Pueblo chieftain., 1922-01-03

In January we naturally look for
ward to see what is to occur In the
starry heavens during the IL months
to come And this year we find the
smallest possible number OF eclipses.
There are always two eclipses Of the
sun. There Is also only one eclipse
of the moon. These are the only
eclipses we will have during 1922. This
is not very unusual. 1t occurred in
1904, 1903 and 1915, and will occur
again in 1925. 1929 and 1888. At these
times. excepting 1908, only two
eclipses of the sun occurred or will
occur In 1915 the eclipses were both
annular eclipses, which could be seen
principally over water areas. This
year The first eclipse is an annular
scientific Importance. A very small
partial eclipse may be seen under very
unfavorable conditions from part OF
Florida, but cannot be seen at all from
other parts of the United States. The
second eclipse is n total eclipse, oc-
curing on September 20. This can be
seen principally from Australia and the
nearby islands. The path in which the
eclipse can b1 seen as total. about 100
miles wide, cuts directly across Aus
tralia, and most OF the observing
stations will be located there. 1t lasts
az a total eclipse for about <ive min
utes. This is long duration for an
eclipse. Astronomers will utilize it as
a means of further testing tho Efnstein
theory ahd for other purposes. E1-
petitions will be sent from the United
States. England, Canada and Germany.
Special lenses for tho purpose are now
being made at Pittsburgh. No part
of the eclipse can be seen here. We
will see no eclipse in 1922
THE PLANETS
Mercury is a morning star from Feb
ruary II to April 24 and from June is
n1N 49,. 4
til December 6. At other times It Is
an evening star. 1t will be seen best
in the early evening about May %.
Venus IL a morning star until Febru-
airy .. an evening star until November
a5. then morning star for the remain
der of the year 1t will be in best po-
tition in August, September and Octo-
Der. Mars will be morning star until
June 10. then an evening star for the
remainder OF the year. II will be near
est to the earth on June Is, at a dis
tancc of 100000 miles. and will then
he brighter than Sirius, the brightest
fixed star. and as bright as Jupiter.
but not as bright Venus. This Will
be quito n favorable year for seeing
this planet, but not as favorable as the
year 1924. When nearest to the earth
the planet is always far south. and
hence seen better from tho Southern
Hemisphere. 4 story has been circu-
constructed at n place in the Southern
Hemisphere. where Mars Will be direct
ly overhead. for the purpose OF obscrv-
ing II. This telescope Is to be made
by revolving large mass OF mercury
at tho bottom OF n well. This Is not
n new idea 1t has been known for a
very long time that mass OF fluid
revolved uniformly about vertical
axis viii assume tho form of a para
holoid of revolution, which Is the form
In which the mirror OF a rejecting
telescope is ground. Clean mercury Is
very fine reflecting surface. Hence.
In theory the idea of such a telescope
Ia fine. In practice II is different. The
parabolic mirrors OF astronomical tall
~scopes must bc madc with an ac-
curacy OF n few milIionths OF an inch.
No large body OF mercury can be
volved with steadlness which will
give the surace anywhere nearly the
accuracy of form necessary for astron-
omical observation The experiment
was tried many years ago by Profes-
sor Wood OF Johns Hopkins University.
lie was tho first. I think. to try II.
As was expected by many. he failed to
have success. There is no likelihood
that such an experiment would he any
moro successful now. l do not expect
to sec IL tried.
Jupiter wifi he a morning star until
April 4. thcn an evening star until Oc-
lnhcr -, tucn n morning star until the
end OF the year Saturn Is a morning
siar until March IS. an evening star
until October 4 and then morning
star until tho end OF the year. IRA
nus is evening star until February IS.
morning star utnil September 4. then
an evening star until tn. end of the
year Neptune IL morning star until
February I. an evening star until Aug
ust 2, then morning star until the
end OF the year. The planets will be
quito interesting during the summer
months.
THE CALENDAR.
Tho Roman Emperor julius Caesar
found tho calendar OF his time so IL
logical and confused that he deter
mined to make a new one. lie sought
ths advice OF an Egyptian astrono-
mer Sosigcnes. They established the
calendar which. with a few modifica-
tious. Is In use today. One modifica-
ton concerns MS here. SosIkenes ar
ranged the months alterns ting 81 days
and 30 days. except that February had
but IS inctcad of 30 days In ordinary
years. The seventh month OF 81 days
was named July. in honor OF Julius
Caesar. His successor. Augustus,
named the eighth month In honor of
himself and In order that II should