Page images
PDF
EPUB

EMBER DAYS.

Wednesday, Friday and Saturday after: First Sunday in Lent-March 8, 10 and 11; Pentecost-June 7. 9 and 10; September 14-September 20, 22 and 23; December 13-December 20, 22 and 23.

GREEK CHURCH OR RUSSIAN CALENDAR. A. D. 1911; A. M. 8020.

[blocks in formation]

Peter, aud Paul, Chlef Apostles.
First Day of Theotokos.
Transfiguration.

Repose of Theotokos.
St. Alexander Nevsky.
Nativity of Theotokos.
Exaltation of the Cross.
Patronage of Theotokos,
First Day of Nativity,
Entrance of Theotokos.
Conception of Theotokos.
Nativity (Christmas).

CHINESE CALENDAR, YEAR 4608.

The year 1911 corresponds nearly with the Chinese year 4008, or the 48th year of the 76th cycle of 60 years, is a leap year, the 6th month being duplicated, and

contains 384 days.

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

JEWISH OR HEBREW CALENDAR. Year 5671-'72, A. M. The Jewish year 5671 is the 9th of the 299th cycle of 19 years.

Gregorian Date.

Rosh Chodesh...Sat.-Sun., Dec. 31, 1910-Jan. 1, 1911

Fast of Tebet.

[blocks in formation]

Tuesday, January 10, 1911 .Monday, January 30, 1911

Tues.-Wed., Feb. 28-Mar. 1, 1911

[blocks in formation]

Fast of Esther.

[blocks in formation]

Purim...

[blocks in formation]

Rosh-Chodesh.

[blocks in formation]

First Day of Passover.

[blocks in formation]

Monday, March 13, 1911

Tues.-Wed., March 14-15, 1911
Thursday, March 30, 1911
Thursday, April 13, 1911

Fri.-Sat., April 28-29. 1911
.Tuesday, May 16, 1911
.Sunday, May 28, 1911
Friday, June 2, 1911

Mon.-Tues., June 26-27, 1911
Thursday, July 13, 1911
Wednesday, July 26, 1911
Thursday, August 3, 1911

.Thurs.-Fri., Aug. 24-25, 1911

Sat., Sept. 23, or at sunset of Sept. 22, 1911 Fast of Gedaliah........Monday, September 25, 1911 Yom-Kippoor..

Monday, October 2, 1911

First Day of Tabernacle....Saturday, October 7, 1911

..Friday, October 13, 1911 .Saturday, October 14, 1911

Sunday, October 15, 1911 .Sun. -Mon., Oct. 22-23, 1911 .Tues.-Wed., Nov. 22-23, 1911 First Day of Chanukah..Saturday, December 16, 1911 Thirty-third Day of Omer.

[blocks in formation]

MAHOMETAN CALENDAR, YEARS 1329-'80.

The year 1329 is the 9th of the 45th cycle of 30 years.
Month.

Lasts,
Years. No. Name.
Begins. days.
1329... 1...Muharrem...Jan. 2, 1911 30
1329... 2...Saphar ....Feb. 1, 1911 29
1329... 3...Rabia I.....Mch. 2, 1911
1329... 4...Rabia II....Apr. 1. 1911
1329...5...Jomhardi I..May 30, 1911
1329... 6...Jomhardi II. May 30, 1911
1329... 7...Rajab ......June 28, 1911

*Fasting.

30
29
30

29
30

THE JULIAN

Month.-

Years. No. Name.
1329... 8...Sheban ...
1329... 9...Ramadan
1329...10... Schawall

Lasts,

Begins. days.

July 28, 1911
Aug. 26, 1911
.Sept. 25, 1911

29

80

29

30

29

30

29

1329...11... Dul Kaeda..Oct. 24, 1911
1329...12...Dulheggia...Nov. 23, 1911
1330... 1...Muharrem... Dec. 22, 1911
1330...2...Saphar .....Jan. 21, 1912

CALENDAR.

