The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-03-06
Today S Science
BY DAVID DIETZ-

CPRING is just around the corner. Don't let the
- snow or the chill winds or the state of the Their
mometer fool YOU The heavens proclaim the fact.
Day skies and night skies unite IN the proclamation
Each day the sun rises a little earlier and sets a
little later Al night the consultations OF winter
are moving toward the west. Over the eastern
horizon are creeping new consultations the con-
stellationS OF spring.
DAYS are catching up with the nights in length.
They Will be approximately equal on March q for
spring begins officially % that DAY at S1s At
that moment the will be at the point in its
apparent path known the vernal equinox.
This Is Of the two points where the suns
apparent path or eCllptiC crosses the celestial
equator The celestial equator IS the projection of
the earths equator into the heavens. Until the
sun has been south Of the celestial equator. When
IL reaches the vernal equinox. II passes from the
south 10 the north.
+ ATE last fall. YOU Will remember. as the leaves
l. fell from the trees and the winds grew cold,
Orion began 10 climb over the eastern horizon. Now
Orion the mighty hunter and Taurus. the celestial
bull are IN thg west. nearing the western horizon.
Consultations Of spring are coming over the
eastern horizon BOOtes. the bear-driver. and Virgo
the virgin Both Of these consultations are low IN
the east.
Bootes is easily identified by its bright star
Arcturus one Of the best known stars Of antiquity
New prominence was given ArcturuS two years ago
when It was chosen the star whose light should
turn on the lights OF Century Of Progress Fair
Chicago.
The constellation of Bootes pronounced Bo-o-tes
With both "os" and the e" long, gets its name of
the bear driver because Of its proximity TO the
Big Dipper which is part of the Great Bear.
ArcturuS means the watcher OF the bear" The
star is mentioned in many ancient writings. Virgil
makes frequent mention OF the star. 1t Is one Of
the few stars mentioned by name IN the Bible.
The distance 70 ArcturS Is 40 light years. that is,
40 times six trilion miles. Il for this reason
that Il vas CHOSEN 10 light the Chicago fair. Be-
cause its night takes 10 years reach the earth the
beam Of light which opened the fair left ArcturuS
Just when the old Columbia exposition IN
Chicago.
THREE planets are 10 be seen in the night skies
Il Of March. but not al the same time. AT sunset.
Venus brightest Of all the planets. shines with
beautiful clear light IN the As the night grows
darker. Venus glovs more brightly.
But Venus sets early. II dips below the horizon
at about p. during the first part Of the month
BY the end OF The month 1t will have moved a little
higher into the sky and so Will not set until o. m.
About $50 p. m. Mars comes over the eastern
horizon. The bright star Spica Is near Mars and so
rises at about the same time
Note that If YOU carry the curve OF the handle
Of the Big Dipper beyond Arcturus that il brings
YOU 20 Spica. II you remember this fact YOU will
never have trouble IN locating Arcturus and Spica
Jupiter comes over the horizon about midnight
II shines with clear white light like Venus but is
not so bright.
Saturn is too close to the for observation