El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-09-28


extremely Interesting examples OF the
large and important class OF stars called
variable stars The word variable used
in this sense always denotes 10 the as
tronomer a change in brightness (appar-
ent or reall and does not refer to tie
small changes in position which ny
stars undergo The two stars ---
% are shown On the map. M - -
constellation Cetus and Alrol IN ur---rII
me changes In brightness Of the variable
stars do not follow similar courses nor
are they all due 70 the sane sort o.
causes These two. Mira and Algol. are
quite different from one another. The
variations o. AlEol follow a definite time
table Normally II is OF nearly the sec
ond magnitude but every two days q
hours It's brightness sinks 20 the "a mag
nltude in the space or about four and
. one-haf hours lt stays dim for about
20 minutes and then takes about three
and one-half hours 20 recover its ori Einzl
magnitude The change is easily observ-
able with naked eye II the neighborinE
stars are used for the purpose OF com
parlscn- The regularity o. the period IS
10 also has maLlma and minina OF
brightness, but neither the tine intervals
between these nor the actual masnitudss
attained show any rule or sequence Of
change Mira or o Ceti. was the first va
riable discovered. having been recognised
as such BY Ealricius IN 1856. But the
passing centuries have brought no sxpla-
nation OF its remarkable behavior. though
a number OF other iuvariahles OF the same
class have been discovered Unlike AlgoI
Mira does not FOR a time remain az one
magnitude but its brightness Is continually
changing. running from the ninth ID 20
the 4th. Sd or even second magnitude
The Planets For October.
Mercury passes conjunction on October
IS and becomes an evening star but viii
be too near the sun for observation
Venus Is still a morning star Il IS
rapidly approaching the sun and for the
last Few days OF October IL probably VIII
not be visible.
Mars win be Interestingly in view the
first week IN October in the evening sky
In scorplo. Its progress eastward through
Scorpio VIII AFFORD the observer striE-
Ing Illustration OF the planets movement
which can be noted from night 70 night
by its changing relation 70 the cunspicu-
be distinguished by its hrownish red
color. on October L Mars passes four
degrees north OF the first magnitude star
Antares-
Jupiter comes into the evening sky this
month rising al 11-sQ p m on the lst.
1o.50 p m on the 18th and $50 p NJ
on the 51st- Il Is IN Genini-
Saturn is near the first magnitude star
rises az a. M on the 1sl. a. m On
the 18th and 4 a. m on the 51sL
Uranus Is in view practically all night
throughout October Ic Is IN Capricornus
and Is on the meridian at Sis D. m
Oct /, at s-l5 p M Oct 10 and a. t-15
J. m Oct 81
Neptune is IN cancer ABOUT 10 4a Hlaea
west Of saturn but is too faint 70 Be
seen without a telescope 10 rises at 1850
a. m on the 1st and at 1850 a. m on
the 18th.
Planetary Configuration For October.
Oct i. 80. a. m. saturn and moon In
conjunction; saturn north degrees 8 mia
Oct 5. 1889 p m. Venus ana moon n
injunction; Venus north degrees - min
Oct 4. S-57 a. M Mercury and moon n
conjunction Mercury north Z degrees
min
oct s. 3 a H.. Venus greatest hello
centric Lat ~
oct S. p m. Jupiter At qHadratiOa
with sun
junction; Mars south Is min
Oct. IS. 0-o0. Mercury at superior con-
junction with sun
oct IS. $3.50 .. m. Uranus and noon IN
conjunction; Uranus south degrees \
min.
oct q. p. m. Mercury In descending
oct Is. 5:07 a. m. Jupiter and moon in
conjunction Jupiter north degrees 80
oct 81. s:s7 a. m. Neptune and moon
IN conjunction: Neptune north degrees
% min.
oct. IS. 2.s2 D. m. Mercury IN aphellon
greatest distance from the sun.
October Moon Phases
Oct 4. SOS , m, new moon
Oct u. 10 a. m. first quarter
oct 19. S-Sf p. no.. full moon
oct. IS. 1855 a m. last quarter.
The moon VIII be al apoEee Oct 5 and
at perlgee Oct Is.
Astronomical Notes
The Daylight Saving law expires
with the last sunday in Oetober-the
On June nth. the dominion astrOghysi- /