ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA OF 1881.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3157, 10 August 1881, Page 4

ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA OF 1881.

The San Francisco Bulletin has a very intwe.ting article on the above subject. The present year ia full of extraordinary astronomical phenomena, the appearance of which has long been anticipated and the subject of varied predictions. The planetary relations are interesting and important, as they will set at rest many theories ooncerning the influence of the various members of the solar system on one another. The planetary phenomena consist of unusual conjunctions during that period when these heavenly bodies are in perihelion— namely, at that point in their oi-bits nearest the sun. Some astronomers 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 what two or more of the planets are in conjunction. But tho most noteworthy of these planetary relation! will occuf in the month, of July,

August, and November. On or about the 17th or 19th of July, mo9t of the planets will bi> in the zodiacal sign of Taurus, and almost in conjunction, with the Earth in the sijm Aquarius. The planet Uranus will be the only one excepting the Earth will not at that period be in Taurus. Strange phenomena are predicted in some quarters from this unusual relationship, as the attraction of all the planets excepting Uranus will be on one side of th - Vr orb, while that of the Earth only will be on the other. On the 12th August, Neptune, Jupiter, and Mercury will be in conjunction, and Venus and Mars will also be in the same condition. On September 7th there will be another double conjunction, namely, that of Neptune and Jupiter, and Saturn and Mars. But in the early part of November all tho planets will be on one side of the *un. Neptune, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Karth, and Mercury will be emerging from the iiun Taurus and entering Geminii, Venus and Uranus being at the same time in Virsjo. On the 7th of that month the planets Mercury, Karth, and Neptune will be in inferior conjunction, and the planets Venus and Uranus in longitudinal line. Another astronomical phenomenon of the present year has a direct relationship with the Great Pyramid of Egypt, which, whatever other significance belongs to it, is pretty generally conceded to have been erected for astronomical observation. But one of the mo it notable astronomical events which the Great Pyramid commemorates, and which will this ynr be repeated, will be tho apvtAi.ran.'ft of the stm - Draconis in a line wiMi the Great Gallery or entrance passage of the anient structure. Such an event ha« not transpired since the completion of the i"«r»at Pyramid, which is computed to bar- occitreJ in .170 B.C. When that particular star reaches the position mentioned, it is further maintained that the celestial dial will have completed a circle of over 25,000 years, or, in other words, the heavenly bodies will have resumed the position they were in that remote period.