170 
POPULAR SCIEI^OE NEWS. 
[November, 1891. 
ica, and over portions of the eastern continent. 
Totality will begin at 6.37 P. M. and will end at 
8.01 P. M., Eastern Standard time. The partial 
phase will last until 9 P. M. The second eclipse 
is a partial eclipse of the sun, invisible in the 
United States. It takes place on November 30- 
December 1, and is visible in south polar regions 
and in the northern part of South America. 
Merciiry is an evening star, and moves from a 
position 2° east of the sun on November 1 to 16° 
east on November 30. It will reach gieatest east- 
ern elongation on December 10, but will be far 
enough away from the sun during the last few 
days of November to be seen under favorable cir- 
cumstances. During the latter part of the month 
it is quite close to Venus, a little north and west 
of the latter. Venus is also an evening star, and 
toward the close of the month gets far enough 
away from the sun to be easily seen. Mars is 
coming nearer the earth and is grow iug brighter, 
but is still not very conspicuous. It rises at about 
4 A. M. on November 1, and two hours earlier on 
November 30. It is in the constellation Virgo, is 
moving rapidly eastward, and on the evening of 
Noveiuber 23 passes 3° north of Spica {Alpha Vir- 
ginis). Jupiter is the most conspicuous object in 
the evening sky. It pass^ the meridian at about 
8 P. M. at the beginning of the month and two 
hours earlier at the end. It sets five and one half 
hours after the meridian transit. The following 
eclipses of his satellites may be seen from some 
part or other of the United States, all otT the 
right-hand limb, as seen in an inverting tele- 
scope. D. denotes disappea^-auce; R., reappear- 
ance. Times are Eastern Standard. 
II. R. November 2, 7h. 51m. 'P. M. 
I. R. November 5, 3h. 36in. A. M. 
I. R. November 6, lOh. oni. P. M. 
II. R. November 9, lOh. 28ra. P. M. 
I. R. November 14, 12h. Im. A. M. 
I. R. November 15, 61i. 29m. P. M- 
II. R. November 17, Ih. 5m. A. M. 
III. R. November 17, 8h. 30m. P. M. 
IV. D. Novemboi- 17, lOh. 5m. P. M. 
IV. R. November 18, Ih. 21m. A. M. 
I. R. November 21, Ih. 50m. A. M. 
I. R. November 22, 8h. 25m. P. M. 
III. D. November 24, 9h. 26m. P. M. 
III. R. November 25, 12h. 32m. A. M. 
II. R. iS[ovember 27, 5h. Im. P. M. 
I. R. November 29, lOh. 21m. P. M. 
Saturn is a morning star, rising at about 3 A. M. 
on November 1, and at 1 A. M. on November 30. 
It Is moving eastward in the constellation Leo. 
Uranus is a morning star, but very near the sun. 
Neptune is in Taurus, near the Ilyades group. 
The Constellations. — The positions given hold 
good for latitudes differing not many degrees 
from 40° north, and for 10 P. M. on November 1, 
9 P. M. on November 15, and 8 P. M. on November 
30. Andromeda is in the zenith. Pisces is to the 
south, high up. Cetus is Just coming to the vne- 
ridian, low down. Aries is in the southeast, at 
about 60° altitude. Taurus follows Aries, a little 
south of east, at about 40° altitude. Orion has 
just risen in the east. Perseus is high up, a little 
north of east. Auriga is below Perseus, and 
Gemini is on the horizon, a little north of east. 
Ursa Major is below the pole star, and Cassiopeia 
is above, toward the zenith. To the left of the 
pole star are Cepheus (above) and Ursa Minor 
(below). Cygnus is about half-way up, a little 
north of west, and Lym is below it. Hercules is 
setting on the northwest horizon. Aquila is low 
down near the northwest horizon. Pegasus is 
southwest of the zenith, high up, and Aquarius 
and Capricornus are below it, the latter being just 
above the southwest horizon. Piscis Australis is 
low down, a little west of south. M. 
Lake Forest. Ii,l., Oct. 4, 1891. 
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. 
Letters of inquiry should enclose a two-cent 
stamp, as well as the name and address of the 
writer, which will not be published. 
Questions regarding the treatment of diseases 
cannot be answered ia this column. 
S. N. W., Maine. — What chemical reaction takes 
place in the clarifying of turbid water by alum ? 
Answer. — Such vvatei'S usually contain carbonate 
of lime in solution, and this decomposes the alum 
and precipitates the alumina in the form of a 
bulky hydrate which, as it settles, mechanically 
encloses the suspended particles which cause the 
turbidity and carries them with it to the bottom 
of the vessel. The process is analogous to the 
clarification of coffee by the coagulation of albu- 
men, or the white of egg. 
II. II. S., Boston. — What is the comparative lift- 
ing power of hydrogen and coal gas when used in 
a balloon? and if a balloon could be construq,ted 
so that its Interior would be a perfect vacuum 
would it lift a greater or less weight than when 
filled with hydrogen? 
Answer. — Pure hydrogen gas will lift about 
seventy pounds to the thousand feet. The power 
of coal gas varies with its composition and specific 
gravity, but is about forty pounds to a thousand 
feet. A vacuum would have a slightly greater 
lifting power than hydrogen — about five pounds 
additional per thousand feet. 
M. G.^ Nevi York. — I have recently procured a 
telescope said to be of a power of 25. I have 
tried to see Jupiter's moons with it, but cannot. 
The disk of the planet is very indistinct, but ap- 
pears to fill the whole field of view and more. 
The fixed stars also appear through it as disks 
instead of points. What is the matter? 
