THE ASTEROIDS.

About one hundred little planets called Asteroids, have been discovered, whose orbits are between Mars and Jupiter. Every year new discoveries are made among them, and soon the number will doubtless be many more. Some of them are so exceedingly small, that it might seem inappropriate to call them planets or worlds. But any solid body having an orbit, if it be no larger than a cannon-ball, is entitled to rank as a world. A vast number of these may exist between Mars and Jupiter, which will never be discovered because of their littleness. Indeed, this may be said of all the inter-orbital spaces in the solar system. Asteroidal bodies appear to be revolving around the Sun, in orbits not far from that of the Earth. Others, also, revolve around the Earth like the Moon, attending our planet as invisible satellites. The Aerolitis, or falling masses of stones, are really Asteroids, whose orbits cross the Earth's track, or else wind spirally inward, as a consequence of the Earth's superior attraction. When one of these bodies and the Earth approach each other, at the intersection of their orbits, the former must strike upon the Earth, representing a miniature collision of worlds.

VERSED SINES OF THE ILLUMINATED DISCS OF VENUS AND MARS.

0.999

0.984

0.964
0.999

0.962

0.913

0.897

0.895

PHASES OF VENUS.-DIRECT IMAGE.

EVENING STARS.

Venus, from May 9th to the end of the year.
Mars, all the year.

Jupiter, until April 17th, and after Aug. 12th.
Saturn, from March 7th to Dec. 11th.

0.948

0.891

0.818

0.734

0.628

0.495

Venus will exhibit a gibbous phase, until December 13th, except about the 9th of May, when it is Full, or a perfect circle. At its greatest elongation, December 13th, it shows half its diameter, and after that it becomes a crescent. Mars is always gibbous, except when Full, being least at the quadratures..

0.907

0.924

0.943

0.959

MORNING STARS.

0.974

0.986

The disc of Venus will be nearly circular, and not of much interest, until October. It becomes a crescent after the 18th of December.

Venus, until May 9th.

Jupiter, from April 17th to Aug. 12th.

Saturn, until March 7th.

Mercury, March 21st, July 19th, and Nov. 7th.

NOTE.-The exterior planets are regarded as Evening Stars from their western quadrature to conjunction with the Sun, and as Morning Stars from conjunction to western quadrature, rising in the latter case between midnight and sunrise. The interior planets are Evening Stars from superior conjunction to their inferior conjunction, and then Morning Stars to superior conjunction. Venus does not reach the inferior conjunction this year, but it runs rapidly to it after its greatest elongation east, Dec. 18th, being about this time very beautiful.

EPHEMERIS OF THE PRINCIPAL PLANETS,

showing their Declination at transit, and time of transit, over the Meridian of Washington, and their rising and setting at night for the latitude of Washington. The rising of Uranus may be found very nearly by subtracting 7h. 19m. from its meridian passage, and its setting by adding 7h. 19m.

EPHEMERIS OF THE PRINCIPAL PLANETS,

showing their Declination at transit, and time of transit, over the Meridian of Washington, and their rising and setting at night for the latitude of Washington. The rising of Uranus may be found very nearly by subtracting 7h. 19m. from its meridian passage, and its setting by adding Th. 19m.

8 3916

Dec'l.

16

22 16 48
16

16 49

21 JUPITER.

44 16

1 19 5 57

5 57
5 57

14 5 56

In
Merid.

6 27

46 6 23 15

1 43 6 20 15
1 41 6 17 15

1 39 6 15 15 211 61
37 6 12

6 9
8

1 32 6 6
1 30 6 4
28 6 2
16 1 26 6 1
8 1 25 60

23 57 1 23 5 59

44 1 21 5 57

North. Morn. Morn. South. Even. Morn.
⚫/H. M. H. M.
⚫ / Н. М. н. м.
14 59 8 9 1 18 20 33 10 2 2 56
15 8 7 59 1 8 20 33 9 49 2 43
15 17 7 49 058 20 33 9 37 2 31
15 26 789 0 47 20 32 9 24 2 18
15 34 7 30 0 37 20 31 9 12 26
15 42 7 20
20 31 9 0 1 54
15 49 7 10 0 17 20 30 8 47 1 41
15 56 7 006 20 30 8 35 1 29
16
49 Even. 20 30 8 23 1 17
16
20 29 8 11 1 5
20-30 755 0 49
20 30 7 43 0 37
81 0 25
20 30 7 19 0 13
7

10 55

10 33 21 10 21 10 10 10

15

50 6 31 15 38 0 17

14
14

Rises. Dee'l.

14

14 23 9 34
14 19 9 21
14 15 9 8

14 12 8 55

46 Morn.

14 56 10 52 5 46
14 49 39 5 33
14

13

14 7 8 18
14 686

SATURN.

In
Merid.

29 3 19

Beta.

10

21 12 2 47
21 14 2 36
21 17 €26
12

IH URANUS.