In the Roman (Julian) Calendar the months corresponded exactly with our own, excepting that down to the time of the Emperor Augustus the fifth and sixth months of the year-which, with the Romans, began with March-were called Quintilis and Sextilis; afterward they were named in honor of the Emperors Julius and Augustus.

In reckoning the days of each month three fixed points were taken, and any particular day was said to be so many days before the next coming fixed day. These three points were (1) the Kalends, by which name the first of each month was known; (2) the Nones, which fell on the seventh day of the month in March, May, July and October, and on the fifth day in each of the other months; and the Ides, which always fell eight days after the Nones.

[blocks in formation]

This Calendar, although reckoned from September 22. 1792, was not introduced until November 22, 1793. It remained in use till December 31, 1805. The Gregorian Calendar was restored January 1, 1806 (Nivôse 10, Year xiv). The months varied in different years. Nivose commenced December 21 in 1793, December 22 in 1804 and 1805. The following are the dates for the year 1804, the last complete year of the calendar:

Vendémiaire (Vintage), Sept. 23-Oct. 22.
Brumaire (Foggy), Oct. 23-Nov. 22.
Frimaire (Sleety), Nov. 22-Dec. 21.
Nivôse (Snowy), Dec. 22-Jan. 21.
Pluviose (Rainy), Jan. 21-Feb. 20.
Ventôse (Windy), Feb. 20-Mar. 21.

Germinal (Budding), Mar. 22-Apr. 21.
Floréal (Flowery), Apr. 21-May 20.
Prairial (Pasture), May 21-June 20.
Messidor (Harvest), June 20-July 19.
Thermidor (Hot), July 20-Aug. 19.
Fructidor (Fruit), Aug. 19-Sept. 18.

The months were divided into three parts of ten days each, but to make up the 365 days five days were added at the end of September: (Primidi), dedicated to Virtue; (Duodi) to Genius; (Tridi) to Labor; (Quarildi) to Opinion; and the fifth (Quintidi) to Rewards. To Leap Year, called Olympic, a sixth day, September 22 or 23 (Sextidi), "Jour de la Révolution," was added.

THE SIGNS AND CONSTELLATIONS OF THE ZODIAC.

Until recently we supposed that the present relationship between the signs and constellations of the zodiac was generally understood, as all astronomical text books mention their disagreement and explain the cause. The numerous letters of inquiry concerning differences between this data in this almanac and certain others show the necessity for this note of explanation.

Thousands of years ago, the zodiac that belt of the heavens, about 16° in width, within which move the moon and planets, was formed and divided into twelve parts or seasons called signs, each containing certain star groups called constellations. Each was given a name of an object or animal, which never did bear any relationship to the configuration of the stars in that group or division, but which did, or is supposed to, have reference to certain astronomical or other facts. Thus Libra, , the scales or balance, comes at the autumnal equinox, when there is an equilibrium or balance between the length of day and night the world over. Aquarius,, the water bearer, and whose sign is the Egyptian sign for running water, comes at the season of greatest rains in Egypt, etc.

Since the time when these divisions were made and named, owing to the precession of the equinoxes, resulting from the differing polar and equatorial diameters of the earth, the signs have moved back west nearly a whole division, or constellation, and where P was the first, now is. Hence though the sun now enters the sign March 20, it is a month later when he enters the constellation . It must be apparent, therefore, that any supposed influence or relationship which early astrologers attributed to the position of the sun, moon or planets when in certain of these divisions can no longer exist, as the sign now only represents that space or division of the zodiac where the controlling constellation was 2.000 or more years ago, but is not now. Nevertheless, some almanacs still give the signs for the moon's place, which is very misleading to those who attempt to follow her in her course among the stars. Hence, this almanac gives the constellation and discards the anclent picture of the disembowelled man as relics of the age of superstition. The sign is retained for sun's place in the seasons and sun's place each month because of its relationship to the equinoxes and solstices.

THE SEASONS; AND THE SUN'S PATH THROUGH THE ZODIAC. Sun enters, Mean Local Time.

