76 
nature study. 
The Planets in October. 
BY GEORGE I. HOPKINS. 
It is an unusual event for all the planets to be visible in 
a single evening between sunset and midnight, but such is 
the case this month in a perfectly clear atmosphere. If 
the observer will choose a position any evening at six o’clock 
where he can secure an unbroken view of the southern and 
southwestern horizon, he will, if the air be clear, see Jupi¬ 
ter and Saturn in the south at an altitude of about thirty 
degrees, Jupiter being on the right, and Venus in the south¬ 
west a few degrees lower. If the atmosphere be very clear 
and the eye of the observer keen, he can also see the red 
planet Mars within two or three degrees of Venus. In the 
lower latitudes much better observations can be made be¬ 
cause of the larger angle which this part of the ecliptic makes 
with the horizon and consequently of the planets’ increased 
altitude. 
If the observer will watch until the other stars appear, 
he will see that Jupiter and Saturn are very near a group 
of stars which was mentioned in Nature Study a year a- 
go last month as the distinguishing group of the constel¬ 
lation Saggitarius. If the atmospheric conditions be very 
favorable the constellation Scorpio may also be discerned 
thirty degrees farther to the west and a few degrees nearer 
the horizon. The planet Uranus is in Scorpio but it will 
require a telescope to observe it. Under favorable condi¬ 
tions this planet shines as a star of the sixth magnitude, 
and can just be detected with the naked eye if the observ¬ 
er be skilled and knows just where to look. 
The planet Neptune requires a telescope of at least eight 
inches aperture and with eye piece of highest magnifying 
power for detectior , so it is evident that few persons ever 
have or ever can see this planet. It may be some satisfac- 
