The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-03
THE SKIES in AUGUST
POSITION OF THE PLANETS DU-
{ RING THE NEXT so DAYS.
Meteoric Shower Expected August
s1o-Use Of Volcanic Eruptions
& Said to be to Make Earth
Habitable.

-s-
Baltimore Sun.
During the month of August the moon
will pass through her phases as follows:
New on the 3rd, first quarter on the 10Th,
full on the 18th and last quarter on the
2eth. She will be in perigee on the LIST
and 18th, and in apogee on the 18th. While
on the LIST of the month the sun Is about
Is degrees II seconds north of the equa-
tor 1t will traverse an arc-of nearly 10
degrees in the course of the month and
be nearly degrees distant from the
equator at its close. While at the begin
ming of the month the sun will rise and
set 70 degrees IS seconds north of the
true east and west points of the horizon
of Baltimore these points will have shift
ed down to IL degrees 30 seconds. and con-
sequentiy through an arc Of rather more
than IL degrees
The Planets.
The planet Mercury during the greater
part of the month will be in Cancer, but
later on enter Leo. Venus and Mars will
be. close together during the first days of
August, but separate somewhat toward
it's close. Both will be in the same con-
stellations throughout the month. viz, in
Gemini during the greater portion of 1t
and In Cancer during the remainder. They
both rise between 2 and 8 o'clock in the
morning. Mars q little earlier. The close
proximity of these two planets. Venus
shining with her usual luster and Mars
with the brilliance of a first magnitude
star. presents to the early riser a very
attractive spectacle, well worthy of the
small effort of rising once or twice at an
earlier hour of the morning than usually.
Jupiter is still in Capricorn and rises at
an early hour of the evening. 1t will be
visible throughout the whole month. On
the 9Th 1t will be In opposition of the sun
and shine. of course, all night. Saturn is
in Saggitarius and rises some time before
sunset, but in an hour or so after mid
night sinks below the horizon.
August Meteors.
About August 10 we shall probably see
a. more than ordinary number OF meteors,
the so-called August shower of the Per-
seids being due at that time. They have
received that name because their radiant
point is in the constellation of Perseus.
The difference between the Leonids the
November shower, and the Perseids seems
to be that the former are not uniformly
brilliant while the latter are about equal
1y conspicuous every year. The Leonids
at. certain times, notably in 1888, when
perhaps the most remarkable meteoric
shower took. place which has ever ap-
peared in the United States and which
was visible all over the Western Hemis-
phere, and in the year 1866. appear in
enormous numbers thus presenting a
unique and dazzingly brilliant phenome-
non. Another difference between the
Pefseids In August and the Leonids in
November consists in the color of theic
light and the velocity with which they
move The Perseids have a decidedly yell
low tinge and move with medium velocity,
while the Leonids have blush color and
move more swiftly
Utility of Volcanic Forces.
However appalling the catastrophe was
which was caused by the recent eruption
of Mont Pelee, on the Island of Marti-
nique. in the Caribbean Sea; however dis
astfous the eruptions of other volcanoes
in past times have been; however ter
rifc in their effect earthquakes, caused
by&the same internal forces, have been,
and likely will be, they perform very i'm
portant functions in the economy OF ma
turf. Strange and almost cynical as it
may sound, in the face of the recent la
meatable occurrence and in the memory
of such volcanic eruptions and earth
Quakes as those of Mount Vesuvius and
Lisbon, 1T is, nevertheless, an indisputa-
BILE fact that, were the actions of these
destructive forces to die out, the earth
would soon cease to be fit for the habita-
ton of living beings. That outburst of
Mount Vesuvius In A. D. 70, which, in a
few hours, laid In ashes three cities in
one Of the most beautiful and most dense
1y inhabited regions of Italy, could not
but send a thrill of horror throughout
the vast Roman Empire and stir up the
hearts Of even those who were not given
to sentiment and easily accessible to feel
ings Of compassion. Most people remem-
Der the tremendous outburst Of the vol
cano in Krakatoa In 1888, which destroyed
completely 1853 villages, and partially 1872,
and killed $50 human BEINGS The trc-
mendous earthquake of Lisbon in 1755
which came without any warning killed
$1,000 people; and portion of the earth'r
surface four times as large as Europe
felt the effect of the seismic shock, which
extended to the Alps, the shores of the
Baltic, the lakes of Scotland, the Great
Lakes of North America and the West
Indian Islands. Three years after the
eruption at Krakatoa an earthquake Wis
TIED US In our own country that wrought
such harm to the city of Charleston
While such events5could not but engen-
der feelings OF horror anxiety and inse-
curity in the whole world, 1t is, after all.
the small and unnotieed agencies at
work upon the earth's crust that in the
long run produce for grander effects. In
consequence of the denuding, silent and
imperceptible action of atmospheric n1ois-
ture and frost incessant disinteRration of
the solid rock masses is going on COM
pared with which the noisy cataract and
the majestic ocean pillows are insignia
cant. 1t has been calculated that a time
must come when in consequence of these
silent forces the land masses of the earth
will be reduced to the level of the sea.
Were it not for the compromising forces
in the earth's crust this period would be
very much shortened and thus far for
the preparation of those conditions by
which theI earth, u.s. cited to be the habi-
tation of living beings all these tremen-
dous energies of subterraneous forces
manifesting themselves by earthquakes |
and volcanic, outbursts become a matter !
OF absolute necessity. The problem of the |
duration of our globe as an abode of liv- |
Ing beings is one Of the grandest that |
present themselves to the human mind |
There are limits set to existence of such |
organic life on the earth as we know it, |
Inc existence of the earth and of all |
planets that are not yet, like our satellite, |
burnt out, waterless and airless masses, |
as DEMONSTRATING bodies, is threatened |
from above and here below. A time must |
eome when the sun will no longer be able |
% furnish us the amount of light ard J