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

Date. H.M.

D. H.M.

Winter begins and lasts 89 0 42 S. of Equator.

Dec. 22, 11 56 a.m., 1910.
Jan. 20, 8 27 a.m., 1911.
Feb. 19, 1 4 a.m., 1911.
Mch. 21, 0 38 p.m., 1911. Spring
Apr. 21, 0 20 a.m., 1911.
9 4 a.m., 1911.

May 21,

begins and lasts 92 19 42 N. of Equator.

June 22, 8 20 a.m., 1911. Summer begins and lasts 93 14 42 N. of Equator.
July 23, 7 12 p.m., 1911.
Aug. 24, 2 22 a.m., 1911.
Sept. 23, 11 2 p.m., 1911.
Oct. 24, 7 38 a.m., 1911.
Nov. 23, 4 40 a.m., 1911.
Dec. 22, 5 37 p.m., 1911.

[blocks in formation]

Autumn begins and lasts 89 18 35 S. of Equator.

Winter begins.

D.

Tropical year-365 5 41

H. M.

92 19 42

93 14 42

178 19 17 South of the Equator.

Subtract

186 10
178 19

24 North of the Equator.
17

The sun is 7 15 7 longer north of the Equator than south of it, owing to the slower motion of the earth (apparent motion of the sun) at and near aphelion.

THE PLANETS IN 1911.

MERCURY (8) will be brightest:

(a) As an EVENING STAR April 1-10 and Dec. 4-10, setting about 1h. 15m. after the Sun, being at greatest angular distance east of the Sun April 14 (19°) and Dec. 7 (21°). At the April date he will be in, directly S. of Alpha Mercury. Arietis and the line of stars in the horn of the Ram, and in Dec. in 1. near the end of the handle of the Milkmaid's Dipper. On Apr. 10 h will

be 4° S. of , and on Sept. 24 will be 6° N. of 9.

(b) As a MORNING STAR Feb. 1-5 and Sept. 23-30, rising about 1h. 15m, before the Sun, being at greatest angular distance west of the Sun Feb. 2 (25°) and Sept. 25 (18°). When brightest in Feb. the Milkmaid's Dipper in will be about 10° W. of him, and in Sept. the Sickle in will be about 15° W. of him. The absence of the Moon in the Feb. and Sept. periods will render those dates still more favorable.

VENUS (9), the "Queen of Beauty," whose sign is a looking glass, will be a most attractive celestial object nearly all of the year. Twice she will be at her very

brightest: first, Aug. 8-12, as an EVENING STAR, and again after passing Venus. between the earth and sun (Inferior conjunction) as a MORNING STAR,

Oct. 21-25. See Table of the Planets and Chart of Visibility of the Planets. Venus not only attains a greater degree of brilliancy than any of the others, but at such times and for about a month before and after she will show a large crescent phase like the Moon between new and the quarters. At the Oct. date she will shine with unusual splendor in the absence of the Moon and will cast a distinct shadow. While the annexed figure shows all the various phases through which the planet passes, the telescope shows the boundaries away from the sun to be irregular. The light will blend off and the margins will be more or less jagged, owing to the refraction of the sunlight in the planet's atmosphere and the irregularities of her surface, mountains, etc. The discovery of these phases was the work of the first

[blocks in formation]

telescope in the hands of Galeo, though
their existence was believed earlier.
A.-Fifteen days before superior con-
junction or June 20, 1912.

B.-At greatest elongation West,
Nov. 26, 1911.

C.-When brightest as a morning star Oct. 21-25, 1911.

D. Just after inferior conjunction or Sept. 20, 1911.

E-Fifteen days after superior conjunction, July 20, 1912.

F. At greatest elongation East, July 7, 1911.

When brightest as an evening star, AS SEEN IN THE EVF Aug. 8-12, 1911.

H.-Just before inferior conjunction, Sept. 10, 1911.

