Febrdaby, 1903.] 



KNOWLEDGE. 



47 



The Leonids of 1902. — These meteors were keenly awaited at 

 many of tlie principal observatories in Ameriea, but apparently with 

 very little success. Cloudy weather seems to have been very prevalent 

 and to have practically effaced the display at most stations, while 

 at other places where partial observations could be taken there was 

 no evidence of an abundant shower. Very few complete reports 

 appear, however, to have been published, and the esplanation seems 

 to be that the sky presented very little considered worthy of record. 

 At Dublia Mr. J. R. Henry notieel no Leonids before midnight on 

 iXoyember 14, though a small fireball appeared at lOh. oom., passing 

 from the direction of Orion to a few degrees above and beyond Castor. 

 On November 17 the same observer counted 8 or 10 shooting stars 

 between the hours of 14 and 15. flashing from the constellation Leo. 

 Some of these objects were probably true Leonids, for though the 

 date appears somewhat late for an active return of this stream, it is 

 certain that Leonids are occasionally distinguished until the end of the 

 third week in November. 



Moonlight and clouds, which in a great measure marred the Leonid 

 display, appear to have equally interfered with the Geminids. Indeed, 

 very few meteors could be discerned in the gloomy and frequently 

 overcast skies of December. The year generally will be remembered 

 as one singularly unfavourable for meteoric work, and as retaining this 

 character right up to the end. 



THE FACE OF THE SKY FOR FEBRUARY. 



By W. Shacklkton, f.b.a.8. 



The Sun. — On the 1st the sun rises at 7.43 and 

 sets at 4.45 ; on the 28th he rises at 6.52 and sets 

 at 5.34. 



Small groups of sunspots may be expected. 



The Moon: — 



The moon is in perigee at 1 p.m. on the 10th, and in 

 apogee at 1 p.m. on the 22ud. 



OccuLTATiONs. — The following are the principal occul- 

 tations visible at Greenwich : — • 



The Planets. — Mercury is in inferior conjunction with 

 the sun on the 2nd ; he attains his greatest westerly 

 elongation of 20° 58' on the 27th, when he rises about an 

 hour in advance of the sun. 



Venus is an evening star in Aquarius. At the beginning 

 of the mouth the planet sets about an hour and a quarter 

 after the sun, whilst at the end of the month she sets two 

 hours after the sun. Near the middle of the mouth the 

 semi-diameter of the planet is 5"-3, and the illniniaated 

 portion of the disc is 095. 



Mars is in Virgo, rising about 10 p. si., and therefore 

 well placed for observation. He is easily picked up by 

 his brightness and ruddy colour. On the 15th, at 11 p.m., 

 the planet is near the moon. Mars being 8'^ 22' to the 

 north. The diameter of the planet is 11"0, and 0-94 of 

 his disc is illuminated. 



Jupiter is unobservable, being in conjunction with the 

 sun on the 19th. 



Saturn is a morning star, but for all practical purposes 

 is out of range, as he rises less than an hour before the 

 sun. 



Uranus rises in the early morning, about 3 a.m., and 

 this, together with his great southerly declination of 23'', 

 makes him an unsuitable object for observation. 



Neptune is in Gemini and well placed for observation, 

 being visible throughout the night. As will be seen bv 

 the chart given in last month's issue, the planet is near 

 T) Geminorum. 



The Stabs. — The positions of the principal constellations 

 near the middle of the month at 9 p.m. are as follows : — 

 Zenith . Auriga. 



South . Orion, Gemini, Procyon, Siriiis, Cetus, Plei- 

 ades, Taurus to the S.W., Cancer and 

 Hydra to the S.E. 

 Andromeda, Aries, Pisces, with Pegasus and 



Cygnus to the N.W. 

 Leo, Virgo. 



Ursa Minor, Draco, Cepheus, Ursa Major to 

 the right of Polaris. 

 Minima of Algol occur at convenient times on 2ud at 

 7.11 P.M., 20th at 0.5 a.m., 22nd at 8.54 p.m., and 25th at 

 5.43 P.M. 



West 



East 

 North 



Cf)css Column. 



By C. D. LococK, b.a. 



Communications for this column should be addressed 

 to C. D. LococK, Netherfield, Camberley, and be posted 

 bv the 10th of each month. 



If 1. 

 1. 

 1. 

 1. 

 1. 

 1. 



Solutions of January Problems. 



No. 25. 



Key -move. — 1. Kt to Q4. 



, . K X Kt, 2. B to B6ch. 



. Kt to B4, 2. Q X Ktch. 



. Kt X P, 2. Q to Q7. 



. P to Q7, etc., 2. Kt to B3ch. 

 . K to Q3, 2. B to B4ch. mate. 



. Anything else, 2. Q to Ktjch. 

 [There are duals, etc., after all other moves of the 

 Knights, except Kt to Q4, also after moves of the RP, 

 and any move of the Bishop which does not guard White's 

 KB3. Not more than three points Cisn be scored for duals, 

 since all of them contain one of the three combinations. 

 (1) QKGch and KtB3ch ; (2) QK6ch and QxKtPch; and 

 (3) QQ7and Ktl53ch.] 



No. 26. 

 Key-move. —1. Q to Kt3. 



If 1. ... K to B4. 

 1. . . . K toKt, 

 1. . . . I'xP, 

 1. . . . P to B3, 

 1. ... P to B4. 

 1. . . . Kt moves, 

 Solutions received from " 

 G. A. Forde (Capt.), 0, 4; 

 7, 4; "Looker-on," 7, 4; 



2. R to B5ch. 



2. Q to Q3. 



2. Q to Kt5. 



2. Q to Kt4eh. 



2. Q to Q3. 



2. Q to B3ch. 

 Alpha," 4. 4; W. Nash, 7. 4; 

 ' W. Jav," 7, 4 ; " Endirbv," 

 A. H. E. (Croydon), 7. '4 ; 



W. H. S. M., 7. 4; G. W. Middleton. 7, 4; F. Rickards, 0, 



