The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-08-28

There will be two eclipses in September, neither of which is wis., ible from our part of North Amer ica. The first of these, on the 18th, is small partial eclipse of the sun, covering at it's maximum phase only about twentieth of the solar disk. This phenomenon will be visible only from Alaska, the northern part of the Pacific ocean and the most easterly part of Siberia. The second of the eclipses is g. total one of the moon on tho z6th, visible, wholly or in part, nearly all over the world ex- cept North America and the west ern part of South America. The fifth eclipse of 1881 will take place in october; it will be another par tial one of the sun and will also be invisible from our attitudes. Thus 1881 will not be a distin- guished year for eclipse astronomy but next year we will be greatly favored by total eclipse visible from path of totality passing over eastern Canada and New England.
 The Autumnal Equinox
 
 the 23rd at 7:24 p. m., Eastern Standard Time, when the sun will be on the autumnal equinox, cross ing the equator on it's southward journey along the ecliptic circle. For our friends who live in south ern latitudes, below the terrestrial equator, this marks the beginning of their springtime and is for them a vernal rather than an autumnal equinox. Our science having orig mated in northern attitudes, the names seem to be quite proper; but with the growth of importance of the peoples in South America, South Africa, and Australia, 1t would seem that a revision in these names is called for. The vernal equinox could with propriety be called the northern equinox: the autumnal equinox then would be the southern one. In this way, a large number of scientists and lay men would not be required to use what to them is definite misno- mer.
 Tho September equinox lies in the western part of the constella- ton of Virgo, not far from the star Zaniah or Eta Virginis, of the third magnitude. On account of the proximity of the sun this constella- ton is, of course, invisible at this time of the year but can be read fly observed in the spring and earlier in summer. The position of the vernal equinox. on the other hand, in the constellation of Pisces between the great square in Pe- gasus and the western limits of the constellation Cetus, is over the horizon at night. Some thousands of years ago. in the dawn of scien- tifc astronomy, the autumnal equinox lay in the constellation of Libra, the zodiacal constellation which follows Virgo from the east. For this reason, the sun is sometimes said to enter the "sign" of Libra when it reaches the autum nal equinox, just as 1t is said to en- ter the "sign" of Aries when it reaches the vernal equinox which really lies in Pisces.
 The Planets
 Mercury reaches greatest west ern elongation on the goth and is a morning star for some days be- fore and after this date. As 1t rises at best only about one and one half hours before the sun, it is low in the sky which is already quite bright. It is not easy to find, therefore. even though it's bright. ness is equal to that of a first magnitude star. Venus and Mars are both too close to the sun to be observed: but Jupiter is visible sa morning star and Saturn. the ringed planet is in the night sky. It is close to the meridian at map time although low over the south ern horizon. Uranus is also in the evening sky but Is a telescopic ob- ject only.
 The Fixed Stars
 The great triangle of stars marked by Vega in Lyra, Deneb in Cygnus, and Altair in Aquila, which ! as described last month is still high overhead at map-time. Note also the Milky Way which extends from the northeastern horizon through this triangle and dips below the horizon again in the southwest. In the Cygnus field one can readily notice the dark spots in the Milky Way from which the stars seem to be strangely miss ing. From Cygnus. too, down to the horizon the stream seems divided into two parallel parts. Astron-