Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-12-09

1t Is probable that our own cluster is
also Of spiral structure. In other words.
tho Milky Way may be of spiral form
and represent our solar sub-universe
Additional evidence in favor Of the star
cluster theory has been furnished within
tho past two years by the discovery of
IA or 10 new stars In spiral nebulae.
Now new" star or nova is not a new
creation but simply one that suddenly
Increases in brightness on account. prob
ably, of collision OF internal explo-
sion. Naturally novae appear most
frequently where tho stars are most
numerous. as in our Milky Way and
the fact that so many have been found
In spiral nebulae would seem to Indicate
that the latter arc really star clusters.
The sun begins the month over Il de-
grees south OF the equator and reaches
Its position farthest south on the 2lst at
10.T p. M. at which time winter begins.
At this time, In our latitude, tho Cay IL
the shortest of the year. he.,g over elk
hours shorter than the longest day in
June. After the 21st the sim will r,cve
northward again and the days Will begin
TO lengthen. Just at midnight on che 31st
as the old year is ending and the new
one beginning. the earth will be in peri
helion. the position in It's orbit nearest
the sun.
The moon will he in last quarter on the
End at 1l29 4. m new on the 10th at Sol
a. m, full on tie 25th at 7.3S n. m, and
In the last quarter again on the 3!st at
1I.ss p. m. It vii be in apogee on the
18th and in perigec on the 25th. II will
run low on the 10th and hish on the ath,
crossing the equator on te srd, 18th and
3oth. In Its journey around the zodiac It
will pass the planets In the following
order: Jupiter and Saturn on the 3rd,
Mercury on tho 9Th. Venus on the 18th.
Mars on the 18TH Uranus on the 18th.
Neptune on the 9TH, and Jupiter and
Saturn again on the 30th.
Mercury will be in greatest western
elongation on tho 3rd and hence will be
visible in the morning sky for q few
days before ard after that date II will
be found low in the southeast before sun
rise In the constellation Libra and will
be tie brishtest object in that part Of
the sky.
Venus Is the most cons pioous object In
the southwest IL TIE early evening. set
ting at GAS ?. m. on the 1st or 7:50 on
the 21st I. will move during the month
norshwsrd and eastward from Sagittar-
ius into Cap, ,ccrnus. 1t is getting bright
er as II approaches nsarer the earth
surface dccreases during the month from
7s 20 80 per cent.
Mars is stili Visible Low IN the south
west at sunset, setting about sis
throughout she month. It will mo We
northward and eastward from Capri
cornrs into Aoquar'uc.
Jupiter le fast coming into favoro Bile
position for observation. rising al u so
p. m. on the first or 1914 on the thirty
first. 1t is still In Loo but moving slowly
eastward and southwark and hence ap-
preaching the p!anet Saturn. On the
third at 3:49 a. m. the moon will pass
five degrees % minutes south of the
planet while on the tenth Jupiter will be
In quadrature with the sun.
Saturn is in Virgo. where its motion Is
now easterly and southerly It therefore
rises later than Jupiter. at OF a. m. on
the first or 1898 p. M. on the thirty first.
It will be in quadrature with the sun on
the sixteenth. On the thirtieth at II 81
p. m. the moon will pass five degrees
40 minutes south Of the planet. Saturn
is getting somewhat brighter.
Uranus is in Aauarius and hence we'll
placed for observation. being in the
southwest In the early evening. Its posi-
ton on the first Is right ascension 20
hours II minutes, declination II degrees
30 minutes.
Neptune is in the morning sky being
near the meridian at sunrise. 1t is in
Cancer in right ascension nine hours Ave
minutes. declination 10 degrees As min
utes.
At nine p. m. on the first or eight p.
M. on the fifteenth. the zodiacal groups
visible, arranged from west to east, are
Aquarius, Pisces, Aries Taurus and
Gemini. North Of this belt and west OF
the meridian are Aquia. Delphinus.
Pegasus. Andromeda, Lyna. Cygnus.
Cassiopeia. Cephus, Draco and Ursa
Minor East of the meridian and south
Of the zodiac are Erdanus. Orion and
Lepus, while Perseus. Auriga and Ursa
Major are north of the zodiac
The brightest stars visible at nine p.
m. on the first are Sirius. just rising in
the southeast. Vega setting in the
northwest. Capella in the northeast,
Rigel and Betelguese In Orion In the
east Affair just setting in the west. Aide
baran in Taurus above Orion in the east,
Castor and Pollux rising just north of
east. Deneb in the head of the North
ern Cross in Cygnus. setting in the north
west. and Fomalhaut low in the SOUTH
west.