TIME CALCULATIONS AND EXPLANATIONS OF SIGNS AND ABBREVIA TIONS. All the calculations except the Moon's Phases, Tides and seasons are in mean local time. (See table for its conversion into Standard Time.) The Sun's rising at setting is for the upper limb and corrected for refraction. The signs used are a follows: conjunction or near approach, at which time a line from the Nort Star through one will also pass through the other; 8, opposition or 180° from the Sa at which time the Superior Planets are the brightest; quadrature or 90 from the Sun; . Sun; . Earth; 9, Mercury; 9. Venus; Mars; Jupiter; J. Satura Moon highest; Moon generally; . Ascending Moon lowest; , Uranus; Node; , Descending Node. Per.-Perhelion, or nearest to Sun; opposed to Planets. STANDARD TIME TABLE. To obtain standard time, add or subtract the figures given to local time. Standard Division. Eastern 5 Little Rock, Ark + 31 +17 City. Central Bismarck, N. Dak.. Central | ++++++ ] + ||| + || + |++ || ++|++|++ ||+1|+++++ | Central Lynchburg, Va.. Eastern + 4 Memphis, Tenn. Central Milwaukee. Wis. Central 16 Mobile, Ala.. Central - 16 Montgomery, Ala. Central 5 Nashville, Tenn.. Central +1 + 11111 1+++++ ||+++++++|+|+++++||++++++ 15 23 TIME STANDARDS. The following is the table of times, based upon the meridian used by the United States and Canada: CHINESE CALENDAR. The year 1907 corresponds nearly to the year 4604 of the Chinese era, and is the 44th of the 76th cycle of 60 years. 1907. •August 9 September 8 *October 7 November *December 1908. January Density, loc., miles Diameter, Mass, Volume, Name. (From sun, millions of miles. Sun 866,400 3311001 1310001 4.25 THE SUN'S COURSE THROUGH THE ZODIAC AND THE SEASONS. Sign.Con. I Dec. (06) 22 0 37 p.m. Winter begins, and lasts 89 0 40 S. of Equator. 7d. 15h. 31m. longer north of the Equator than south of it, This is due to the slower motion of the Earth (Sun's apparent motion) while in that portion of its orbit, most distant from the Sun (aphelion). Hence in the summer months we are further from the Sun than in the winter time. MORNING STARS WEST OF SUN. INFERIOR PLANETS. Mercury (9), until February 2, March 18 to May 24, July 24 to September 6, and after November 14. Venus (9), until September 14. The planet Venus will present the various phases, as shown on page 7, as follows: A-Fifteen days after superior conjunetion, or September 29, B--At greatest elongation west, February 8. C-When brightest as a morning star, January 4. D--Just after inferior conjunction, or July 10, 1908. E--Fifteen days before superior conjunction, August 31. F-At greatest elongation east, April 26, 1908. G-When brightest as an evening star, May 29, 1908 conjunction, THE PLANETS (Continued). Mercury will be brightest February 20-28, setting shortly after the Sun; also August 18-28, rising shortly before the Sun. Venus will be brightest as a morning star January 4, but will not get around on the other side of the Sun at her point of greatest brilliancy as an evening star until May 29, 1908. She will be at her greatest elongation (angular distance) west of the Sun, 46° 53', February 8. An opera glass or small telescope will bring out her phases, as shown in the annexed cut. Her difference in apparent size or diameter is due to her varying distance from the Earth, according as she is between us and the Sun or in the opposite portion of her orbit. See the table following this divi- E sion for her motion in her orbit; also that of the other principal planets, page 8. MARS NEAREST THE EARTH. Toward N Venus. S As seen in the The planet Mars will attract the attention of the world this year because of the As seen in the fact that he will approach nearer to us than Morning. he has been within the last fifteen years, or will be again