Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-31

longitude and latitude in terrestrial geog-
raphy. Right ascension longitude is reck-
oned eastward from the Ytrnal equinox or
rather from the prime meridian" which
passes through this equinox; declination
uatitude) is reckOned north and south from
the celestial equator. Since these lines are
continually changing their places among
the stars, catalogues and charts soon he
come out Of date. In fact, the epoch ot
the equinoX''-as equinox In 1880, 1900, etc,
is always added to the catalogue or chart
as a necessary item
The Zodiac.
The zodiacal consultations are. from ono
point Of view, the most interesting of all
the consultations. They represent the ear
Hest device of our very remote ancestors
TO make Of the heavens a timekeeper for
the regulation of their works and days"
1t is in this sense that the heavenly bodies
serve primeval man for signs and for sea-
sons The fact that the great sphere OF
the heavens has an apparent annual as
wei as daily revolution, and that the diff
ferent seasons of the year are marked
by different stars and groups of stars must
nave been observed at a period long an
terror to that which can be assigned TO the
origin or astronomy, to the study Of the
heavens by special observers The zodiac
was the outcome of this practical popular
star-gaZing. As IL has come down 10 MS
ii forms broad band in the heaVens-six-
teen or eighteen degrees In breadth-along
the center of which runs the ecIiptic or
path of the sun. 1t is the grand highway
of the sun, moon and planets. as we see
them from our standpoint upon the earth.
The division of this highway into twelve
equal parts Ghe Zodiacal "signs'0 was evil
IDENTIFY suggested by the movement Of the
moon, there being twelve complete luna
tons in year. Each sign corresponds
therefore, practically to one lunar month
and more exactly to a calendar month Of
the modern tropical year.
Meaning of the Name Zodiac.
The name zodiac" given to this belt If
consultations is OF Greek origin and sign
fies animal tgirdle)," the latter part Of the
name having been dropped. But while the
name is Greek, there is evidence that the
zodiac itself was borrowed by the Greek
astronomers from the Chaldeans Assyrian
cylinders and inscriptions indicate for the
existing names and the order Of its signs an
antiquity of at least 1909 years Centuries
before Sardanapalus reigned at Nineveh
according 10 Lenormant, the eighth month
was known as the month Of the star of the
Scorpion the tenth belonged 10 the star
of the Goat" the twelfth TO the star of the
Fish of Hea."
The zodiac holds prominent place in
ancient mythology. It has been held with
great probability, that the story Of the
Twelve Labors Of Hercules in its original
form recOunted simply the obstacles en-
NShiittEth ana overcome by me sun IN his
annual passage through the twelve signs Of
the zodiac. The astronomical character of
the adventures OF IZdubar. the Assyrian
Hercules, is still more apparent They were
recorded on twelve tablets with an obvious
reference to the suns yearly course. Under
Taurus 1zdubar conquers the winged bull
Heabani; mis- staying of the tyrant Houm-
bahia, in the fifth month, typifes the victory
of light over darkness, represented in plas-
tic art by lion killing a bull, the ordinary
form given on Ninevite cylinders to the sign
Leo the wooing OF Ishtar falls under the
sign Virgo, and the encounter Of the hero
with the two scorpion men under the sign
Scorpio. The eleventh tablet narrates the
story of the deluge, which was supposed 10
have occurred under the sign Aquarius.
The Zodiacal consultations which will be
above the horizon at . o'clock tonight,
named in order from west to east are Gem
mi, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra and Scorpio
The Planets.
Mercury has been an evening star since
April 2S and will continue to be such until
the 23d of this month. 1t will be visible I'M
til near the middle of the month. It's posi-
ton is a little north of west.
Venus is a splendid morning star, rising
the LIST of the month at about 2:30 a.
m, little north of east
Mars is a morning star, but is too close to
the sun to be visible
Jupiter, in the constellation Capricorn. is
now an evening star, rising at about n:30
p. II. On the 9Th of this month it will be
stationary. After that date until October
4. its movement will be retrograde, or to-
ward the west.
Saturn, in Sagittarius. is an evening star
rising about an hour before Jupiter in the
southeast Since May Z this planet has
been retrograding. This movement will con-
tinue until September rs.
Uranus, in Ophiuchus, is an evening star,
rising at about p. m. On the 10th of this
month 1t will be in opposition to the sun
and will be at its brightest, appearing as a
star of about the fifth magnitude, and
therefore quite within the reach of the
naked eye. 1t will then be situated about
che and a half degrees due north of tbs.
fourth magnitude star Theta I'm the right
foot of Ophiuchus. An opera glass turned
upon this star will include the planet in
its field. Like Jupiter and Saturn. Uranus
is retrograding, though very slowly.