturn ard
Jupiter will soon follow. but the month
closes while they are still in the evening
sky lost In the twilight. On the jlst they
set about iifty minutes ;ftcr the sun.
Venus is left alclc as evening star and
increases IN biiiliaLoy as If inc lifht OF
her rival planets had been added 10 h"r
cWn. AZ tn" month adNaEccS. she seems
more aud more PC queen Of the heavens
coming to adOrn the holiday season. As the
wondering su@'a in the Christmas story
toEcld with jos tn" saci"d star, 30 TINS
year Wc may see in the brilliant planet
cur Star Of Bethlehem In the telescope
the planet appears HoN as Il scni-cIrcle
like the moon at first quarter. Inc width
of the crescen' narrows, but is lcnSth
increases as IL" planet gains IL bright
r'sS. A. the month progresses VI VIII Tee
cNcccdinIly militant ana easily seen IN luIl
daE'ight III me "itorhoon.
Mercury mas been very bright in the
morning SKY III 'hc i"lt'r daNS OF N"Nein-
her. but Is dlS'r1''. rms IN the twilight
preceding sunrise. II passes the planet
Uranus on IN" l\th' ana On ;I' @ith en-
Joys IT'S period OF greatest cold, sine" ma
winter men r'iHn" ON TN" planet II apldnot
SO Nl"S"h 10 tue sun : neat may ID" Salu
TO nav" a winter. 1t Is mastering toward
inc sun n VIII pe IL the evening SKY
III January.
Neplrh" c'l'3lat"S the I'ld"y season ny
coming mt" opposition with the sun. chat
IS rising as the sun sets. rms occurs 81
the I'D ihd Tia" planet VIII be Throughout
the month II. us most iHNciAple position
Tor telescope observation. IT Is h'So h-t
IN the nIrth. sothat northern observers are
well situated to view IT. Eu lis enormous
Instance from Us lNtS II i'r beyond oul
present powers of study. and hut httI" IS
known OF 1t. In Il small tclosccp, 1t can Pc
distinguish" from ~ str onl. by It's SI""
motion. 1t IL nov rctrot " dirE. or moNln-
westward am ng the stats. ON the lst it,
right a~Sccn'l1n Is IN. IN IL, ana its i"rll
nation y. - i 'grccS. 10 minutes. 1t Is II
tn" cxtrcm' western part of the ara DC
Cupied by the constellation Gen.ini.
the moon does her part also to hcautlt
tn" holiday season. III preparation for :
she spends tn opening days in comp;trI
tive ohsclrity. entering The evening SIX,
on the 10th after passing Mercury tn
preceding day and Uranus just befor'
rc"Chillg tn" sun. Three Gays later Sh'
joins the planetary group. moving nortl
of Mars. saturn and Jupiter IN the l3tl
and Venus ~ tn" Eth ON the 1Sti, sh'
is at first quarter aUa from that dat" il
luinineS brightly tEs evening sky. mount
inc higher each evening and reaching tn
fun phase al Christmas day. With N"nu
t in the west and the full moon in the cas-
the festival Is celebrated in tho heaven
, as well a n earth.
Z. The winter consultations, proverbiall
% beautiful. are coming into view. TIL, 70
: dlacal belt. from west to east. include
| AGuariuS. Pisces. .A..,o. Taurus and Gem
} I'M. the two lest containing man" couspi u
: Gus stars. In the wosttrr half of the IL
t RAY be found Cctrs south of tie 2oIia
Co and Auuila. DelDhiuus. Pegasus. Andram
l cda. Lvra. C;Lnus. Cassiop.ia. C,phru.
Traco and ;-r.a Minor north of tLr z,dil
=, EriI.p,r 1,i,r md I .,,.. . ~, .,., .f tb
I meridian tow; rd the south and p,rNpt,