Dee'l.

6 55 Even.

6 43

20

6 32

34 6 20 11 11 20 36 6 9 11 0 37 5 53 10 44 39 5 10.33 40 5 31 10 22 42 5 10 10 44 5 8 9 58 45 4 57 9 47 20 47 46 9 36 9.25 24 9 14 13 9 3

8 52 51 8 41 8.30 8 19

8 9

7 58
7.47
7 37 22
7 25

7 15 22
7 0 22

27 21 47 0 8

22

19 6

21 30
21 32
21 34 1 9 5 56 22
36 0 59 5 46
39 0 48 5 35
5 24

18 5 4 22
4 54 22
21 49 Morn Rises. 22 16
21 50 11 47 Morn 22. 17
21 52 11 36 6 51
21 54 11 26 6 41
21 55 11 16 6 31
21 57 11 6621
21 58 10 55 6 10

In Merid.

22 18 1 51
22 19 1
22
22 21 1 14
22 22 1

D. of Mt'b.

THE SUN'S DECLINATION FOR WASHINGTON APPARENT NOON.

January. February. March.
South. South. South.

"

1 22 57 50 1656 3 2 22 52 22 16 38 39 3 22 46 28 16 20 58 4 22 40 5 16 259 5 22 33 16 15 44 44 622 26 1 15 26 13 7 22 18 18 15 726 8 22 10 9 14 48 24 921 135 14 29 7 10 21 52 34 14 935 11 21 43 8 13 49 49 12 21 33 17 13 29 50 13 21 23 013 937 14 21 12 19 12 49 12 15 20 1 14 12 28 34 16 20 49 44 12 744 17 203751 11 46 43 18 20 25 34 11 25 31 19 19 1254 11 4 8 20 19 59 52 10 42 35 21 19 46 27 10 20 52 22 19 32 40 959 0 23 19 18 31 93658 24 18 4 2914 49 25 18 49 11 852 30 26 1834 0 830 4 27 18 18 298 731 28 17 235 744 50 29 17 46 27 30 17 29 58 31 17 13 10

DATE.

ECLIPSES OF JUPITER'S MOONS FOR 1869.-VISIBLE

No.
Sat.

Aug. 31

"

46

11 III

46 18 III

5.II

" 19 I

46

22 II

86

26 I

86 30 II

66

30,II

Time.

April. May.
June.
North. North. North.

"

" "

0 ""

• !!!

"

" "!

!!!

3

722 38 445 7 15 14 11 22 749 23 528 175437 8 635
659 9 5 8 9 15 32 4 22 15:36 23 1 2173913, 74439
636 10 531 7 15 49 41 22 22 59 22 56 13 172332 72237
613 5 55358 16 7 4 22 29 59 2251 0:17 734 7 027
549 55 616 43 16 24 10 22 36 35 22 45 22 1651 19 638 10
5 26 39 6 39 22 16 41 0 22 42 47 22 39 21 16 34 48 615 47
5 320 7 155 1657 34 22 48 36 22 32 57 16 18 0 55317
4 39 56 724 20 17 1351 2254 1 22 26 9 16 057 53041
4 16 29 7 46 38 17 29 50 22 59 1 22 18 58 15 43 39 5 8 0
35258 8 848 17 45 32 23 3 38 22 11 23 15 26 5 44514
3 29 25 830 50 18 057 23 750 22 326 15 817 422 23
5 49 852 43 18 16 3 2311 38 21 55 6 14 50 14 3 59 27
24211 914 28 18 30 51 2315 1 21 46 24 14 31 56 33627
21832 936 3 18 45 20 23 17 59 21 37 19 14 13 25 31324
15451 957 29 18 59 30 23 20 33 21 27 52 13 54 41 250 16
131 9 10 18 45 19 13 21 23 22 42 21 18 3 13 35 43 227 6
7 26 10 39 51 19 26 53/23 24 26 21 752 131632
043 44 11 046 19 40 4 23 25 46 20 57 20 12 59 9
020 2 11 21 30 19 52 56 23 26 41 20 46 27 12 37 34
N. 340 11 42 8 20 5 27 23 27 11 20 35 13 12 17 46
S. 27 21 12 224 2017 37 23 27 16 20 23 38 11 57 47
051 1 12 22 34 20 29 27 23 26 56-20 11 43 11 37 36
11438 12 42 31 20 40 56 23 26 11 1959 27 11 17 15
138 14 13 2 16 20 52 3 23 25 2 19 46 51 10 56 43
2 1 48 13 21 47 21 249 23 23 28 19 33 56 1036 0
225 18 13 41 6 21 13 13 23 21 29 19 20 41 10 15 7
248 46 14 011 21 23 15 2319 619 7 7 954 4
3 12 10 14 19 2 21 32 55 23 16 18 185314 93252
3 35 31 14 37 39 21 42 12 23 13 6 1839 2 91131
358 47 14 56 2 2151 7,23 9 29 18 24 32 850 1
4 22 0 .... 21 59 40.. 18 943 828 22|

1

H. M. ".

7 20 15.1 Ev.

