El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-03-29
SOUTH

in the heavens excepting the moon.
] Venus Is gradually approaching Aide
baran and the last week In April they
: will be very near each other. Midway
. Of the northWesterly heavens at p.
N. there shines q very beautiful
! creamy white first magnitude star,
/ this is Capellas IN the constellation
Auriga, and one Of the most brilliant
I in the heavens. It is unmistakable,
having no rival IN brightness near II.
I At the same hour there Is rising on
Z the northwestern horizon an equally
[ brilliant first magnitude-Vegs, IN the
Z constellation Lyra.
The Most Brilliant Star.
In the Southwestern sky near the
horizon Is the most brilliant first
magnitude star In the heavens-Sirius,
In CAMS Major. II Is white IN color
and known as the dog star. Il Is
easily located By an imaginary line
drawn through the three stars IN
Orion's belt, with which Il Is directly
3 in line. It Is receding from the earth
at the rate OF 20 miles per second. To
I the east OF Sirius and south Of Jupiter
lies the first magnitude Procyon. IN
CAMS Minor. It Is yellowish white in
color.
Wen up on the eastern sky. at the
hour OF which we writes p m.-Wll
be found the mighty first magnitude
Arcturus. in Bootes, a kite-like for
nation OF stars with the great star at
the lower end Il can easily be To-
Gated By following q curved line as
indicated by thu stars forming the
handle OF the Big Dipper. Arcturus is
a golden yellow star. To the naked
eye IL Is a conspicuous first magni-
tude star. but not much more 50 than
several others. but It Is IN reality one
OF the greatest known objects In the
heavens, being many hundred times
larger than our sun Owing to It's
great distance, Il appears as an ordi-
nary star OF the first magnitude.
Watch For the MeteOrs-
Arcturus referred to by mama IN
one OF the subiimest passages OF the
Book OF Job. Directly below south
OF Arcturus, and AZ the end OF the
curved line suggested by the stars In
the handle OF the Big Dlpper for To-
eating ArctrruH and followed on down
toward the southeastern horizon viii
bring uH to the fine white first mag
nituds Spica. In Virgo. Spica Is WhEt
10 known As q spectroscopic binary
that 10 a star whose components are
50 near each other that the telescope
cannot divide them. but whose exist
ence Is revealed by the spectroscope.
April Is notable for one OF the an
uual showers" OF shooting stars
These particular meteors are known
as the Lyrids, because they radiate
from the constellation Lyra- This
shower" occurs during about three
evenings, from April 20 to p.
The Planets for April.
Mercury becomes q morning star on
April 7 but will not be visible as such
until the last week IN April when Il
rises about an hour before the sun.
II VII be at aphelion-greatest dis
lance from the sun, on April g.
Venus q now a strikingly beautiful
object In the western evening sky,
setting about two hours after the sun
on April ! and about three hours later
on the 10th About the middle OF
April Il will pass between the Pleiades
and Hyades in Taurus
Mars viii be too near the sun 70 be
visible this month.
Jupiter Is finely placed for obser-
walton this month In GeminL An exc
csllent opportunity Is offered this
month 70 compare the brilliancy Of
the great Jovian planet with its rival
Venus as the latter Is rapidly ap-
preaching Il and By the last OF the
month viii be about % degrees vest.
Saturn Is also finely placed for OBJ
servation this month near Regulus In
Leo. Il ceases It's westward motion on
April %.
Uranus Is q morning star rising
about two hours before the sun on the
first Neptune Is a Cancer. but too
faint for naked eye observation.
Planetary ConfiEuration-
April !. s:O3 q m--Niars and Noon
In conjunction.
April 1. s:24 T. m--Mercury and
Noon in conjunction Mercury south
1s mInutsA
April 1. 100 ,. m.-Mercury and
Mars In conjunction. Mercury north
I degrees minutes.
April ?. 7:0s p. MENUS and Noon
IN conjunction Venus south 1 de-
gree 3 minutes.
April 9, 2;o5 p. m.-JupiteF and
Noon In conjunction Jupiter north
3 degrees.
April Z. 1900 p. m.-Mercury a In
terior conjunction with Sun
April 8, 8.oz p. m-Nsptuns and
Noon In conjunction Neptune north
( degrees 80 minutes.
April 10, Ell g. m.-Saturn and
Noon in conjunction. Saturn north 6
degrees 81 minutes.
April II. II m--Mercury IN descend
Kprii Il. 200 ?. m.-Nsptuns sta
tiOnary.
April 20. 10 ,. m.-Msroury sta
tionary
April %. $500 ?. m-saturn station
airy.
April Is. I1:57 a. m.-UrauuH and
Moon In conjunction Uranus south
s degrees % min.
April p. $500 ?. Neptune At
quadrature with sun
lm~fn 81 ann q Nra--~r--- =