Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-26
The Moon Passing Over a Planet.


rounded by a fainter nebulosity which Is
more less definite separated into rings
encircling the brighter nucleus. The whole
appears to be vast solar system In process
of formation. There are smaller nebulaS
near the large one which bear striking
resemblance to plants which have been left
behind as the larger mass has contracted.
and which are themselves slowly shrinking
together just as the worlds have done which
revolve about our own sun. 1t Is altogether
probable that when we look upon this OBJ
ject we see a quite exact picture OF our
own sun with its attendant worlds, just as
1t looked ages upon ages ago.
Mars and Aldebaran.
On the morning of December 2, the moon
will pass between US and the planet Mars.
AS the edge of the moon draws nearer and
nearer to the ball of the planet, the con-
trast between the bright yellow Of the moon
and the red color Of Mars will present a
striking and beautiful sight. If viewed with
telescope the moons edge will be seen to
gradually advance over the ball of the
planet, as shown in Fig. 8; without tele-
scope it can only be seen that the light Of
Mars fades gradually away as the moon
passes over 1t. This Occultation will begin
at hours 10 minutes am, eastern time,
and the planet will remain hidden by the
moon for little more than an hour. At
8 hours IL minutes Mars will begin to come
into view as 1t emerges from the western
edge Of the moon. Unfortunately since
Mars does not rise until hour 15 minutes,
the moon will be lower down in the east
during this occultation, but it can neverthe-
less be well observed throughout the east
ern states.
On December 20, in the early evening. the
moon will pass over the bright star Aide
baran. Its eastern edge will reach the star
and shut it from view at hours Is minutes
eastern time and the emergence will occur
at hours 46 minutes. The observer will
notice that while the light Of Mars will
fade gradually away as the moon passes
over 1t, the light of Aldebaran will be
blOtted out instantaneously. This Is be-
cause Mars appears to US as round disc.
point of light. The instant the edge of the
moon reaches this point of light the star
simply goes out. with suddenness far
more rapid than that of a flash of light
ming. Were there the slightest trace Of
air or water vapor on the moon, the light
of the star would be extinguished more
gradually. 1t is observing occultations Of
stars in this way that astronomers have
learned that the moon is a dead world
without either air or water.
The Planets.
Saturn and Jupiter can readily be found
from the positions marked on the map
Saturn will move slowly eastward during
| the month. and Jupiter slowly westward
until December Is, when it will turn and
| move toward the east again.
Neptune is in Germini midway between
the stars Zeta and Mu. 1t is exactly oppo-
| site the sun and In most favorable position
| for observation on December %.
| The most interesting planet, Mars. is be-
| ginning to be conspicuous object In the
early morning hours, though it is still SO
/ far away from US that. the surface mark
| ings cannot be seen very well even in large
| telescopes. On December 1t rises about a
quarter past / o'clock in the morning and
on January 1 about two hours earlier. BY
| next spring it will be in excellent position
| for observation In the early evening