114 



♦ KNO\ArLEDQE ♦ 



[March 1, If 



appears as a dull 7i magnitiule star, having an apparent 

 diameter of 1()5 miles according to the photometric obser- 

 vations of Argelauder, Stone, and Pickering (though Lamont, 

 from direct measurement of the apparent diameter of the 

 disc, raised this value to 630 miles), and passes the meridian 

 at 5h. 24m. p.m. on the evening of the 17th. On the 

 evening of the 19th she is 1° 40' due north of Rigel, and 

 on the evenings of the 28th and 29th, she is extremely 

 close to the 5th magnitude star v (Upsilon) Orionis. 

 Saturn is very favourably situated for observation, rising on 

 the 1st at 2h. 54m. p.m., and just before Ih. p.m. at the 

 end of the month. He describes a short retrograde path 

 through a barren portion of Cancer. On the evenings of 

 the 4th, 5th, and 6th, the satellites Titan and lapetus will 

 both be near the planet ; Titan being to the north, and 

 lapetus to the south. The latter satellite will not be 

 visible in small telescopes after the middle of the month 

 until April, as he is at his eastern elongation on the 27th, 

 about which time he is almost as faint as the faintest 

 satellites. Uranus describes a very short retrograde path 

 in Virgo, being 2° 55' due north of Spica on the evening 

 of the 9th. On the 1st he rises at 9h. 16m. p.m., and on 

 the 31st at 7h. 12m. p.m. Neptune is in Taurus, describing 

 a very short arc between the Pleiades and Hyades, but 

 he does not approach any conspicuous star. There are no 

 marked meteor showers in March. The Zodiacal Light may 

 be looked for on moonless nights, after the last traces of 

 twilight have disappeared, in the form of a faint spindle- 

 shaped or lenticular cone of light extending from that part 

 of the heavens where the sun has set to about 46° or 50° in 

 length, and forming an angle of about 60' with the horizon. 

 The brightness of Venus at the present time will, however, 

 probably render the phenomenon difficult of obsei'vatiou for 

 the ordinary observer. The moon is new at lOh. Im. p.m. 

 on the 1st, enters her first quarter at 5h. 59m. P..M. on the 

 9th, is full at llh. 47m. on the morning of the 17th, enters 

 her last quarter at 6h. 54m. a.m. on the 24th, and is new 

 again at llh. 37m. on the morning of the 31st. On the 

 9th there will be a near approach of the 6h magnitude star 

 B.A.C. 1651 at 5h. 34m. p.m , at an angle of 4° from the 

 vertex, and an occultation of B.A.C. 1733, 65 magnitude, at 

 36 minutes after midnight, at an angle of 156° from the 

 vertex, the star reappearing at Ih. 28m. on the morning of 

 the 10th, at an angle of 283° from the vertex. At 2h. 30m. 

 on the morning of the 16th the 5th magnitude star I (53) 

 Leonis will disappear at an angle of 40° from the vertex, 

 and will reappear at 3h. 4m., at an angle of 341°. On the 

 22nd B.A.C. 5408, 65 magnitude, will disappear at 2h. 32m. 

 A.M., at 50° from the vertex, and reappear at 3h. 43m., at an 

 angle of 248°, while at 3h. 19m. on the morning of the 26th 

 the 6th magnitude star 4 Capricorn! will disappear at an 

 angle of 25° (the moon and star' not having ri.sen at Green- 

 wich at the time), and will reappear at 4h. 15m. the same 

 morning, at an angle of 272°. 



(Bnv Wlf)\0t Column, 



By W. Montagu Gattie. 



ANSWERS TO COERESPONDENTS. 

 G. WiLLiNS. — You should have scored 7 points — i.e., 2 for the 

 double, 3 for the treble, and 2 for the rubber. 



Hand No. 2. 



THE following hand, which is taken from actual play, affords a 

 simple illustration of the importance of retaining a card of 

 partner's suit until the right moment arrives for putting him in. It 

 is frequently, as in the present instance, good policy for an opponent 



to defeat these tactics, if possible, even at the sacrifice of the best 

 trump. 



■ "on 1^" 



O j I 

 ♦ ♦] 



♦ ♦ 



I* ♦ 

 ^ I 



[♦_ *J 



B's Hand. 

 Score — Love all. 

 Z turns up the 7 of Diamonds. 

 Note. — A and B are partners against Y and Z. A has the liist 

 lead ; Z is the dealer. The card of the leader to each trick is indi- 

 cated by an arrow. 

 Trick 1. 



•^ 





Trick 2. 



;" 



B I B 



Tricks— A B,0; YZ, 1. | Tricks— A B, ; Y Z, 2. 



Note. — 7'nV7i 1. A's lead is almo.st certainly from king, queen, 

 knave, and at least two others, in which case he has already the 

 command of the heart suit. Having five trumps to an honour, and 

 some protection in spades and clubs, B is fairly justified in com- 

 mencing a call for trumps. 



Trick 3. 

 A 



Tricks— A B, 2; Y Z, 3. 



Trick 4. 



Tricks— A B, 3 ; Y Z, 3. 



Note —Trick 5. After this trick it is clear to B that the remain- 

 ing trumps (Qa 10) are with Y ; for Z's smallest was the 7 (Trick 4), 

 and he has now had to win the 8 with Ace ; and A has shown by 

 his play to Trick i that he has not the queen, and by his lead at 

 Trick 5 that he has not the 10. Trick 6. Z has evidently (to B) leil 

 from Kg, Kn, 10, and others; for if either A or Y had held tlie 

 knave he would have played it ; and, since Z must therefore have the 

 knave, he of course lias the king also. 



Trick 7. I Trick 8. 



B 



Tricks— A B, 3 ; Y Z, 4. 



Trickb- A B, 3 ; Y Z, 5. 



