THE PLANETS IN SEPTEMBER

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26515, 1 September 1951, Page 8

THE PLANETS IN SEPTEMBER

(Written for “The Press" bu K. W. ROTH) Venus can still be seen at dusk, immediately after sunset, as the evening star for a day or two above the position on the horizon where the sun sets. At the same time Venus has already been the morning star since the last week of August. On September 4 Venus passes the north meridian at the same minute as the sun. However, the plane of the orbit of Venus about the sun is inclined 3J degrees from the plane of the orbit of the earth about the sun. When Venus is at its minimum distance from the earth of 26,000,000 miles, as at present, this may cause Venus to remain more than one hour longer above the horizon than the sun. ,

Through a telescope, and also a field glass, Venus appears as a very thin crescent of large diameter corresponding to a new moon phase, the orientation of the cusps of the crescent changing markedly from day to day. Saturn is low in the west after dusk, and soon disappears altogether behind the sun.

The giant planet Jupiter dominates the nient sky as the brightest star. It rises about 2$ hours after sunset on September 1 and at sunset on September 30. slightly north of true east. Mars is still very poorly placed for observation. It rises about one hour before the sun. But is not yet bright enough to stand out easily against the twilight of dawn.