Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-04-04
OUR APRIL SKIES.


In the month Of April the evening
sky changes its character; for the bril-
liant groups Of stars which grace the
heavens in winter are yielding their
places to the less prominent groups OF
summer. In the West Orion, IN the
Southwest CAMS Major, in the North
west Auriga and PerseuS sink lower
as the evenings follow each other, while
CAMS Minor, Taurus and Gemiri sue
coed them and close the list OF the
brighter star groups. In these groups
are found no less than eight of the 10
stars visible in northern ATTITUDES
which are still called of the first magni-
tude-a phrase which came down from
the Greeks at the beginning of the
Christian era, when size and brightness
were considered to vary in like propor-
ton. Turning to the south and east,
Cancer, leo and Virgo follow Gcmini in
the Zodical belt, and Corpus IS conspic-
nous in the southeast. The bright star
Arcturus in the east, which may be
identified by following the curve SuG-
geSted by the handle of the Dipper. is
in the large group Bootes, near which
may be found the smaller groups, CorO-
ma BOrealis and Coma Berenices. In
the North Cassiopeia, Ursa Minor, Ursa
Major and Draco circle about the pole
in the region which never goes below
our horizon.
The leading planets Of the solar sys-
tenn may all be seen this month. Mer-
curry near the middle of the month on
ly, the others on any clear night. Ju-
piter and Neptune are visible in the
evening and set near midnight, while
MprcnrV Caf nd
Uranus rise after midnight and shine
until the dawn overpowers them.
Jupiter is brilliant in the constella-
ton. Gemini, outshining any of the
stars in the western sky. Those who
are watching the movements of its sat
elites will find the list Of interesting
positions a full one this month. Tran
sits Of satellite 1 and its shadow, oc-
cur on the 9Th, 18th and 22d; of satel-
lite III and its shadow on the Sth and
18th. Eclipses of all four Of the bright
satellites may also be noted. Satellite
l always enters the planets shadow
when hidden behind the planet, but it's
emerSence from the shadow may be
observed on the 7th at about go p NJ.
the 14th at 11.55 p. NJ, the 23d at 80 P.
p, the 30th at 9.25 P. NJ. Similarly, sat
elite II energies from the planet
shadow on the 7th at about 1856 P. M.
and the oath at 10 p. M. Satellite III
| may be seen to enter the shadow on
the 2Sth at about 7.45 P. NJ. and will be
visible for three hours and 10 minutes.
| Satellite w is eclipsed on the list, en-
| tering the shadow at about 6.10 P. M.
and emerging hours and so monutes
| later.
Neptune is not far from Jupiter. 1t
| requires telescope assistance to be
seen, and on the first is in right ascen-
! sion Oh, 4Sm, and defamation n. % deg.
! 13 min.
The morning group of planets is led
by Mars, which rises on the first at
O'Clock and on the Goth at 11.3S T. NJ.
This planet is now increasing apprecia-
bly, in brightness as it nears the earth.
On the first it is 93oOO,O0O miles. and
on the 3Oth, 100000 miles, distant
In the telescope the what cap about the
southern pole is now visible and also
the leading dark and bright areas, Civ
ing an earnest Of the markings which
will be seen more distinctly in the sum-
| ner months.
| Uranus follows Mars, rising on the first
at 1.S2 A. NJ, and on the 3Ith at 11,35 p.
M. 1t may be found by pointing the tele-
! scope ct right ascension 1Sh. 55m., and
J. declining south % deg. Il min. 1t 80 deg.
! from the sun on the third, and begins to
retrograde among the stars on the 18th.
Venus rises on the first at 3.5S a. NJ,
and one minute earlier each succeeding
morning. The sun, however. rises A. min
utes earlier at the close OF the month
than at its beginning, so that Venus will
not appear as long before sunrise as the
mornings follow each other. But it will
be many weeks before it ceases to herald
the dawn as now with it's brilliant light.
! Mercury may be seen. but with difficult
Ity for a few morning near the 18th. On
that date it rises 80 minutes before the
sun. and is OF about one-half its greatest
brightness.
Saturn is the last to rise. but it is not
the least interesting of the planets. In
fact it begins this month a series OF
events which lasts until next January
and which will attract much attention
among all observers who have telescopes.
These events occur in connection with the
disappearance of the rings, which great
" puzzled Calico. who first noted it.
HuyshehS explained the phehohehoH d
half-century later. The rings of Saturn
lie in q thin plane which maintains a
constant angle with the planets orbit
about the sun. Twice in every revolu-
tion of the planet about the sun, the sun
comes into the plane OF the ring, just as
twice each year it seems TO cross the
plane Of the earths equator. In the case
of Saturn. which takes nearly 50 years to
revolve about the sun, these occurrences
are nearly Is years apart. The earth as
it moves about the sun is brought into
various relations with the planet in the