The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-10

The year 1912 will be most interest," ing one to those who take pleasure Tn watching the face of the sky. The beau- tiful constellations, ever changing as the months pass away, are always with us, and these alone afford an inexhatfstibie field for study and exploration to one who is so fortunate as to possess small telescope. But besides the stars and nebulas, the clusters and star clouds, there will be no single night of the entire year when there will not be at least two bright planets in a favorable position for observation and during more than haif the year the three brightest worlds of all will be seen stining in the evening sky. The observer who will watch these bright wanderers as they move over the heav- ems among the cancellations, passing and repassing one another as they go, will find the study of the highest interest
 The Eclipses of 1912
 During the present year there will be no less than four eclipses-two of the sun, and two of the moon-the first one of which will. however, be wholly invlsl- ble to observers in North America. The second eclipse occurs on April 1T, and IS an eclipse of the sun of a most peculiar kind The apparent size of our moon as we see if in the sky is almost exactly the same as that of the sun; the two bodies appear to us as almost equal, round discs. Sometimes the moon is little farther from the earth than usual, and then IL seems to be a very little smaller than the sun; at these times If our satellite lRp- pens to pass in front of the sun it will not hide the bright disc completely be- cause if is not large enough to do so. bright ring of the suns edse Will then be seen all around the edge of the moon. In the eclipse of April IT the apex Of the moons shadow will first strike our turn < ing earth at point in Guiana in northern South America. From here it will sweep across the Atlantic ocean, through cen- ral Europe, and will finally leave the earth in Siberia, about 40 minutes after the beginning. During nearly all of this time the moon will be so far from the earth that it cannot entirely hide the sun, but for a space of only 40 seconds, while tho shadow is sweeping across the northwestern corner of Spain, the moon will be nearer and the sun will be com pletely hidden. Before entering France, the eclipse will change to ring eclipse as 1t was at first. In the eastern United States we will see the sun rise partially eclipsed on the morning of this day; to observers west of the Mississippi river the WnOle .ecilDSe Will pc lllNlSlDlt
 On September 26 the moon will pass g little way into the earths shadow-onlS one-tenth of the moons surface being \, .1arkened. This eclipse will be entirel, Visible throughout the western part O .5uf country; to observers in the eastern States the moon will set while the eclipse Is going on. And finally, on October 10 second total eclipse of the sun vii occur the shadow striking the earti in tho Pacific ocean, northwest of Soutl America, sweeping entirely across tn continent and across the South Atlanti' ocean, and leaving the earth at a poin about 150 miles south of the Cape of Coco Hope. In Florida and at other points In the extreme southeast of our countr, this will be seen as very small, par tial eclipse, beginning just after sun rise; elsewhere throughout the United States it will be wholly invisible.
 Motions of Planets During 1912
 Throughout the evenings of Januar. Mars and Saturn shine high in the six, in the south, while the even brighte planets, Venus and Jupiter, are botl morning stars. But as the months go oi and our sun is apparently seen to nov steadily eastward among the stars aloni It's path, AVE, Figure 1 the aspect of tn heavens will be changed. Thus, when oi March 20, the sun reaches the poin called the Vernal Equinox, which is a V. it is evident that Pisces will SC immediately after sunset, and that al of the stars in this part of the sky vii be visible in the twilight glow. Tn planet Saturn, which is now in Aries Il the position shown in Figure l, will a this time be found very little farthe eastward among the stars than now, bu IS this very distant world requires 29l years to pass once around the sky, 1t i evident that it's position will have change but little. Consequently, when the SUI arrives at V. it will have so nearly over sken Saturn that the planet at sunse VNl then be seen not far from tn Kr6Vnd in the western sky. Thus, thi planet will be seen farther and farthe vest each evening, and finally on May sur sun will pass to the east or It, an will become morning star.
 With Mrs the case is somewhat differ bnt. This world is itself running so raplo y eastward among the stars that the su eAnnot quickly overtake 1t. Tn fact' LII Red planet will have run through tn utar groups Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virg dbra--almost entirely across the summe slxy-before 1t Is lost in the rays of 1t pursuing sun. Mars will, therefore, re main in our evening sky until Novem Der 4 though it will grow continual fainter because its distance from us constantly increasing.
 At about the time when Saturn is dis appearing, and long before Mars cease 10 shine brightly in the west, the mos brilliant Jupiter will enter our evenin' 6xy in the east to remain with us unti k in it's turn. becomes lost in the sun;