This planet will be morning star till the 13th, after which it will be evening star till the end of the month. It rises on the 1st at 3:41 a. m.; sets on the 15th at 7:41 p. m., and on the 30th at 8:07 p. m., on which latter date it is possibly visible to the naked eye. Its motion during the month is direct, and amounts to 62° 30′ 31.5″. On the 17th at 6:00 a. m. it is nearest the sun; on the 12th at 1:00 a. m., 6° 20′ north of Venus; on the same date, at midnight, is in superior conjunction with the sun; that is, it is in a line with the earth and sun, and in the order, Earth, Sun, Mercury; on the 23rd, at 3:00 a. m., 1° 10′ north of Jupiter; and on the 23rd, at 7:05 a. m., 6° 30′ north of the moon. Diameter decreases from 5.6″ to 5.4″.
VENUS.
A view of Venus during this month through a telescope of moderate power would be an interesting sight, since she now presents the appearance of our moon in its first or last quarter, and thus seems quite different from the simple star that is visible to the naked eye. She will be evening star till the 11th, at which time she reaches her inferior conjunction, that is, reaches a point directly between the earth and the sun; after which she will be morning star, not only to the end of this month, but for several successive months. Of course, for a number of days both before and after conjunction, she will, on account of her proximity to the sun, be invisible. We shall miss her “beaming countenance,” but we know that she will appear again. On the 1st she sets at 8:14 p. m., and rises on the 15th at 4:38 a. m., and on the 30th at 3:17 a. m. On the 21st at 6:28 a. m. she is 1° 11′ south of the moon; and on the 29th at 11:00 a. m., farthest from the sun.
MARS
Has from the 1st to 30th a direct motion of 15° 36′ 32″, and although much reduced in apparent diameter, is still quite a prominent object in the evening sky, following westward in the wake of Jupiter. His diameter decreases from 5.6″ to 5.2″. He rises in the forenoon, and sets as follows, in the evening: On the 1st at 10:47; on the 15th at 10:11; and on the 30th at 9:31. On the 26th at 5:04 p. m. he is 2° 5′ north of the moon.
JUPITER
Will be evening star throughout the entire month, though at its close approaching so near the sun as to be scarcely visible. He sets at the following times: On the 1st at 9:08; on the 15th at 8:22; and on the 30th at 7:33 p. m. His motion is direct, and amounts from the 1st to the 30th, to 6° 17′ 55″. Diameter decreases from 30.2″ to 29.6″. On the 23rd, at 3:00 a. m. is 1° 10′ south of Mercury; and on the same day at 6:34 a. m. is 5° 21′ north of the moon.
SATURN.
This planet is now one of our morning stars, rising on the 1st at 3:06, on the 15th at 2:17, and on the 30th at 1:25 a. m. Motion direct, amounting to 3° 32′ 30¾″. Diameter increases from 15.6″ to 16.2″. On the 19th, at 1:01 p. m. is 3° 2′ north of the moon.