Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-11-09
: TRANSIT OF MERCURY
Something About One of the Most
Interesting of Planets

Augusta people did not have a
cahnce to witness to any great ex-
tent Saturday morning the transit of
Mercury, as both the sun and the
planet which crossed it's disc were for
the greater part of the time during
the hours of transit concealed by
clouds. The sun rose clear but had
hardly climbed above the horizon be-
fore it entered the clouds, and save
for occasional momentary appearances
it remained hidden for the greater
part of the forenoon. But even if peo-
pie in this city section did not see
the phenomenon the following from
the account written by r. II. Schulz
maer, the Biddeford astronomer, will
be of general interest.
The phenomena occurs at stated Pc
RODS of years, viz; u, Z, 10, 3, 10 and
years tyou can puzzle a lot with
these figures if you try.
THE 10 years periods occur in the
month of May always, while the 9TH
ers always occur in November The
one of Saturday was at the end of
a seven-year period, the last occurring
in 1907, while the next will occur in
May. 1924.
Venus, the sister planet of Mer-
curry, is also in transit at times, but
much less frequently. The last two
occurred in 1874 and 1882 (the last was
witnessed by the writer) and the next
will be in 1904.
These 'transits are exactly what
occurs when we have an eclipse of the
sun, except that the moon, which
causes the eclipse Is SO much near
er. that she hides much greater por-
ton of the suns surface, but Mer-
curry whose diameter is actually long
er than the moons, is so much farther
from us that it will appear only liza
as large in diameter as the sun.
"A word regarding Mercury will not
be amiss here
1T is supposed that this is the
planet nearest the sun. Its diameter
is 1850 miles and its mean distance
from the sun about 100000 miles. 1t
revolves on its orbit around the sun
in IS days, at the terrific speed of 80
miles per second. Think of it,
The rotation on its axis has been
placed at "a hours and five minutes.
but many astronomers believe, that,
like our moon, Mercury rotates on it's
axis but once during a revolution.
observations of the planet are diff
ficult, owing to it's proximity to the
sun ana it is only on rare occasions
visible. The stargazer, by persistent
watching, may obtain two or three
observations, perhaps more if he is
fortunate, per year.
"The planet seems to delight to ap-
pear as a brilliant star just before
sunrise or Immediately after sunset,
quite near the horizon, re-appearing
the next day, while on the third it has
darted out of sight.
THE ancients called 1t Mercury,
the God of thieves on account of it's
hiding habits, but thanks to the good
influence of old Sol,' Mercury has al
ways been a we'll ordered body, al
ways on its job, forever speeding.
speeding, speeding, in glorious
splendor OF sunlight and warmth, not
enjoyed by any other Solar planet.
Mercury, like Venus, shows phases
like our moon, when in different posi-
tons of the orbit. More or less of
the illuminated portion of the disk is
seen, this visible illuminated portion
varying from a complete disk. when
beyond the sun, to a mere thread of a
crescent. when nearly In line between
sun and earth, and are termed
phases
Both planets, when most brill
liant, show phase about like the
moon, at four days after new moon"