8 9 25.9 Ev. 10 30 14.5 Ev. 10 40 23.1 Ev.

Phase. DATE.

Em. Sept. 21

W

Im.
Em.
Im.

2 56 33.1 Mo. Im.

1 23 58.3 Mo. Em.

3 30 35.9 Mo. Im.

0 47 35.1 Mo. Im.

11 43 49.5 Ev. Em.

2 41 21.2 Mo. Im.

0 4 43.5 Mo. Im.

2 20 5.1 Mo. Em.

No.
Sat.

66

66 64

"

66

66 30 III
30 II
Oct. 4 I
8 II
11 I

66

66

66

12 I
15 II

""

66

66

66

66

66

66

July. August.

North. North.

н. м. 8.

30 III

4 35 10.1 Mo. Im.
3I 11 3 36.0 Ev. Im.
6 II 2 40 53.6 Mo. Im.
6 II
4 56 13.0 Mo. Em.
11 I
0 57 29.8 Mo. Im.
13 II 5 4 55.8 Mo. Im.
15 III 9 24 42.6 Ev. Em.
18 I 2 51 28.5 Mo. Im.
19 I 9 20 2.4 Ev. Im.
22 III 11 34 30.8 Ev. Im.
23111
1 24 44.8 Mo. Em.
23 II 9 10 34.8 Ev. Im.
25 I 4 45 33.3 Mo. Im.
26 I
11 14 8.7 Ev. Im.
335 0.0 Mo. Im.
5 24 45.7 Mo. Em.
11 46 22.7 Ev. Im.
1 8 21.7 Mo. Im.
2 22 5.7 Mo. Im.
3 2 42.0 Mo. Im.
9 31 16.2 Ev. Im.
4-57 44.8 Mo. Im.
4 57 10.6 Mo. Im.
11 25 46.9 Ev. Im.
8 51 10.0 Ev. Im.
1 20 26.0 Mo. Im.
7 39 36.3 Ev. Im.
7 49 9.4 Ev. Im.

18 I

19 I

25 II

27 I

28 III

28 I

4 940 15 14 28 22 11 28 43252 15:33 0 22 19:40 456 0.15 51 16 22 27 17 519 5 16 916 22 34 27 542 516 27 022 41 11 6 5 1 1644 27. 22 47 27 62752 17 137 22 5317 650 38 17 18 30 22 58 40 7 13 19 17:35 423 335 735 53 1751 21 23 8 3 758 21 18 718 23 12 3 8 20 42 18 22 57 23 15 36 842 57 1838 15 23 18 40 9 5 3 1853 15 23 21 17 2 353 927 219 753 23 23 25 14037 948 52 19 2212 23 25 6 1 17 19 10 10 34 1936 9 23 26 18 053 59 10 32 7 19 49 45 23 27 2 0 30 38 105331 20 259 23 27 17 N. 715 11 14 44 20 15 51 2327-4 S. 16 811 35 48 20 28 21 23 26 23 0 39 32 11 56 41 20 40 28|23 25 14 1 257 1217 23 20 52 13 23 23 36 126 21 12 37 54 21 333 23 21 31 1 49 45 1258 14 21 14 30 23 18 57 213 813 18 21 21 25 3231555 236 30 13 38 16 21 35 12 23 12 24 2 59 50 13 57 58 21 4456 23 826 1417 26 23.4 1

"

AT WASHINGTON.

No.
Bat.

Time.

Phase.

н. м. ..

11 26 40.8 Ev. Im. 3 15 14.4 Mo. Im.

9 44 0.2 Ev. Im. 11 41 14.0 Ev. Im. 4 17 33.4 Mo. Em. 1 46 307 Mo. Em. 5 30 11.9 Mo. Em. 8 15 19.8 Ev. Em. 3 41 48.4 Mo. Em. 811 0.8 Ev. Em. 10 10 33.6 Ev. Em. 10 46 37.2 Ev. Em. 05 55.0 Mo. Em. 6 34 51.0 Ev. Em. 1 2 15.1 Mo. Em. 21257Mo. Em. 8 30 22.9 Ev. Em. 7 49 27.8 Ev. Im. 9 36 40.0 Ev. Em. 10 26 2.1 Ev. Em. 11 51 31.1 Ev. Im. 1 38 41.1 Mo. Em. 0 21 47.4Mo. Em. 7 51 28.0 Ev. Em. 6 50 41.9 Ev. Em. 10 27 13.6 Ev. Em. 8 46 32.8 Ev. Em.

NOTE.-The above table includes only those eclipses which occur when the Sun is more than 8° below, and Jupiter more than 8° above the horizon of Washington, all other eclipses occur