The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1911-01-26
SKIES IN 1911 TO BE INTEREST.
ING.
Two Planets Almost Always BE Wis.,
ible In Evening Sky.

The year 1911 will be most In
teresting one for those who EMO!
watching the heavens. Except q,
it's very beginning, two bright planets
will always be visible in the evening
sky, and at one time no less thar
four may be seen at once. This II
in strong contrast to the year which
has just ended, during the greater
part of which the brighter planets
all were morning stars. The aspects
of those beautiful bodies as they
change their positions with refer.
ence to each other and move over
the heavens among the stars, Will
be most interesting and striking,
even to those who know but little
about astronomy.
During the whole Of January the
only bright planet in a favorable
position in the early evening is the
beautiful Saturn, which shines out
high up in the heavens a little west
of the meridian. But already the
far more brilliant Venus has really
appeared and as it climbs steadily
upward among the stars it will grow
brighter and brighter, until it far
exceeds in brilliancy any other OBJ
jects in the heavens. At this time
many inquirers will ask the astron-
omers and the newspapers to tell
them what the very bright star is
shining in the west.
On January 1, Venus is so small
distance in the east of the sun
that it sets only % minutes after
sunset, and even by the end Of the
month it will have moved out so
little that this time is only Increased
about one hour. 1t may then be
seen shining in the twilight glow,
low down, near the ground in the
southwest. But after this it's mo-
ton becomes very rapid, and by July
it has mounted so high that it is
seen for more than three hours after
sunset. 1t attains it's greatest
brightness on August 10, and soon
after this runs so rapidly toward
the sun again that by September Is,
it passes to the right of this body
and becomes a morning star. On
October %, it attains it's greatest
brilliancy in the morning sky.
AS Venus mounts up the western
heavens, Saturn will be seen stead
lily sinking. For a few days they
will draw nearer to each other, un-
til on March 20, Saturn will pass
below and to the west of Venus.
Soon afterward the beautiful ringed
planet will move to the west of the
sun and become morning star.
During September, however, it
will again return and will be seen
entering the evening sky in the east
just as bright Venus is leaving it In
the west. Throughout the entire
year the rings of Saturn will ap-
pear to steadily widen out, until
they seem to nearly inclose the en-
tire ball of the planet.
The planet Jupiter, with it's re-
tinue Of bright little moons, moves
into the evening sky in the south
east during March, and from then
until November this beautiful world
remains with us. At first Jupiter
will be seen in the southeast and
Venus in the northwest. During
June, Jupiter will pass to the west
of the meridian, and by August 10
on which date Venus is most bril-
liant, it will have drawn within
only three hours of the latter planet
Before it can overtake, it however
Venus will enter the evening sky.
The red planet Mars begins the
year as a morning star and moves
so slowly westward that it cannot
be seen in the early evening until
October. 1t will then be very con.
spicuous object low in the northwest
and by the end of the year it will
shine out most brilliant in the south
BY this time Jupiter and Venus will
have both disappeared, but Saturn
will have again entered the evening
sky. A remarkable approach OF
Mars and Saturn will occur on Au-
gust Is. The two bodies will then
seem to be closer together in the
heavens that they will look like a
brilliant double star. On November
"a, Mars will attain it's least dis
lance from earth, and it will there
fore, At this time be most favor
ably situated for observations.
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