The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-01-15
Year VIII Differ Greatly From That
Just Closed in Regard to
Heavens and its
Bodies.
SATURN THE BEAUTIFUL
is the Only Planet Which win b.
Seen to Advantage in Janu-
ary-An Instructive
Study.

he year 1911 will be most in.
terestlng one for those who enjoy
watching the heavens Except at its
very beginning. two bright planets
VIII always be visible in the evening
SKY. and at one time no less than
tour may be seen at once. This Is
IN strong contrast to the year which
mas just ended. during the greater
part OF which the brighter planets
all were morning stars. The aspects
OF those beautiful bodies as they
cnange their positions with reference
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 favorable no.
sition In the early evening is the
beautiful Saturn. which shines out
high up in the heavens, little west
OF the meridian But already the
far more brilliant Venus has really
appeared, and as it climbs steadily
upward among the stars twill grow
brighter and brighter, until it far
exceeds in brl liancy any other OBJ
1eet in the heavens. AT this time
many inquirers will ask the astrono-
mers and the newspapers to tell
them what the very bright star is
which is shining in the west.
On January /, Venus is SO small a
distance to the east OF the sun that
il sets only IS minutes after sunset.
and even by the end OF the month ii
will have moved out so little that
this time is only increased about one
hour II may then be seen shining in
the twilight glow. low down. near the
ground in the southwest, But after
THIS IFS motion becomes very rapid
and by July it hes mounted SO high
that it is seen for more than three
hours after sunset. II attains fl:
greatest brightness on August 10. and
soon after this runs SO rapidly toward
the sun again that by September Il
IT passes to the right of this body and
becomes morning star. On October
% it attains its greatest brilliancy il
the morning sky.
AS Venus mounts I'm the western
heavens, Saturn will be seen steadily
sinking. For few days they will
draw nearer to each other until or
March %, Saturn will pass below ant
to the west Of Venus Soon afterward
the beautiful ringed planet viii move
TO the west of the sun and become a
morning star. During September
however, it will again return. and will
be seen entering the evening sky in
the east Just as the bright Venus is
leaving it in the west Throughout
the entire year the rings OF Saturn
will appear to steadily widen out. un
til they seem to nearly inclose the
entire ball of the planet.
The planet Jupiter, with its retinue
OF bright little moons moves into the
evening sky in the southeast 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 north.
west. During June, Jupiter will pass
to the west Of the meridian. and BY
August 10, on which date Venus is
most brilliant, II will have drawn With
in only three hours of the latter plan
ct. Before II can overtake it. how
ever. Venus will enter the evening
sky.
The red planet Mars begins the year
as morning star and moves so slow
ly westward that it cannot he seen in
the early evening until October It
will then be very conspicuous OBJ
ject. low in the northwest. and by tho
end OF the year It will shine out most
brilliantly in the south. By this time
Jupiter and Venus will have both dis
appeared but Saturn will again have
entered the evening sky. A remark
able approach OF Mars and Saturn will
occur on August 10. The two bodies
viii then seem to be SC. close together
in the heavens that they will look
like q brilliant double star. On No.
vember "a, Mars will attain its least
distance from earth, and 1t will. there
fore. at this Time be most favorably
situated for observations.