The evening times., 1896-04-09
CLEANING lPRIl STARS
Night Guard Of the Pure White
Easter Lilies.
CONJUNCTION OF PLANETS
The OccultatiOn of "Red Mars" by
"the Mailed jestic U rsa
Mntor-story Of Hercules Twelve
Labors-virgO, the Rare and Ra-
diant Maiden of the Heavens.

"The ApriTs in her eyes; 1t Is loves
spring." sang Shakespeare, in beautiful
allusion to the month when the buds begin
10 omen. whence its Latin christening.
Not so euphonious, no owever. is the old
fashioned pronunciation, Aprilc, winch slili
prevails in many rural districts, with NUM-
berIcss excellent authorities to back IL,
even though they be not classed with the
photographers.
The ..hosJ OF heaven looks down this
month upon a garden OF Easter lilies
These pure symbols OF the exalted faith Of
Christendom, guarded by night by the holy
stars, Illustrate the blending Of the terres-
trial with the celestial glory.
Notes and Queries contains an interest
ing account of 4 scare in prominent
London corner concerning the date ap-
pointed for the observance or Easter III
1918. In the autumn Of the year previous
the publisher, Reeves, became SO convinced
that an error Of the calendar had been com
mitteI that ne did not hesitate to correspond
with the prime minister on the subject
That high runctionary, alarmed III turn
communicated the matter TO the lord chan
celiur and also to the archbishop OF Cantcr-
bury. His grace, the latter. happily set the
matter at rest by quoting from the "kalen-
darr tables the rule for the determination
Of Easter, and the lord chancellor coin
cided in his opinion expressed TO the prime
minister.
The famous Council ofNice t325 orl;incd
that Easter should be celebrated upon Tie
Sunday following the 1ith day or the
Paschal moon, falling on or after March Il;
and in the event OF the l4th day falling
upon Sunday, Easter should be regarded
as the Sunday after.
THE CALENDAR MOON.
II must be noted that the Paschal moon
Is not the true full moon, but the tabular
or calendar ''moon," determined by The
''epact." Reeves anxiety had been induced
by the fact that tull moon occurred on
The day selected for Easter, and lie feared
that business complications might arise
from the supposed error.
The reluctance of England to adopt the
Grcgoriau change of The calendar in 1859
threatened arrangement of the Easter
observance. until 1852, when the New
Style was put into use in the United
Kingdom.
Al = u. m. the majestic Urs1 Major Will
DC found above and 10 the east OF Polaris,
The well-defiued clipper hanging in the
sky with its pointers etcrDally directed
toward that important guide OF Bewildercd
travellers. A more dointy clipper" is
formed by Ursa Minor, and the star at the
end OF The handle is Polaris. This fainter
constellation may be satisfactorily traced
On clca night in the absence of the neon.
Opposite TO Ursa Major, and west of the
Pole, is Pcrseus, with his glorious cluster Of
small stars, and the curious variable star
Algol. Draco's sinuous outlines are seen
below and to the east, with the cvcr.faint
Cepheus below and to The west. Also west is
seen the zigzag group of bright stars known
as Cassiopeia's Chair. In the east appears
Bootes, whose distinguishing brilliant Is
Arcturus.
Along the eclptic Virgo is rising, Leo IS
midway to the meridian, Cancer extends TO
the meridian and Gcmini is past it; still be-
yond is Taurus, then Aries, while Pisces is
sinking to rest.
Hydra and the Crater are seen in the south
east. and the south still boasts CAMS Minor.
CAMS Ma iOr and Orion lingcr in the south
west. North of the ecliptic are Coma Bcr-
enices and Cor CAROL. Auriga is COnspi.u-
Gus above Gemini AMI Taurus. and .indrom-
eda is about TO bid farewell TO our evening
skies.