Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-09-08
SEPTEMBER SKIES.
Mars Supremacy Brilliant--venus the
Evening Star.

early evening Is the planet Venus. Tn
bright star seen in the east after sifisg
! and visible all night as 1t passes across thu
sky is the planet Mars. The latter planet
is the chief object of astronomical interest
this month, both for professional and
amateur observers. Even the casxal star
gA1er who is attracted by uilHsual ap.
esfancss only, can hardly fail to notice
!, the frfdy star which is at it's greatest
b-illaneY this moneh.
Two spetihf events are concerned with
Mars. On tbS first the moon found the
planet directly n its path, - seen BY
Northern Observers, snd pissed directly
over it, hiding it for o6s hour.
The second event connSceef with Mars
Is its arrival at its nearest POINT TO the
earth on Sept. Is. At that time n will be
distant 100000 miles, which n very
nearly the least distance possible. sax
dsys lister the planet ID in opposition WIN
the sun, rising at sunset. 1t is therefore in
ks BEST position for observation.
The problems which astronomers arc
working upon relate chiefly to its surface
marlsings and their Interpretation. There
Is no doubt that seasonal changes in the
| surface oondition Of the panet 60 ON, which
are upon scale sufficiently large to be
seen from the earth. Our corresponding
changes are the result of temperature in
its effects upon vegetable life. Those on
Marsmay be- due to like cause, and may
indicate therefore the existence of vegeta-
ton on that planet. This is perfectly
neutrality-suspicious. from anal
ogy.
What ID needed now is further detailed
acknowledgements the changes themselves,
which it isvery difficult to secure both on
account Of the planets distance and also
from the annoyances which observers ex-
perience from the disturbing effect OF our
own atmosphere. The decision between
rival theories, or the possible forming Of
new theories, waits for more observations
and their interpretioh.
Mars is at its brightest1on the 18th and
fairly rivals Jupiter in splendor. After
the 18th it gradually loses its brilliancy,
and year from now will be no brighter
than the pole star. 1t was this astonish-
ing difference in brightness, occurring in
the course of few months, which led
astronomers four hundred years ago to
favor the view that the earth was not the
centre OF its motion-an heretical idea in
those times, the orthodox view now.
Mars is in the constellation Pisces, and
moves westward eight degrees in the
course Of the month. Its motion among
the stars Is not evident without close
watching, because there are no bright
stars near it for comparison.
Venus is bright in the west after sunset,
setting on the LIST at 1856 and on the Both at
IL p. m. 1t brightness increases q
little this month because the planet is
approaching the earth, but this increase
is offset by the southern direction OF its
apparent motion, which keeps 1t near the
horizon in the evening hours.
Jupiter cannot be observed this month
It sets on the LIST at 6.54 p. M, thirty-five
minutes after the sun. On the 18th il
passes behind the sun and on the Both
rises at 8 q. M, forty minutes before the
sun.
Saturn is in excellent position for study
in the later evening. It is the conspicu-
GUS star about IA degrees from Mars to-
ward the east, and is near no conspicuous
star. 1t is in the constellation Pisces, ris-
ing on the LIST at S.04 and on the 30th al
sos p. m. The rings are well placed fol
telescope scrutiny. The planet is moving
slowly westward among the stars.
Mercury may be seen for number Of
Ievenings preceding and following the
18th. On that day it is 26 degrees from
the sun and sets at 6.3S p. M, or fortysix
minutes after the sun. The planet should
be looked for about half an hour after
sunset, below Venus, but it will be seen
with difficulty, because it is at only one
half of its greatest brightness, and also is
much farther south than the sun.
The two fainter planets, Uranus and
Neptune, may both be observed with the
telescope. They are nearly opposite each
other in the sky, the former in the south
west in the evening, the latter in north
east in the morning. Uranus sets on the
1st at 1924 a. M, and four minutes earlier
each succeeding evening. 1t is in the con-
stellation Sagittarius, in right ascension
19h. 16min. and declination south % de-
grees AZ minutes. Neptune rises on the
LIST at l a. M, and four minutes earlier
each succeeding evening. 1t is in the con-
stellation Gemini, in right ascension III
20 min. and declination N. 81 degrees Is
minutes.
The moon occults Mars on the LIST and
passes very near it again on the 2Sth. II
is near Saturn on the I'd and again ON the
3Oth. Moonlight evenings are the first
week and after the Goth. New moon falls
on the 14th. On the 18th the crescent
moon is near Venus.
Halley's comet is approaching the earth
after an absence of more than seventy
years. Its present distance is nearly foul
times that of the sun, and it is therefore
not surprising that it has not yet been
seen, even with modern Photographic
power. 1t is in the constellation Orion
near Gemini-a region which can be seen