322 



EECEEATIYE SCIENCE. 



METEOROLOGY OF APRIL. 



FBOM OBSERVATIONS AT HIGHFIELD HOUSE OBSERVATORY. 



The greatest heat in shade reached 790' in 1858, 

 and only 62-5"' in 1847, giving a range of 16-5° in greatest 

 heat for April during the past seventeen years. In 

 1859 the temperatm-e rose to 78", the next hottest years 

 being 1852, 1848, 1854, and 1844; and the coldest 1847, 

 1846, and 1850. 



The greatest cold was as low as 21'8'' in 1859, 

 and never below 36-0' in 1844, giving a range of 14-2'' 

 for greatest cold in April for the past seventeen years. 

 The temperature was very low also in 1858, 1855, and 

 1849, the warmest years being 1844, 1845, and 1846. 



The range of temperature in April was as much as 

 56-2° in 1859, and 56-0° in 1858, whilst it was only 

 80'5° in 1816. 



Only half an inch of rain fell in 1852 and 1854, 

 and as much as 4-3 inches in 1846, giving a range of 

 38 inclies for April during the past seventeen years. 

 In fourteen years the fall exceeded an inch, and in nine 

 years it exceeded two inches ; the mean amount of 

 rain for April being 1'9 inches. 



April is a changeable month. E. J. Lowe. 



ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATIONS 

 EOR APRIL, 1860. 



The sun is in the constellation of Aries until the 19th, 

 after which he is in Taurus. He rises on the 1st in 

 London at 5h. 37m., on the 10th at 5h. 17m., on the 

 20th at 4h. 55m., and on the 30th at 4h. 35m., being 

 an hour and two minutes earlier on the last day than 

 on the first. He sets in London on the 1st at 6h. 32m., 

 on the 10th at 6h. 47m., on the 20th at 7h. 3m., and 

 on the 30th at 7h. 20m., or 52 minutes later than 

 on the 1st. At Dublin, at the beginning of the 

 month, he rises three minutes earlier and at the end 

 eight minutes earlier than in London, and sets at the 

 beginning two minutes later and at the end eight 



minutes later than in London. In the middle of the 

 month he rises at Edinburgh ten minutes earlier and 

 sets eleven minutes later than in London. 



The sun reaches the meridian on the 1st at 12h. 

 3m. 50s.; on the 10th at 12h. Im. 13s.; on the 14th 

 at 12h. Om. lOs., and on the 30th at llh. 57m. 2s. 



The equation of time on the 1st is 3m. 50s. ; on 

 the 10th, Im. 13s. ; and on the 14th, only 10s. ; 

 tlie clock being these amounts before the sun, i. e., the 

 equation of time addative. On the 30th it is 2m. 68s. 

 after the sun, and therefore subtractive. 



Day breaks on the 2d at 3h. 34m., and on the 27th 

 at 2h. 1 7m. 



Twilight ends on the 14th at 9h. 4m. 



Length of day on the 3rd, 13h. 3m., and on the 21st, 

 llh. 12m. 



Duration of twilight after sunset on the 1st, 2h. Dm., 

 and on the 21st, 2h. I6m. 



The moon is full on the 5th at lOh. Om. p.m. 



New moon on the 21st, at 5h. 45m. a.m. 



The moon is nearest to the earth on the 4th, and 

 furthest removed from us on the 19th. 



Mercury becomes a morning star on the 3rd. He is 

 in Pisces throughout the month, becomes stationary 

 on the 15th, and reaches his greatest westerly elonga- 

 tion on the 3()th, when he is favourably situated for 

 observation. He rises on the lOth at 4h. 50m. a.m. ; 

 on the 20th at 4h. 24m. ; and on the 30th, at 4h. 

 4m. am. ; setting on the 1st at 6h. 52m. p.m., and on 

 the 26th at 4h. 35m. At the end of the month he will 

 present the form of a slender crescent of Us. or 12s. 

 in diameter. 



Venus is an evening star, and still increasing in 

 brilliancy. She is in Taurus, and well situated for 

 observation, and will become brighter every night 

 throughout the month. She is on the meridian on 

 the lOlh at 2h. 51m. p.m., and on the 30th at oh. 5m. 

 p.m., setting on the 1st at llh. 7m.; onthe 20that llh. 

 30m., and on the 30th at llh. 46m. 



Mars is badly situated for observation, yet in- 

 creasing in brightness ; he is in the constellation of 

 Sagittarius. He is very low, rising only a few degrees 

 above the horizon, even when on the meridian. He 

 rises on the 10th at Ih. 36m. a.m., and on the 

 30th at 12h. 56m. a.m., reaching the meridian on 

 the 10th at 5h. 27m. a.m., and on the 30th at 4h. 

 48m. a.m. 



Jupiter is an evening star, and although conspi- 

 cuous is decreasing in brilliancy. He is in Gemini 

 throughout the month. He rises on the 10th at lOh. 

 16m. a.m., and on the 26th at 8h. 51m. a.m.; 

 reaches the meridian on the 10th at 5h. 56m. p.m., 

 and on the 30th at 4h. 47m. p.m., setting on the 1st at 

 2h. 45m. a.m., and on the 30th at Ih. Om. a.m. 



Saturn is a conspicuous object in the constella- 

 tion of Leo. He rises on the 1st at Ih. 18m. a.m., 

 and on the 26th at llh. 38m. a.m.; reaches the meri- 

 dian on the 10th at 8h. 12m. p.m., and on the 30th 

 at 6h. 53m. p.m., and sets on the 10th at 3h. 45m. 

 a.m., and on the 30th at 2h. 26m. a.m. 



Uranus is in Taurus, and, setting very early, is 

 unfavourably situated for observation. 



