May, 1903. 



KNOWLEDGE, 



119 



The following are the two principal occultations visible 

 at Greenwich during; the mouth ; — 



Cljcss Column. 



By C. D. LococK, b.a. 



There are several " near approaches " dnriug the month, 

 notably that to A Geminorum on the 29th at It..'! p.m., the 

 star just escapiuo- oecnltatioii. 



The Planets. — Mercury is well placed for observation 

 during the evenings of the early part of the month. The 

 (jreatt'd eJoiujation of 21° 31' E takes place on the 10th, 

 when at sunset the planet is fairly high up in Taurus, 

 being then 2^ hours above the horizon. Near the time of 

 greatest elongation the planet precedes Venus by about an 

 hour, so that with the help of the demarcation of the 

 ecliptic by the line joining Venus and the sun it should 

 not l)e difficult to locate the position of Mercury. 



Venus is the most prominent object in the western sky 

 after sunset, and cannot fail to attract the attention by her 

 brilliancy. On the 1st she sets at 10.40 p.m., and on the 

 31st at 11.19 P.M. The apparent diameter of the planet" is 

 increasing, being 1.'>"'0 at the middle of the month ; also 

 the phase is becoming prominently gibbous, 0'74 of the 

 disc being illuminated. On the evenings of the 20th and 

 21st the planet will be close to the star e Geminorum, and 

 on the evening of the 29th she will be in proximity to the 

 moon. 



Mars is an evening star in Virgo, and is available for 

 observation throughout the month from sunset until after 

 midnight, setting on the 1st at 3.41 a.m., and on the 31st 

 at 1.39 A.M. There is no mistaking the planet, since he 

 is the brightest object in the sky looking southwards, and 

 also on account of his ruddy colour. The bright star 

 Arcturus has a somewhat similar appearance, but it is not 

 so bright, and further has a greater altitude. With small 

 telescopes one sees the disc and that there are markings, 

 but it is difficult to delineate them ; also the polar snow 

 cap is not showing to advantage. About the middle of 

 the month the diameter of the planet is 12"'0, whilst 0'926 

 of the disc is illuminated. He is near the moon on the 

 evening of the 7th, and ends his retrograde motion in 

 Virg.> on the 11th. 



Jupiter and Saturn bolh rise after midnight. Near the 

 middle of the month the former rises aliout 2 a.m., and 

 the latter about 1 a.m. 



Uranus is in Ophiuchus, rising on the 1st at 11.13 p.m., 

 an<l on the 31st at 0.10 p.m. On account of his extreme 

 southerly declination, however, he is not favourable for 

 observation this month at convenient times. 



Neptune is only available for observation during the 

 earlier parts of the month. On the 19th he is very close 

 1o ij (Teminonnii, hiiving the same R.A. :is the star, and 

 lH>ing only 0^ 9' to th<' south ; in fact during the whole 

 niontli he will appear in the same fi<>ld of view as the star 

 if not loo high a power be used. A few observations, 

 therefore, will detect liini on iiecount of his chnnging 

 position. 



The Stabs. — Aliout 10 i'..m, at the middle of the month 

 Ursa Major will be nearly overhead ; Arcturus a little east 

 of south, and Spica Virginis on the meridian ; Leo in 

 the so\ith-west, and Gemini in the north-west ; Cyguus in 

 the north-east ; V(»ga high up in the east ; Scorpio rising 

 in the south-east. 



Communications for this column should be addressed 

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

 by the 10th of each month. 



Solutions of A|ivil Problems — CBy C. D. Locock). 



No. 1. 

 1. R to R5, and mates next move. 



No. 2. 

 1. Q to Kt4, and mates next move. 



Solutions received from "Alpha," 2, ; W. Nash, 2, 2 ; 

 G. A. Forde (Major), 2, 2 ; " Looker-on," 2, 2 ; A. H. H. 

 (Croydon), 2, 2 ; W. H. S. M., 2, 2 ; G. W. Middleton, 2, 2 ; 

 "Tamen," 2, 0; "Quidam," 2, 2; J. W. Dixon, 2, 2; H. F. 

 Culmer, 2, 2; T. Dale, 2, 2; A. H. Doubleday, 2, 2; 

 W. J. Lawson, 0, 2 ; C. Johnston, 2, 2. 



G. Heathcote and H. F. W. Lane. — Many thanks for 

 your letters. 



/. W. Dixon. — Glad to hear that you appreciate the 

 jirize prolilems. 



A. Lillie, J. C. Camhj, P. G. L. F., H. N. Fellows.— 

 Thanks for the problems, which I shall lio]ie tn jjublisli in 

 the com'se of the year. 



Hamilton White. — I am afraid that I cannot be drawn 

 by your counter-proposal that I should send you tlie 

 solution of your own end-game. In stating that Black's 

 moves were not all forced, I erroneously put " Black " for 

 " White," Black being the usual defending side in problems 

 and end-games f(U- publication. Ton will see, of course, 

 that White's 4th, .5th and (ith moves are not forced. The 

 promotion to a Knight may be a little unusual in actual 

 play, but I consider, nevertheless, that the whole moduK 

 operandi is a little too obvious, in spite of the testimony 

 of well-known players in its favour. 



G. A. Forde { Mojor).— Yes. the solution of No. 2 last 

 month was inaccurately given. 



Alpha. — I discarded No. 2 many years ago on account 

 of the second solution by 1. Q to Q7; but the Black Pawn 

 at Kt2 now prevents this. 



W. J. Lawson.— li 1. B to Q3, P x Kt. 



" Tamen." — Please see reply to " Alpha " al)ove. 



W. Jay. — I much regret that your solutions this mouth 

 were too late. The issuing post-mark is "1 p.m., 

 Ajiril 11." 



PROBLEMS. 



No. 1. 



By W. Geary. 



Buck (Si. 







White mates in two moves. 



