Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-05

in the northwest, and note the contrast
The bowl of the Dipper Will be found to
contain some twenty or thirty stars visible
with an opera glass: within an equal area
In the Swan, particularly In the neighbor-
hood OF the bright star Alpha one may
easily count two hundred or more and the
background remains milky" with still
fainter stars.
Midway between the Swan and the star
Arcturus is Hercules. known also Cto the
Greeks) as Engonasin. the "Kneeler." The
most conspicuous part Of this constellation
is trapeZium of third gnitude stars
which forms the lower part Of the body
situated at about one-third of the distance
from Vega to Arcturus The crude figure
sketched on our chart can easily be made
out. and. doubtless. is the figure seen by
the old constellation makers Between Her
cules and Arcturus stands the beautiful lit
tie oval Of stars known as the Northern
Crown.
The Apex of the Suns Way"
Hercules is interesting as the constella-
ton in which William Herschel located the
point-marked on our chart by the letter IL
toward which the solar system is advanc-
ing through space The latest determine
tions Of this point-the APEX of the SUMS
way as 1t is called-have. however. placed
1t nearer to the star Vega. Miss Agnes M.
Cierke has recently summed up the results
of the quest for this interesting point In the
heavens as follows:
Three determinations of the suns move
ment in space stand out from the rest as
or particular interest and authority, name
ly. Newcomb's. Kapteyns and Campbelrs
Newcomb deduced an apex about six de-
greeS southwest of the star Vega Kapteyn
fixed the point about three degrees farther
west and six degrees farther south than
this, while Campbell, working with the
radial velocities of $50 stars. located 1t IS
degrees exactly south of the point fixed
upon by Newcomb. his determination how
ever, being admittedly uncertain. owing to
the paucity of available material from the
southern hemisphere. That the solar sys-
TEN is at present travelling along a line d.
rected about midway between Alpha and
Beta Lyrae may. then. be admitted as prob
able Above all, the rate of our advance
has at last come to be known, apart from
dubious assumptions. Directly given by the
spectroscopic method, 1t came out from
CampbellS discussion % kilometers 124
miles, per second. Each year. accordingly.
We explore a belt Of space nearly 400 ooo 600
miles in width. and our travelling like that
of the clouds. is irrevoca BILE The several
locations of the 'apex'' above indicated are
marked on our chart by the letters N, X
and C.. respectively.
The Planets.
The four planets Venus Mars Mercury
and Neptune. are punched within a space
of thirty degrees westward Of the sun, and
are. therefore. all morning stars Venus.
ty minutes before the sun. is. however, tho
only one of the four that is visible About
the middle Of the month Mercury should
come into view. how in the southeast, it's
greatest elongation from the sun west oc-
curing on the 18th. Venus is rapidly draw
ing In toward the sun, and will be in con-
Junction with twill pass behind it-on Az
gust 10. After that date the planet will
be an evening star
Jupiter is an evening star. in Capricorn,
rising on the 9Th of the month at about .
pm. Its movement Is now retrograie. or
toward the west. Its opposition to the sun
when 1t will cross the meridian at midnight
and will shine with its greatest briHiancy
for this year. occurs on August ). Saturn
In Sagtttarius. nearly an hour and a half
west OF Jupiter. will be in opposition to
the sun on the 17th- of this month. Like
Jupiter, 1t is now retrograding. Uranus was
IN opposition to the sun on the 10th of last
month. 1t is situated about three degrees
northwest of the star Theta, in the left
foot OF Ophiuchus. 1t can be seen with
the naked eye. and is quite conspicuous
through an opera glass