The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1909-09-09
THE HEAVENS FOR SEPTEMBER.
Halley's Comet Is Rapidly Approach
Ing the Earth.

The bright star seen in the west in
the early evening is the planet We
nus. The bright star seen in the east
after sunset and visible all night as
it passes across the 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 casual
star gazer, who is attracted by I'M
usual appearances only. can hardly
fail to notice the rudy star which
is at it's greatest brilliancy this
month.
Two special events are concerned
with Mars. On the first the moon
finds the planet directly in its path,
as seen by northern observers, and
passes directly over it, hiding it for
one hour. When the moon rises at
7.39 p. M, 1t is a little more than its
diameter distant from the planet,
which is almost directly beneath 1t.
AT S.5S the moon overtakes the plan
ct, which disappears behind the
bright lower edge of the moon. 1t
takes As seconds for the moon to con-
ceal the planet completely as the disc
of the latter measures nearly % de-
grees. A star would disappear in
stantly, for 1t is but a point of light,
mot a surface of appreciable area.
The planet will be hidden until 9.58
p. M, when it reappears at the de-
fectiye edge of the moon. 1t will
seem to come out at point on the
right of the moons edge, separated
by little space from it. An opera
or field glass may be used to ad-
vantage by the observer.
The second event connected with
Mars is its arrival at its nearest point
to the earth on the 18th. At that
time it will be distant SO 100000 miles,
which is very nearly the least dis
lance possible. Six days later, or
the oath, the planet is In opposition
with the sun, rising a: sunet. 1t is,
therefore, in It's best position fer OBJ
seryatiou, The problems which as
tronomers are working upon relate
chiefly to its surface markings and
their Interpretation. There is no
doubt that seasonal changes IN the
surface condition of the planet go on
which are upon a scale sufficiently
large to be seen from the earth. Cor
responding changes are the result of
temperature in its effects upon yege-
table life. Those on Mars may be
due to a like cause and may indicate
therefore the existence of vegetation
on that planet. This is a perfectly
natural erpretation-argued from
analogy. What is needed now Is fur
Their detailed information as to the
changes themselves which it Is very
difficult to secure both on account of
the planets distance and also from
the annoyances which observers ex-
perience from the disturbing effect of
rival theories, or the possible form
ing of new theories waits for more
observations and their Interpretation.
Mars Is at its brightest on the
18th and fairly rivals Jupiter in
splendor. After the 18th 1t gradual
ly loses It's brilliancy and a year
v1ri1I ho hri0 hon
the pole star. 1t was this astonish-
ing difference in brightness, occurring
In the course of few months, which
led astronomers 400 years ago to
favor the view that the earth was
not the centre of its motion an
heretical idea In those times, the or
thodo1 view now.
Mars Is in the constellation Pisces.
Its motion among the stars is not evil
dent without close watching, because
there are no bright stars near it for
comparison.
Venus is bright in the west after
sunset, setting on the 1st at 1856 and
on the 30th at p. m. Its bright
ness increases a little this mouth be-
cause the planet is approaching the
earth, but this increase is Offset by the
southern direction of its apparent
motion, which keeps it near the hori-
zon in the evening hours.
Halley's comet is approaching the
earth after an absence of more than
70 years. Its present distance is
nearly four 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 after
midnight until the morning twilight.
The comet will probably be detected
before many days, and will be under
observation after discovery until the
spring months when it will be lost a
while in the suns rays.
The constellation visible in Sep
TENDER evenings include the zodiacal
groups Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capri
cornus, Aquarius, Pisces, which close
the list as usually named; and the
groups north Of them. The most
conspicuous stars in the evening, in
Guiding the three bright planets, are
Venus low in the west, Antares in
the southwest, Formalhaut low in the