Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-29
IS BRIGHT
IN SOUTHWEST SKY
Planet, Shining Like a Big
Star, Is Attracting Attention
of Worlds Astronomers.

Visible in the sky these summer evenings
is Jupiter. now attracting the attention
of astronomical observers throughout the
world DR.. Stanley Williams. the Eng
lish astronomer. who has devoted years
Of study to the markings on the surface
of the planet. says there is a marked diff
ference in the longitude of the great red
spot.
After sunset Jupiter shines out in
steady radiance in the southwest heav-
ems. Though brilliant, it looks hardly
/ $50 times larger than the earth, but it
is. and under suspicious circumstances
comes within only 369. COG, OOO miles of the
earth.
The near approach occurs when Jupiter
is nearly at the epoch of perihelion pas
sage, but its maximum opposition dis
lance from the earth is Al 900, 600 miles
when at aphelion.
But the great red spot on the planet is
again in the limelisht and astronomers
are busy watching for the changes which
have been so characteristic on the disk
of Jupiter. The great red spot seems to
float at the mercy of the currents and
breezes predominant in the strange region
it navigates.
Furnishes Astronomers Observation.
The disk of this great planet furnishes
the astronomical observers more phe-
nomena perhaps for observation than all
the planets combined, for nearly all the
spots from time to time come to view on
its surface. The great red spot has the
Siowest drift of ALL with the rarest ex-
ceptiOns, while the black cohorts of the
northern hemisphere outmarch all COM
petitors. Besides he has five satellites
III ~ no tic of al.
the Jovian disk present many curious
appearances, due to complicated and
chanseable effects of light and shade
upon the planetary background and upon
the circular objects self composed with it,
The great red spot on the planet Jupi-
ter continues to be an object OF astronomi-
cal study, and a recent observation, noted
by DR.. Williams, which has disclosed
great change in the visibility of the spot
itself confirms the theory heretofore ad-
vanced of the abnormal change of Iongi-
tude of the red spot.
For several years to the best observers
the spot has been indistinct and not of
it's earlier characteristic red color but
only conspicuous object. but also
strongly colored. AS observed through a
great equatorial the spot is now free
from the everything material which has
for some time masked it's chara cteristic
clearness and color.
The transit time of DIR. Williams OBJ
servation taken May 10 to II and June
] to = confirmed the change of longitude,
and shows that the length of the spot has
not changed hence the difference of lon
gitude, % degrees, between June l ard s,
if real. is remarkable. he says. and suf-
ficient 10 attract the attention of the
scientific world
Appears to Be Brilliant Star.
The planet Jupiter appears a brilliant
star looking uth-southwest at sunset.
This is the easiest and most interesting
o = planets to observe, on account of
+ rightness. numerous moons, the
n. II gs on the disk and polar fattening
A -eiescope magnifying about fifty times
shows the planet of the same apparent
diameter as the moon seen with the
naked eye.
The equatorial diameter OF the planet
on the 18th was thrty-seven minutes,
while the polar diameter is two minutes
and four tenths smaller. If sufficient
magnificaticn is used the great red spot
on the belts may be seen.
|. This great red spot on the Jovian sur
face, It's chaHge. etc. are the insoluble
problems OF modern astronomy.
1T became conspicuous in 1873, then of
a brick red hue. 1t measured 10000 by
1000 miles and might easily have in
closed three such bodies as the earth 1t
Is mooted point among astronomers
whether its beginnings were not watched
DIR. Williams has delineated nine at
mospheric surfaces with definite periods
on the disk of Jupiter.