The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-28

study of the sun, is also nearby. The
eclipse is not quite total at either
place. AT Mount Wilson, niiety-eight-
hundredths of the suns diameter is
eclipsed and at Lick ninety-six hun
dreths. Even this little departure
from totally. however, is important,
and the chief observations will not
be made from these Cbservatories.
Their equipment, no doubt, will be
used as best it can Another total
eclipse may be seen in January, 1926,
in the northeastern part of the Unit
ed States. This eclipse will be seen
early in the morning and with rath-
er poor prospects for clear weather.
After that time no total eclipse can
be seen from any part of the United
States Until 1879. Hence, those wish
ing to see total eclipse one of
| the most spectacular of the phenom-
ena of nature should avail themselves
! of the opportunity or this year.
There will be three other eclipses
| of lesser Importance during the year
| as follows: a partial eclipse of the
neon Qour-tenths) which occurs in
| the early evening of March 9, visible
| over nearly all OF the United States.
| An annual eclipse of the sun not Wis
ible in any phase in the United States
| occurs March IT. A partial eclipse of
! the moon Ga sixth) visible from the
United States occurs August rs in tie
early morning.
| The Planets
! The only times at which Mercury
can be seen are those times when 1t
is nearly at it's greatest distance
| from the sun. 1t can be seen in the
east before sunrise for a few days
about February %. June %, October
IA and in the west in the early
evening for Few days about May
s. September Q, December u. Venus
| is west of the sun and is morning
star almost the entire year.
| 1t is. farthest west on February 4.
After this it approaches the sun but
| does not pass it to become an evening
star until September 10. Mars is an
evening star until August s. but not
far from the sun at any time. It's
present position low in the southwest
| is marked on Figure 1. Jupiter is q
morning star until May and then an
evening star until November 20 and
| then morning star for the remainder
| of the year. Saturn is a morning star
| until April then evening star I'M
i til October II, then morning star
again. Uranus and Neptune are not
visible to the naked eye. Uranus is
i an evening star until March a and
| after september y. neptune from
February until August IL. Tho pres
ent position is marked on Figure 4
.N OCCUPATIONS
The neon will pass over the
bright star Aldebaran at A, Figure
l, each month, but only five of these
occulations are visible in this part of
the earth. All but one of these five
occur in twilight or daylight. That
one occurs November % about mid
night. After time the moons path
| will have shifted Sc that 1t will no
| longer pass over Aldebaran but pass
to the north of it and in about nine
years 1t will pass over the Pleiades
| at B, Figure /.
The Stars
The skies in the early evening in
| February when Orion is due south
| are the finest of the whole year. The
brighter stars in their. order on Fig
ure l are Sirius at G, the brightest
of all the stars. Capellas at d. Rigel
at e. Procyon at F, Betelguesat G.
Aldebaran at A, Pcllux at II, Regu-
lus at l, and Castor at J.