In following the course of the planets the reader will do well to use the other alds in this Almanac-"Chart of the Heavens," "Table of the Rising, Southing and Setting of the Planets,' etc. Locate the planets in the zodiac on the chart and then follow them in their course past the stars, noting when they are in conjunction with the Moon, stars or other planets.

At the beginning of the year will be found 5° N. of Milkmaid's Dipper in 1:

[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]

Jan. 11 just S. of the brightest star in and on the boundary between 1 and >; 6 Feb. 1, 3° 37' N.; Feb. 8 in 10° S. of the A on the equator of the heavens; Feb. 26 on the prime meridian of the heavens 15° S. of the square, of Pegasusuite Mch. 2,2° 20′ N.; enters Mch. 26-29; Apr. 1,6 3, 14' N. and occulted; Apr. 15, 5 S. of the Pleiades; Apr. 26, 7° N. of Aldebaran, the lucida of the Hyades, May 1,69,9 1° 29′ S.; May 7 in eastern 8 and due N. of Orion's Belt 24°; May 15 in line northward with the bright stars in the feet of the twins () and the brightest star of the heavens (Sirius) due south of her about 40°. Note that an immense diamond is formed by Venus on the N., Sirius on the S., Betelgeuse on the W. and Procyon on the E-a most striking figure in the evening skies west of the meridian; May 29-30 between Castor and Pollux in on the north and Procyon on the S., but nearest the former and 3° N. of ; June 12-13 in on northern edge of the group of dim stars called Præsepe; June 29, 6, 30° 40'-; July 5-6 less than 1° N. of Regulus in the end of the handle of the Sickle; Brightest Aug. 8-12, when about 15° E. of Regulus, near the middle, where she soon becomes stationary with respect o the stars and then begins to move back westward or retrogrades. She may be seen At the daytime in July and Aug. by knowing just where to look for her; becomes inVisible early in Sept., being at inferior conjunction Sept 15. When next seen she will appear in the east in the morning, west of the Sun; 6, Sept. 24, being 10° S. of Stationary again early in Oct. in eastern; Occulted by Nov. 16; advances past the stars of m, passing about 4° N. of Spica the last of Nov. and through the square of the last of Dec.

MARS (♂) will be brightest, as an EVENING STAR Nov. 24-25, being a MORNING STAR until Aug. 8 and afterward an Evening Star to the end of the year. At the beginning of the year he will be in m, low in the East at dawn and about Mars. 5 N. of Antares; Jan. 26; Feb. 1, 3° N. of the Milkmaid's Dipper in 7: Feb. 24, Mch. 11; Mch. 15 in about 5° S. of the bright stars in the head of the Goat, Mch. 25; last of Apr. in 10° S. of the A; Apr. 23 and May 22; June 1 on first meridian of the heavens; 25th. On the 15th of July he will be about 10° S. of the bright stars in P: Aug. 8 at western and h Aug. 16; last of Aug. 8° S. of Pleiades; last of Sept. close to and N. of the Hyades. Stationary middle of Oct. in 8; retrogrades very slowly back to the Pleiades Dec. 1, being at 8 Nov. 26, when he will rise at sunset, pass the meridian at midnight and set at sunrise, being then and for some time before and after that date an all night star. Several new canals were discovered on Mars in 1909. Snowstorms were also observed.

