;76 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE. 



attractions of the greater planets, es- 

 pecially Jupiter and Saturn, near whose 

 orbits it passes. 



Saturn is the only planet to attract at- 

 tention in the evening sky this month. 

 Mercury, which is now east of the sun, 

 setting before the hour for which the 

 chart is drawn, and being too near the 

 sun as yet to attract attention. Although 



Geneva (Switzerland) Observatory. 

 There is nothing improbable, however, in 

 the discovery, because there is reason to 

 think that the rings of Saturn are grad- 

 ually going to pieces, and that process 

 would naturally produce the appearance 

 of faint new rings surrounding the old 

 ones. The other planets are all in the 

 morning sky just now. Venus was very 



Evening SkyMap for January 



Jam MOON PHASEb 

 FullMoon, Jan 6 

 Last Qtr.. Jan. 14. 

 NewMoon,Jan.2 

 Fir5tQ.tr. Jan. 28 



NORTH 





fACE SOUTH AND 

 HOLD THE MAP OVER 

 YOUR HEAD-THE TOP 

 NORTH. AND YOU WILL SEE 

 THESTARSANDPLANETS 

 JUST AS THEY APPEAR 

 INTHEHIAVENS 



SOUTH 



Saturn's rings are not to be seen without 

 a telescope the planet itself is always in- 

 teresting to look at, for it does not resem- 

 ble the fixed stars in appearance, and 

 with its steady, unflickering light may be 

 regarded as a typical planet. The an- 

 nouncement, which was mentioned last 

 month', that there is a new, or at least a 

 hitherto unnoticed ring surrounding the 

 bright rings of Saturn remains at present 

 unconfirmed. The alleged new ring has 

 onlv been seen bv an observer at the 



brilliant there during the late fall and ear- 

 ly winter and drew many inquiries from 

 people who saw her, and, being aston- 

 ished by her brightness, could not imagine 

 what she was. One of the objects of 

 these monthly articles and charts is to 

 enable those who are not familiar with 

 the heavens to recognize such phenomena. 

 Their wonder at the beauty and grandeur 

 of the sky will not be diminished, while 

 their knowledge and satisfaction will 

 be largely increased. 



