The Heavens in April. 
By Professor Samuel G. Barton of the University of Pennsylvania. 
T HE planets will be particularly 
interesting during the next few 
months. This month our interest 
will be centered in the two planets 
which are closer to the sun than the 
earth and for that reason called inferior 
planets, Mercury and V enus. These 
planets are never seen far from the sun 
are near their greatest distances from 
the sun we can see them in the evening 
or morning twilight. Mercury, being 
nearer to the sun and less brilliant than 
Venus, is seen less frequently. There 
are many who have never seen it to 
know it. The present month provides 
very favorable opportunity for those 
NOf£TH 
Figure 1. The constellatiors at 9 P. M., May 1. Hold the map so that the direction 
faced is at the bottom; that is, if facing east, hold east at the bottom as south now is. 
in the sky, Venus not more than forty- 
seven degrees from the sun, and Mer- 
cury not more than twenty-eight de- 
grees away. They are usually so close 
to the sun that we cannot see them be- 
cause of the sun’s glare. When they 
who wish to know this bashful planet. 
It is at its greatest distance east of the 
sun on May 23. Its position at that 
time is marked on Figure 1. The map 
represents the appearance of the sky 
about 7 :30 on May 23. If one looks at 