JUPITER (4) will be at 8 Apr. 30, when he will be brightest and an evening and an all night star. Inasmuch as requires 12 of our years in which to make a revolution about the Sun and pass all the stars of the zodiac, his moveJupiter, ment from time to time will be very slight as compared to that of the planets whose orbits are inferior to his, as he traverses only one sign in a year. He is still in, and during the first days of Feb. he will be very close (1° N.) to the brightest star in that constellation-Alpha Libræ, situated on the Ecliptic and being the S. W. star of the square of Libra. The last of Nov. he will pass out of and E. of the square, and at the close of the year be about 8° E. of its easternmost star. See tables of Occultations, Conjunctions, etc. Of the seven satellites known to belong to Jupiter only four can be easily seen by the aid of small glasses. These satellites do not undergo the same changes in brilliancy that our moon does owing to the fact that is a semi-sun and his moons are supplied, in part, by himself, while our moon borrows her entire supply from the Sun.-See the following tables. SATURN (h) will be brightest Nov. 9 as an Evening and all night star, and will be very bright for a considerable time before and after that time. Inasmuch as two and one-half years are required for him to pass throuh one sign or Saturn. constellation, it is evident we can scarcely detect any change in position with respect to the stars from month to month. He is in P. Of his large family of satellites-ten in all-only one (Titan) is ordinarily visible with a 3-inch telescope, but the wonderful ring system is always visible in such an instrument, except when the earth is crossing their plane every 15 years. Each year, however, the earth attains a maximum elevation above their plane and at such times the ring system is best observed. This occurs in Aug. about the time of the western quadrature of h. From Aug. on he will be only a few degrees west of the Pleiades and Hyades.

URANUS ( or H) will be brightest July 20 and will not be near any bright or conspicuous dr. Perhaps the best time for an amateur to locate this planet will be

Pits close conjunction with Mch. 11, when will be seen for several Uranus. days only one-third of a degree (or about one-half the moon's apparent diameter) N. of d. To see this planet with the unaided eye is a test of

good eyesight. NEPTUNE (V), the outermost known of our planetary family, will be brightest Jan. 11, in I. a few degrees S. of Castor and Pollux. It is stated that a good opera or field glass will show at the time of 8. or when brightest, proNeptune. vided one knows just where to look. Look for it on a line from Castor to Procyon and nearly midway between those stars, with a fine cluster of stars just to the west.

ECLIPSES, 1911.

There will be two eclipses this year and both of the Sun, as must always be the case when only two occur. They are as follows:

I. Total, April 28. Partially visible in the United States as a small partial eclipse on the Sun's southern limb. The Sun will set more or less eclipsed east of a line from near Pittsburg, Pa., to near Matagorda Bay, Texas. Washington, D. C., is

on the northern Atlantic boundary of the area of visibility. No part of the eclipse will be visible north of a line from Portland, Ore., through Milwaukee and Pittsburg to Wash., D. C. Therefore the eclipse will be very small in the Western and Middle States west of the above mentioned line from Pittsburg to Matagorda Bay, Texas, being largest in the extreme Southwest. More exactly visible as follows:

[blocks in formation]

Contact of limbs at sunset.

sets ec'd
sets ec'd
at sunset

sets ec'd
sets ec'd
sets ec'd

2.8 D at sunset
1.3 I at sunset
3.1 I at sunset

3.0
2.0

-0 Centl.

-11m. Pac. +10m. Pac.

6m. Pac.

-13m. Cent!. +15m. Eastn. -33m. Centl. 9m. Cent!. + 1m. Centl. -19m. Centl. -36m. Centl. -18m. Centl.

I-Indicates that the eclipse will be increasing at

sunset. D-Indicates that the eclipse will be decreasing at sunset.

sets ec'd

2.0 D at sunset

4:46 p. m.
4:15 p. m.

4.0

3.0

4:29 p. m.

3.9

sets ec'd

[ocr errors]

1.7 D at sunset
3.0 I at sunset

sets ec'd

0.9 D at sunset

NORTH

SUN

4
3

2

II.

Annular, October 22. Invisible on the Western Continent. Visible in the South western Pacific and Asia. The path of the annular phase passes through New Guinea, the Southern Philippines and Southern China to the Sea of Aral,

The figure shows the Sun with 1, 2, 3 and 4 digits eclipsed on its southern limit.

SITUATION OF THE PLANETS FOR THE SUNDAYS; ALSO MOON'S POSI

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Moon lowest of the year, June 11. †Moon highest of the year, Dec. 5. See the following note.

Explanation of Signs.- Arles. 8 Taurus. m Virgo. Libra m Scorpio. ↑ Sagittarius.

[blocks in formation]

20

1-28 25 22 18
16 12

15

9 5 3-30

-30

« PreviousContinue »