Evening star., 1901-02-02

nected with the Milky Way. Three sup
positions may be made respecting the ar
rang ment OF these stars First, they may
be distributed with a fair degree of uni
formity throughout a globular space. equal
In extent to the Milky Way ring, so that
this may form sort of zone at the sur
face of a spherical universe. Second, they
may form q similar globe, but of smaller
size, which lies wholly within the ring of
the Milky Way. Third, this collection may
have something of the grindstone figure
supposed by Herschel. its peripheral stars
being. perhaps. distant as the Milky
Way.
Which of these three suppositions is the
most likely 10 be true or represents the
facts the best must be determined from a
careful discussion of estimates which have
been made by several astronomers OF the
relative abundance Of stars of different
magnitudes In different parts Of the heav-
ems The conclusion reached by Prof New
comb from such a discussion is that "the
universe, or at least. the denser portion
of ii, is really fiattened between the galac-
TIC poles. as supposed by Herschel and
Struve-" If We confne attention to the
naked-eye stars we still find condensation
nearly in the plane OF the Milky Way. and
this is also true when the count is made
to embrace stars down to the ninth or
tenth magnitude
Next is discussed the question whether
stars which have been found to. have a
sensible proper motion. and which are,
therefore. presumably, the nearer of the
stars. have also tendency to crowd into
the plane of the Milky Way The discuss
sion of these stars leads. curiously to a
different conclusion. which Is thus stated:
lf we should blot out from the sky all
the stars having no proper motion large
enough to be detected, we should find re
naming stars of all magnitudes: but they
uid be scattered almost uniformly over
the SKY and show no tendency toward the
galaxy" -0
The Planets.
Mercury has been an evening star since
January 2l, and will continue such until
March l. 1t reaches it's greatest elongation
east from the sun on the 10Th Of this
month. II may now be looked for on a
clear evening i half hour or SO after sun
set, little south of west
venus IS stlil morning star. but is now
rapldly drawing in toward the sum- with
winch II viii be in superior conjunction
Aprii ~ After that date it will be an
evening star tor the remainder of the year
Jupiter and Saturn, in Sagittarius and
oranus, In Scorpio, are morning stars, Wis
1be, like Venus, in the southeast Nentune
far beyond the reach of the naked eve is
an evening star. near the western border
of Gemini.
Mars is now the most Interesting os tba
planets. approaching its opposition to the
sun Whicn occurs on the 22l of this month
II Is situated In the constellation Leo. some
ten or twelve degrees east of Regulus. and
therefore is well above the horizon ar O
p m Since the middle Of January Mars has
been retrograding-movingw westward among
the stars-and this movement will continue
until April L. when the planet will be soma
SIX SIX or eight degrees northwest of Regulus.
me coming opposition is one of the least
favorable. Mars being now at about his
greatest distance from the sun. His least
distance from US this year will be about
G.. 900. 600 miles, "0'0'