in the following fifteen years. The reason for this will be understood by an inspection of the annexed figure. When the points C (Aphelion) in the Earth's orbit, and A (Perihelion) in Mars's orbit. come in line with the Sun, then the Earth and Mars will be the possible. A moderately close approach to these conditions occurs every nearest B fifteen years. This year, on July 12, these planets will occupy the positions in their respective orbits E and F. On July 5 the Earth will be at C, or farthest from the Sun, and on September 26 Mars will be at A, or nearest to the Sun. It is apparent that there must be. a point between A and C where these bodies are in line with the Sun, and where they will be nearest, and, as has been said, this occurs at E and F. At such times Mars is some 30,000,000 miles nearer to us than when these conditions shown in the figure are reversed. with Mars at or near D and the Earth at or near B. While Mars will be mathematically brightest July 6, he will be by far the most conspicuous object in the stellar or planetary hosts for weeks before and after that date, and will be most carefully watched and photographed at observatories. Comparisons of these with former photographs may disclose important changes. MARS ORBIT EARTH'S ORBIT Jupiter will not be at his brightest this year, but will be very bright in December, as he will attain his point of opposition to the Sun January 29, 1908. Saturn will be brightest on September 17. He will then be in the last degrees of Aquarius and close to the Equinoctial Colure, or First Meridian of the heavens, corresponding to the Meridian of Greenwich or Washington on the Earth. Uranus will be brightest July 3 and Neptune January 2. MERIDIAN PASSAGE, RISING AND SETTING OF THE PLANETS, Washington mean time. (All p. m. figures are in black type.) VENUS. MARS. JUPITER SATURN States... -Sets. HMH MH MH MH MH MH MH MH MH MH MĨHY August. 21 11 39 4 43 4 20 14th 8 14 8 40 2 2 1 19 1 40 12 49 10 47 10 17 Rises.3 27 3 2 6 38 12 46/12 49 012 7/12 10 5 21 11 32 11 35 4 42 10 53 10 56 4 210 13 10 16 9 30) 9:32) 3 18 2 37 8 49 853 156 8 9 8-13 September. September. September. October. 5 1 111 48 Invisible. 11/11 56 Sets. 21 12 02 6 4 6 5 112 08 6 00 5 56 11/12 155 55 5 45 October. 21 12 23 5 52 5 37 November. 112 33 5 53 5 28 November. 11/12 455 541 5 28 November. 21 12 59 6 15 31 December. 1 1 14 6 14 5 42 December. 11 1 29 6 29 5 57 December. 21 1 44 647 6 18 December.. 31 157 7 7 6421 CHRONOLOGICAL ERAS. The year 1907, which comprises the latter part of the 131st and the beginning of the 132 year of the independence of the United States of America, corresponds nearly to The Mahometan year 1325, which begins on February 14. The year 5668 of the Jews, which begins on September 9, or at sunset September 8. The Chinese year 4604, which begins February 13. The year 7415-16 of the Byzantine Era, beginning September 1. The year 2219 of the Grecian Era, which began near the Vernal Equinox, B. C. 312. The year 2567 of the Japanese Era. CHRONOLOGICAL CYCLES. Dominical Letter..... Epact (Moon's age, January 1). 154 1 31 1 23 1 0 7 34 12 50 12 29 7 012 1711 58 6 22 11 43 11 22 5 46 11 810 47 5 8 10 30 10 9 4 30 9 53 9 32. 3 50 9 13 8 52 388 30 8 9 2 26 748 726 6 51 12 4212 35 6 12 12 311 52 5 34 11 2111 15 4 57 10 45 10 37 EMBER DAYS. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday afterFirst Sunday in Lent-February 20, 2 and 23. Pentecost-May 22, 24 and 25. September 14-September 18, 20 and 21. December 13-December, 18, 20 and 21. MAHOMETAN CALENDAR-A. M. 8016 -1907 A. D. The Mahometan year 1325 is the 5th of the 44th cycle of 30 years, and contains 355 days. Lasts Year: Begins. days. 1324...11...Dul Kaeda (1906). Dec. 19 30 1324...12...Dulhegge (1907)..Jan, 18 29 |