The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-28


hidden. And finally on September 4. at
a. m., eastern standard time
there will occur another eclipse of
tie moon. which. however, will only
be visible from the western parts of the
country.
But, perhaps, the most interesting of
all the phenomena which we will see dur
ing this year will be the rare occurrence
of a transit of the little planet Mercury
over the disc of the sun. This will oc-
cur on the morning of November Z, be-
tween the hours of and 9 a. m. Conse-
quently when we see the sun rise on this
morning we will see that the intensely
black little ball of the planet has al
ready moved a considerable distance on
to the suns disc. but the latter part of
the transit can be well observed from
the eastern part of the country. After
this transit another one will occur, 10
years from the present time.
The January Stars
Since last month the Interesting
groups of the Eagle. the Dolphin and the
Lyre have disappeared in the west and
the beautiful Northern Cross will be seen
to have sunk nearly half its length below
the horizon. The four bright stars which
form the Great Square of Pegasus are
but little way up from the ground, and
both this figure and that of the Cross
appear much larger when in this position
than when they are higher in the heav-
ems. This is also favorable time to ex-
anime the Great Nebula cat N. Figure y
and the other objects of interest in Au-
dromeda, for this constellation can be
studied more conveniently now than
when it is narer the zenith. The most in
teresting double star of this constellation
will be found at A; the brighter star of
the pair is described as of an orange
color q tha IA nj nc nf1,ara1h
The latter star is itself an interesting
binary, but the duplicty of this cannot
be detected in a small telescope.
The wonderful variable star in Cetus,
at c, can now be detected in a small
telescope, as 1t has again begun to bright
en- and is now of the eighth magnitude.
1t will become a bright and conspicuous
star by next April 20S but as the sun
passes the Vernal Equinox, at ID, Figure
l. one month before this time, it will be
almost exactly north of the star at the
time when this attains its greatest brill
lance, it's maximum cannot be satisfac-
torily observed this year.
In the south the magnificent groups of
Taurus and Orion and the brilliant ca
pella and the planet Saturn have all
nearly reached the meridian. A small
glass will show the great Neb-
ula, at e, and in this region there
are several other most interesting fields.
Below Orion are the fainter groups OF
the Hare and the Dove. In the former
constellation, at the point X, making a
nearly equal sided triangle with the stars
Fl and F. there will be found star which
varies in brightness from the sixth to the
eight and one-half magnitudes, and which
is perhaps the reddest star in the entire
heavens. East. of Lepus are the two
most brilliant Dog Stars; above these
there shines out Gemini. while nearer the
- IL. kl.-k
winter consultations to appear, has now
entered the evening sky. small tele-
scope will make evident the very blue col
ors of the Dog Stars. and it will also re-
solve the interesting cluster of stars
at L.
The Planets in January
Mercury enters the evening sky on jan
uary 25 but throughout the month is far
too close to the sup's rays to be satisfac-
torily observed.
Venus is in the morning sky and is also
too near the sun to be observed; this
planet will pass to the east of the sun
and become an evening star on Febru-
airy II.
Mars is a most beautiful and conspicu-
GUS object as it shines out in the constella-
tion Gemini to the right of the two Twin
Stars AS will be seen from Figure /, 1t
is now moving rapidly westward but
throughout the month 1t will remain in
this constellation In the most favorable
position for observation of the past aud
the present year.
Jupiter Is too near the sun to be seen
1t will pass to the west of the sun and
become morning star on January 90.
Saturn is moving slowly westward in
Taurus. nearly midway between the
Hyades and the tips OF the Bulls horns
This planet like Mars. is now In almost
the best possible position for observation;
the earth and the sun are both far below
the plane of the rings and in the telescope
these are consequently seen very greatly
widned out.
On January 3 at 3 p. m. the earth will
reach its least distance from the sun; it
will be farthest from the sun at z D. m.
on next July 2.
For the next few months the moon, in
the course of its eastward journey among
the stars, will pass so close to the planet
Mars that the edge of its disc will be seen
to almost touch the planet. An especially
close approach may be observed Just after,
Mars has risen on the evening of Jan
uary II. but by most of the observers In
the United States the moon will not be
seen to actually pass over the planet at
this time. ERIC DOOLITTLE.