September, 1911. 



KNOWLEDGE. 



361 



Uranus: 



The circle (O' represents Jupiter; signifies that the 

 Satellite is on the disc ; • signifies that the Satellite is behind 

 the disc or in the shadow. The nnmbers are the numbers of 

 the Satellites. 



S.\TURN : — 



Saturn rises in the E.N.E. at 9.10 p.m. on September 1st, 

 and at 7.10 p.m. October 1st. The planet appears as a 

 conspicuous object in the evening sky looking East, and is 

 situated about midway between Aldebaran and a .-^rietis, 

 where he may be observed shining as a bright star free from 

 scintillation, but with a peculiar lustre which has given it the 

 name of the Leaden Planet. 1 he telescope view of the 

 planet with his rings is superb, and even when other objects 

 are difficult to define. Saturn exhibits crisp detail, well 

 repaying observation. The ring is visible in quite small tele- 

 scopes, such as an ordinary good deer-stalker, with a high 

 power eyepiece, and in a good three-inch telescope the ring is 

 visible with a power of about fifty, and the belts on the 

 planet's surface with a power of about eighty ; using higher 

 powers the division in the ring may be seen. The diameter of 

 the outer major and minor axes of the ring system are 

 respectively 45" and 17", so that the ring appears well open, 

 being inclined to our line of \ision at an angle of 22 , the 

 southern surface being visible. 



The planet has eight satellites: of these, Titan, (mag. S-5) 

 can be observed with a good objective of two inches aperture, 

 lapetus (mag. 9-12) maybe seen at his westerly elongations 

 with a telescope of three inches aperture, which is also 

 sufficent to show Rhea (mag. 9-5) and Tethys (mag. 10) whilst 

 Dione (mag. 10-5) requires an aperture of four inches. The 

 three other satellites require larger telescopes, since their 

 magnitude is less than twelve. 



Uranus though rather low down in the sky, is fairly well 

 placed for observation during the early evening, and is due 

 South shortly after dusk. The planet is situated in Capricorn 

 in a part of the sky devoid of good reference stars, though 

 the star o- Capricorni is about 2° to the N.E. The planet 

 is at the stationary point on the 6th October, after which his 

 motion is direct or Easterly. 



Uranus can just be discerned with the naked eye on clear 

 nights, but the slightest optical aid is sufficient to make the 

 planet clearly visible. 



The planet is in conjunction with the moon at 4.37 p.m. on 

 the 4th. Uranus being 4i" to the north. 



Neptune does not rise till midnight on the 12th : thus for all 

 practical purposes the planet is unobservable. 



Meteors : — 



Minima of Algol occur on the 2nd at 7 p.m., and on the 

 22nd at 8.30 p.m. 



1 he period is 2'' 20"^ 49'", from which other minima may be 

 calculated. 



Telescopic Objects: — 



Double St.\rs.— f Ursae Majoris XIII." 20'", N. 55" 23'. 

 mags. 2. 4 ; separation, 14"4. 



j-Aquarii X.XII.'' 24"", S. 0' 32', mags. 4. 4; separation, 

 2"'9. Both components are yellowish. 



(5 Cygni .XIX." 27"", N. 27° 46', mags. 3. 5 ; separation, 34". 

 The brighter component is yellow, the other blue ; very easy 

 double in small telescopes with a power of 20. 



Cluster (M 11) in Aqiiila or Antinous. R.A. IS'* 46""; 

 Dec. S. 6° 2i'. Very pretty object for three or four-inch 

 telescopes : it is an easily resolvable fan-shaped cluster, with 

 an eighth magnitude star in apex and an open pair of the 

 same magnitude just outside it. 



THE BRENT \'.\LLEV BIRD SANCTUARY. 



A MOST successful season has been experienced in the Bird 

 Sanctuary, and even now there is still (.August 2Sth) a 

 bullfinch's nest containing eggs. It has been suggested by 

 Mr. Robert Read, M.B.O.U.. that it may have been built 

 by a pair of this year's birds, and should they prove to be 

 poorly coloured it will be additional evidence in favour of 

 the supposition being correct. The nesting boxes made from 

 logs similar to those illustrated and described in the .^pril 

 number of " Knowledge," which were tested, were with 

 very few exceptions tenanted, though many were put in 



(juite exposed situations. A large number of these boxes 

 which were sold were also used to good effect in the 

 majority of cases, and the profits have been applied to the 

 upl<eep of the Sanctuary. The wood is interesting at all 

 times of the year, and during the past week the following 

 birds have been seen : Kestrels, green and greater spotted 

 woodpeckers, nightjar, kingfisher and turtle dove. The 

 Honorary Secretary of the Committee is Mrs. Wilfred 

 Mark Webb, and her address is "' Odstock," Hanwell, 

 London, W. 



