The Evening Star by Augusta Wolcott Heald

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jun 10, 1913

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 40, No. 23.

The Evening Star

By Augusta Wolcott Heald

By Augusta Wolcott Heald

The planet Venus, beloved by every one as the “star of the evening,” has seemed especially beautiful to us this season. We first began to observe her in the latter part of September, tho in some altitudes she was visible much earlier.

We made various excursions to an adjacent hill at the twilight hour, for a first glimpse of the beautiful orb. When, at last, our search was rewarded, she appeared as a small, brilliant gem just above the sunset point, and very soon disappeared in the golden glow.

Each evening, she rose a little further east of the sun, and soon we could view her from the dooryard, and from the south and west windows. She continued this eastward motion, increasing, apparently, in size and brilliancy, and rising higher and higher in

the heavens, till she reached an angle of about forty-six degrees.

She then commenced her retrograde motion, turning again toward the west, and approaching the sun.

Venus has been a most beautiful object all through the winter and spring months. In April, as she advanced nearer and nearer to her conjunction, she gradually assumed the crescent form; for she, like the moon, passes through different phases. It is very interesting to watch her through the telescope as the crescent grows finer and finer.

The retrograde motion of Venus is accomplished in a much shorter time than the direct motion. While she was yet quite high in the heavens, a week of cloudy skies concealed her from view. When the nights were again clear, she was no longer visible to us—her beautiful light is absorbed in the splendor of the setting sun. When a week or more has passed, she will appear before dawn in the eastern sky, and will be our “morning star.”

Venus accompanies the earth as morning and evening star, alternately, for a period of two hundred ninety days each time. Her year is equal to seven and one half of our months. Her day is about twenty-five minutes shorter than ours. When nearest to earth, her distance is about twenty-six millions of miles. Her greatest distance is about one hundred sixty-four millions of miles. Being much nearer to the sun, she is supposed to receive twice as much light and heat as does the earth.

What is the wondrous power that adjusts the lovely evening star in its orbit, and upholds the countless myriads of glowing worlds, controlling and guiding their motions through the unlimited realms of space? Some call it gravitation—“and others call it GOD.”

“By His Spirit the heavens are garnished. . . . Lo, these are but the outskirts of His ways: and how small a whisper do we hear of Him!” Job 26:13, 14.

We shall learn more and more of the marvelous works of God, our Creator and Redeemer, when—

“Face to face in all His glory, We shall see Him by and by.”

Windham, New Hampshire.