The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-28

striking and interesting part of the heav- ems were it not that the sun is also very near this region and by his overpow- eianS brightness renders a satisfactory study of these planets impossible. Their positions and motions throusLout the month are, however, shown in figure 2.
 Many interesting conjunctions and con figurations occur during the next few weeks among these closely neighborng worlds. Thus Venus passes to the east or Uranus on March 19; Mars passes very close to Jupiter on March 9; Mercury passes to the east of Jupiter on March 2' and to the east of Mars on April ,. At the conjunction of Mars and Jupi- ter the two planets will appear to De SCI arated by a distance equal to only ohe-third of the distance across the noon. This would form a most beautiful sky figure were the two worlds not so nearly lost in the rays of the sun
 The planet Saturn is still high In the heavens. almost on the border line be- tween Taurus and Gemini. It is thus In excellent position for observation. anl Is beautiful object in moderately large telescope. During the past few weeks the shading of its south polar regions and the indefinite reddish hands above its ball have been unusually promi- ntnt, while the shadow of the ball on the most distant side of the rings is now very easily seen. As this whole great world is, however, doubtless still but ball of vapor, the shapes and ex- tent of its surface markings are coll tl'ually changing.
 The scenter of the sun will this year cross the celestial equator on March N at Il hours 51 minutes 16 seconds a. m. (Eastern standard time) and at this ln- stant spring will begin. Our present calendar depends wholly upon the posi- ton of the sun in the sky; as the suc- cession of the season Is, or course, caused by the motion of the sun alone, this ,s by far the most natural and convenient body to employ for the reckoning of time. In earlier times, however, the calendar was based almost wholly upon the moon. The Mohammedans still en- ploy a purely lunar calendar; their year consists of 12 lunar months and is there fore about 10 days shorter than our 1t follows as consequence of this that any fixed date in their calendar will oc- cur about 10 days earlier each year (by our reclSoning). and will hence move through all of the four seasons in about 36 years.
 Though the moon has thus been who,iy discarded from our civil reckoning It still governs the occurrence of church days; thus Easter. for example, is al- ways the Sunday immediately following that full moon which occurs first after the vernal equinox. The vernal equinox is this year on March 21; the next fun moon is on Wednesday, March 31. and the following Sunday April 4) Is therefore Easter Sunday.
 It is thus evident that the date may vary by as much as five weeks in diff ferent years. During the past century Faster occurred as early as March 2 three times, and once Gin 1S1S) 1t oc- cured on March 2. It's earliest occur renee during the present century was in 1918, March 25. and its latest will bo in 194S, April 9. Next year we will in I94s, April 25. Next year we w.ll being April 2s.
 1t is thus seen that while the date of occurrence of the present year is a rather early one 1t is by no means re- go. Tho average of all por. slble dates is April t