Answer. — The lenses of the telescope are evi- 
dently out of adjustment, or, possibly, j-ou do not 
understand how to focus the instrument. If you 
cannot get satisfactory results by turning the 
focussing screw back and forth, you should com- 
municate with the manufacturers. The proper 
adjustiTient of the lenses would undoubtedly be a 
very easy matter by one acquainted with the con- 
struction of telescopes. 
C. L., Chicago. — Is there any advantage to be 
gained by singeing the ends of the hair after cut- 
ting? My barber claims it "keeps the oil from 
running out." 
Answer. — We know of no reason why the singe- 
ing process should be beneficial. The natural oil 
of the hair is not discharged through the interior 
tube, and if it was it would only be injurious to 
artificially close up the opening. 
G. J. W., Penn. — Are the an;esthetics ether and 
chloroform similar in ciiemical composition and 
structure, and is there anything in their composi- 
tion to account for their peculiar effects? 
Answer. — Ether is an oxide of ethyl, and has 
the chemical formula (C, Hj).^ O. Chloroform is 
a tri-cliloi-methane with the formula C H Clj. 
They belong to entirely different classes of or- 
ganic compounds; and, like nearly all organic 
bodies, tliere is nothing in their composition or 
molecular structure to account for the physical 
and especially the au;esthetic properties they pos- 
sess. 
F. P. N., Chicago. — 1 see that the ring of the 
planet Saturn is at present invisible. What is the 
cause of its disappearance? 
Answer. — Tlie ring is a very thin body and may 
be roughly compared in shape to a ring of paper. 
At certain points in the orbit of Saturn the edge 
is turned toward the earth, and is therefore invisi- 
ble to us. When the fiat side is toward the earth 
it can be readily seen with telescopes of moderate 
power. The ring has recently (October 29) reap- 
peared, and is now constantly coming more and 
more into view. It is supposed to consist of an 
immense number of small satellites, or moons, re- 
volving around the planet as tlie moon revolves 
around the earth. 
LITERARY NOTES. 
Electricity and Magnetism, from the French of 
Amedee Guillemin. Revised and edited by Sil- 
vanus P. Thompson, F. R. S. Published by 
Macmillan & Co., New York. Price, $8.00. 
This magnificent work is a popular, simple, and 
non-mathematical exposition of a branch of sci- 
ence that at present is of universal and special 
interest.- Though intended for the drawing-room 
table rather than the desk of the student, it is 
written in a true scientific spirit, and is accurate 
and thorougli in everj^ respect. It contains nearly 
a thousand pages of text, and is profusely illus- 
trated with the original French engravings, which 
cannot be excelled for accuracj' and beauty. To 
those wlio desire to become conversant witli the 
laws and applications of this wonderful form of 
energy, we can recommend a perusal of this work, 
which no scientific library should be without. 
I 
A Hand-Book of Industrial Organic Chemistry, by 
Samuel P. Sadtler, Ph. D. ' Published by the J. 
B. Lippincott Co., Pliiladelpliia. Price, f5.00. 
The author of this work lias endeavored within 
the compass of a moderate-sized octavo to take up 
a number of the more important chemical indus- 
tries or groups of related industries, and to sliow 
in language capable of being understood even by 
those not specially trained in chemistry the exist- 
ing conditions of those industries. A thorough 
and accurate presentation of the chemical princi- 
ples involved in the various processes of manu- 
facture iias been given, and tiie work will be of 
value to those engaged in tlie several lines of man- 
ufacturing industry touched upon. It will also 
possess much interest for the general reader or 
the student of scientific or economic topics. 
Chemistry of the Hydrocarbon Compounds, by Prof. 
Victor von Ricliter. Second American edition. 
Authorized translation by Prof. Edgar F. Smith. 
P. Blakiston, Son & Co., Piiiladelphia. 
This work is translated from the sixth German 
edition of Ricliter's invaluable text-book, and 
therefore presents the condition of the science of 
organic chemistry at a very recent date. The 
rapid and constant changes and progress made in 
this branch of science render the use of recent 
text-books almost a necessity, and in this respect, 
as well as in the completeness and accuracy with 
whicli the principal hydrocarbon compounds are 
described, this work will be found superior to 
most others. 
The same firm also publishes Vol. 111., Part 1. 
of Allen's Commercial Analysis. We have before 
referred to the previous volumes of this work, and 
can only add that it will be found indispensable 
to all analytical chemists, or students of practical 
and technological chemistry. 
Experiments for Students in General Chemistry, 
by Edgar F. Smith and Harry F. Iveller, is also 
published by Blakiston & Co., and is a very con- 
venient class-room guide for beginners in chemis- 
try. It will be found extremely useful for such a 
purpose, and will be of great assistance to the in- 
structor as well. 
The Metal Worker Essays on House Heating. Ar- 
ranged for publication by A. O. Kittredge. Pub- 
lished by David Williams, New York. Price, 
$2.50. 
This work comprises tlie essays on house heat- 
ing for which prizes were lately awarded by the 
publishers of tiie Metal Worker. Systems of 
steam, hot water, and hot air, and their various 
combinations, are comprised in the volume, and 
full specifications for erecting the heating appara- 
tus for a house of average size are given. We are 
disposed to consider this volume one of the- most 
valuable works extant on house heating, for the 
reason that it presents the particular ideas of dif- 
ferent men wlio are actively engaged in the work 
described. It is not a mere theoretical discussion 
of principles, but instead presents accounts of 
how different men would do the same work under 
like conditions, and also of how the same results 
may be accomplished by different means. The 
opportunity of contrasting the several different 
systems of house lieating now in common use 
wliich is presented is not the least important feat- 
ure of the work. 
An Introduction to Qualitative Chemical Analysis, 
by Prof. Delos Fall, of Albion (Mich.) College, is 
an excellent little manual, and will prove of great 
service both to students and instructors of this 
branch of science. 
