1 66 



KNOWLEDGE & SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



[July, 1904. 



The Face of the Sky for 

 July. 



By W. Shackleton, F.R.A.S. 



The Sun. — On the ist the Sun rises at 3.49, and sets 

 at 8.19; on the 31st he rises at 4.23, and sets at 7.49. 

 The earth is at its greatest distance from the Sun on the 

 5th, when the diameter of the Sun is a minimum, beinir 

 31' 30'-66. 



Sunspots and prominences may usually be observed 

 on clear days, though the change of solar activity to 

 maximum is proceeding somewhat slower than in recent 

 cycles. 



The position of the Sun's axis and equator may be 

 derived from the following table ; — 



The jMoon : — 



Date. 



Phases. 



H. M. 



The Planets. — Mercury is in superior conjunction 

 with the Sun on the gth, and therefore during the earlier 

 part of the month he is out of range. Towards the end 

 of the month he is an evening star, and sets about 8.45 

 p.m. 



\'enus is unobservable, being in superior conjunction 

 with the Sun on the 8th. 



Mars rises only about an hour in advance of the Sun, 

 and therefore for all practical purposes is unobservable. 



Jupiter rises about 11.20 p.m., near the middle of the 

 month. He is in quadrature with the Sun on the 22nd, 

 and in conjunction with the Moon at i a.m. on the 7th. 

 The polar semi-diameter of the planet is iS'-j on the 

 i6th. 



Saturn is coming into a more suitable position for 

 observation in the evenings ; he rises about 10.15 p.m. 

 on the 1st, and about S.i5p.m. on the 31st. Near the 

 middle of the month the planet is on the meridian about 

 2 a.m. 



The apparent diameters of the outer major and minor 

 axis on the 8lh are 42"-7 and io"-3 respectively, whilst 

 the polar diameter of the ball is i7"-o. 



The planet will be near the ^loon on the evening of 

 the 28th. 



Uranus is becoming more favourably situated for 

 observation at convenient times, being on the meridian 

 about 10 p.m. on the 15th. His position on the confines 

 of Sagittarius and Ophiuchus may be seen on reference to 

 the chart in the last issue. 



Neptune is out of range for observation. 



Meteors. — The most conspicuous shower is the 5 Aqua- 

 rids, which occurs on the 28th ; they are slow moving 

 and long. The radiant is situated in R.A. 339^ Dec. 

 S. 11°. 



Comet a. 1904 is but a poor object, faint and beyond 

 the range of small telescopes. 



The Stars : — 



About 9 p.m. near middle of the month: — 

 Zenith . Draco, Hercules, Lyra. 

 South . Corona, Serpens, Ophiuchus, Libra, 



Scorpio. 

 East . Delphinus, Aquila, Capricornus ; Saggit- 



tarius to the S.E.; Pegasus and Cygnus to the 



N.E. 

 West . Bootes, Great Bear, Cor Caroli, Leo, 



Virgo. 

 North . Ursa Minor, Cassiopeia. Capella on 



horizon. 



Telescopic Objects: — 



Double Stars: — 5 Serpentis, XW*" 13™, N. 2" 13', 

 mags. 5' I, 10; separation 10". 



^Serpentis, XW" 41"", N. 15^ 44', mags. 3-5, 10; 

 separation 31". 



t Cephei XXH.'' i™, N. 64^ 8', mags. 4-7, 7; separa- 

 tion 6". 



S Cephei XXII.'' 26™, N. 57-' 55 , mags. 4-2, 7 ; sepa- 

 ration 40". A pretty pair for small telescopes, yellow 

 and blue. It is also a variable star ; period j'' g*', with a 

 quick rise to maximum in i"^ g''. 



Clusters. — M5 (Libra). A compact cluster situated 

 about one third of a degree north of the double star 

 5 Serpentis ; when seen through a pair of opera glasses 

 it appears like a large nebulous star. 



N.G.C. 6633. Cluster in Serpens. About one-third 

 of the way between e Serpentis and a Ophiuchi (visible 

 to naked eye). 



The Government Plant Bureau of die United States has 

 just issued sugg'estive information to the American 

 farmer as to the value of many weeds. Hundreds of 

 tons of dried weeds are annually sent from Europe (not 

 much from Eng'land) to the United States, mostlv for 

 their drug" value. For instance, last year saw ten tons 

 of dried dandelion roots cross the Atlantic. These 

 were worth a trifle over twopence a pound, or a total of 

 some £^30, all of which might be considered as wage 

 earned in Europe. In the same period, 250 tons of 

 burdock, used for blood diseases, and worth as much 

 per pound as dandelion, accompanied them. Ten tons 

 of poison hemlock, fifteen tons of tansy, sixty tons of 

 hoarhound, are a few other annual importations of 

 weeds which have earned the malevolent hatred of the 

 .\merican farmer. Thorough as ever, the Plant Bureau 

 gives full directions as to when to gather the various 

 roots, leaves, or flowers ; how to dr\' them, <tc. " \\'hat- 

 cver ma}- he said of paternal government," remarks the 

 Agricultural Economist, " the practical interest which 

 .\merica takes in the welfare of her greatest industrv' is 

 proving of very real value to her ag-ricuiturists." 



