Jupiter is now (1912) in the constellation Scorpio, and he will be
in this region, and thus a summer star, for several years to come.
In 1913 he will be in opposition early in July, and will then be in
Sagittarius, not far from the little “milk dipper,” and will be a
gloriously beautiful object during all the summer. He will be in
opposition about August 10, 1914, in Capricornus, and will again be
the most brilliant object in the summer sky. In 1915 he will be in
opposition a little after the middle of September, and will then be
situated on or near the eastern edge of Aquarius, where he will be a
very distinguished star during all the charming evenings of late summer
and the autumn. He always seems particularly splendid when in this
season of the year he reaches opposition. The insistent brilliancy of
his disc brings him then into view before the sun is fairly down; and
he hangs, placid and alone, in the southeastern sky during the autumn
twilight, and later in the evening shows to advantage his dominating
beauty, with Antares on the west of him and Fomalhaut below him, no
less charming in their own way, but far less brilliant than this
splendid planet.
In 1916, when opposition will occur not far from Hallowe’en, Jupiter
will be about on the eastern border of the constellation Pisces, and,
rising then just as the sun sets, will enliven the evening view for the
rest of that year. He will appear at his very best at this time, for
he will be at about his nearest to the sun; and all that this situation
can do for him in the way of enhancing his brilliancy may then be seen.
In 1917 he will be in opposition to the sun about the first of
December, in Taurus; and for the next few years he will be a winter
star, moving majestically along his path in the zodiac, never more
than one and a half degrees from the ecliptic, and passing in turn the
Pleiades, Aldebaran, Castor and Pollux, and the little Bee-hive in
Cancer. There will be no opposition in 1918; but one will occur early
in January, 1919, when Jupiter is in the eastern half of Gemini; and
toward the middle of February, 1920, another will take place, when the
planet is in Cancer, with Castor and Pollux, the sparkling twin stars
in Gemini, to the west of him.
During part of 1920 and all of the next three years Jupiter will be
journeying across Leo, Virgo, Libra, and Scorpio. He will be opposite
the sun in 1921, a little after the middle of March; in 1922, in the
latter half of April; and in 1923, toward the very last of May. He will
pass near Regulus, the sparkling star in the handle of the Sickle, in
the summer of 1920; near Spica in 1921; and he will not be far from
Antares in 1923.
In 1924 Jupiter’s cycle of twelve years will be completed, and he will
be in opposition again early in July, and situated near the western
edge of Sagittarius, not far from where he was in 1912.
These cycles do not repeat themselves exactly; but the planet lacks
only four days of having been in opposition eleven times during twelve
of our years, so that it is not difficult to keep track of him through
a long series of years. For exact dates, such as one needs in a very
close study of the planet, an almanac must be consulted; but this is
not necessary for mere recognition, which is all that is needed to
enjoy the acquaintance of great Jupiter.
Every year Jupiter is an evening star for more than six months. For
two months before opposition he rises somewhat after sundown; at
opposition he appears exactly at the setting of the sun; and thereafter
he is found in the evening sky, appearing farther toward the west each
evening, until, when nearing conjunction, he is lost to our view for a
time. He is a morning star for an equal length of time, and for about
three months can be seen between midnight and six in the morning; but
much of the rest of the time he is obscured by the daylight.
Jupiter retrogrades in his motion for about two months before and after
each opposition; but, since he changes his place to the extent of only
two and a half degrees a month, the whole apparently backward movement
amounts only to ten degrees a year. Still, it is very interesting to
watch him swing back and forth over this ten degrees before he starts
out on each yearly journey.