A Deceptive Planet.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 279, 26 February 1881, Page 2

A Deceptive Planet.

If we may credit the astronomers, Jupiter is once more behaving in a highly mysterious and reprehensible manner. So long as he confined himself to exhibiting one unsightly red spot upon his face, no one complained very bitterly. It was generally hoped that, in course of time, this much-respected orb would see the error of his ways, and cease to assume the appearance of an inebriated planet. Sad to relate, however, he has gone from bad to worse, and is just now showing, side by side with the red spot complained of, a number of white ones, which give to his countenance an appearance sad to behold. No wonder that quiet, staid astronomers, who, as all the world knows, are quite averse to joking, stand aghast at such an exhibition. For many years Jupiter has held a deservedly high place in their estimation, and they had come to regard him as a globe of such regular habits that he might be depended upon in any emergency. They had long ago declared him to be as “ cool as a cucumber,” and were half inclined to allot both atmosphere and inhabitants to him, when he breaks out in this unexpected way. All their calculations are constantly upset He may be in a boiling heat for all we know, a deceptive planet who has attempted to look calm and cold, while all the time he has been a state of furious conflagration. This teaches astronomers to be chary in future of giving a good character to any heavenly body. If Jupiter be so bad as this, what may be expected of stars that have no reputation to lose.—London Teleg) aph.