ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA OF 1881.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 15 August 1881, Page 2

ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA OF 1881.

» The ' San Francisco Bulletin ' has a very interesting article on the above subject. The preseDfc year is full of extraordinary astronomical phenomena the appearance of which has long been anticipated and the subject of variod predicions. The planetary relations are interesting and, important, as they will set at rest many theories concern* ing the influence of the various members of the solar system on one another The planetrry phenomena consist of unusal conjunctions daring that period when these heavenly bodies are in perihelion — namely, at that point in their orbits nearest the sun. Some astrnomers hold that the planetary phenomena of the present year have not occurred in the world's history since the Mosaic creation. There is not a month of the year but whit two or more of the planets are in conjunction. But the most noteworthy of these planetary relations will occur in the months of July. August, and November. On or about the 17th or 19th of July, most of the planets will be in the zodiacal sign of Taurus, and almost in conjunction with the Earth in the sign Aquarius. The planet Uranus will bethe only one excepting the Earth which will not at that period be in Taurus. Strange phenomona are predicted in some quarters from this unusual relationship as the attraction of all the planets excepting Uranus will be on one side of the solar orb, while that of th°, Earth only will be on the other. On the 12 h August, Neptune, Jupiter, and Mercury will be in conjuction, and Venus and Mars will also be in the same condition. On September 7th there will be another double conjuctioD, nameiy, that of Neptune and Jupiter, and Saturn and Mars. But in the early part of November all the planets will be on one side of the Sun. Nep'une. Saturn Jupiter, Mars. Earth, and Mercury will be emerging from the sign Taurus and entering Gemini. Venus and Uranus being the same time iv Virgo. On the 7th of that month the planets Mercury, Earth, and Neptune will be in inferoc conjuction, and tbe planets

Venus an.l Urantn in loigitudiml line. Another astronoraic.il phenomenon of the present year his a direct relationship with the Great Pyramid of Egypt:, which whatever other significance belong to it, is pretty generally c weeded to have been erected for istrouomical observation. But one of the most notable astro* nnmical events which the (Jreifc Pyramid commemorates,, and which, will this yeir hi rep»jar«iii will b; th;j appearance of ihe stir Dracondis in a live wilh the Gre-U (Ull «ry or entrance p issage of the ane'ent structure Such an event has not transpired since tho completion of the Great Pyramid, which is computed to have occured in 217 B.C. When that particular s'ar reaches the position mentioiied, it \s further miinlained thatthecelesti.il dial will haw complete a circle of over 25 000 year?, or, in other words, the heavenly bodies will have resumed the position they where in at that remote period.