MvRCH 1, 1901."' 



KNOWLEDGE. 



71 



W.X.W. horizon, nt'tor a patli of 20'-'' or '23'-^ in ii direction fmm X.W. 

 Tlie patli was sliglitly ilosi-onding, tho altiUktf heiiij; iihout 5" loss at 

 tlieond. The brilliancy of the object was ostininted three times that 

 of Venus at her best, nnd the nucleus threw olT a crimson tail I'' in 

 lenath. 



BeiEnt FiBEHAtls.— Brilliant ni.'ti-ors of this chiss have been 

 reported on foUonins; dates : — 



H. M. 



Pcnshurst, Kent. 

 , Ueaminster, I lorset, and London. 

 Kdinburgh. 



Pnmfries and Edinburgh. 

 Bristol. 

 February T ... S l p.m.. Felixstowe. 



Llanclly. 



Further descriptions of the oliserved paths of these bodie* would be 

 inti-resting. 



.Iantaet Metbobic Showbk. 1901-.— The prevalence of moonlight 

 and cloudy weather ha> probably enabled the meteors of Jaiiuory 2-3 

 to elude observ.ation this year. Xothmg of them was seen at Bristol, 

 and no re|>orts have been received of successful observations elsewhere. 



THE FACE OF THE SKY FOR MARCH. 



By A. Fowler, f.r.a.s. 



The Sun.-- On tho 1st tbe sun rises at (5.49 a.m., and 

 sets at 5.37 p.m ; on the 31st he rises at 5.41 am , and 

 sets at 6.28 p.m. Tho sun enters Aries, and Spring com- 

 ineuces on tlie 21st at 7 a.m. Few sunspots are to be 

 exj>ected. During this month the Zodiacal Light is 

 favourably placed for observation in the western sky after 

 sunset. 



The Mooif. — The moon will be full on the 5th at 

 8.4 .V.M., will enter List quarter on the 13th at l.(> p.m., 

 will be new on tho 20th at 12.53 p.m., and will enter last 

 quarter on tho 27th at 4.30 a.m. The following are among 

 the more interesting oceultations which occur during the 

 month : — 



a 



7. 



The Planets. — Mercury is in inferior conjunction on 

 the 7th, and will afterwards be a morning star, but 

 unfavourably placed for observation in our latitudes. 



Venus remains a morning star, but too near the sun for 

 naked-eye observations. She is approachino sujierior 

 conjunction. 



Mars can be observed throughout the night, his path 

 being a westerly oiie through Leo to the north of Rogulus. 

 He crosses the meridian on the 1st at 11.38 p..m., and on 

 the 3 1st at 9.12 p m., the apparent diameter on these 

 dates being respectively 13' '8 and ll"(>. The phase is of 

 course almost inappreciable, the illuminated part of the 

 disc on the 15th being 970. 



.Jupiter can (mly be observed in the morning, rising 

 about 4.5 A m. on the 1st, and 2.20 a.m on tlie 31st. His 

 path is a short easteily one through Sagittarius, and tho 

 meridian altitude in London is loss than 20 degrees. 



Saturn is also in Sagittarius, a little to the east of 

 Jupiter. On the 1st the planet rises about 4.25 a..m., and 

 on the 31st about 2.35 a.m. 



Cranus is in the most southerly jjart of Ojihiuchus, 

 nearly 4 degrees to the north-west of h. and, like Ju])itor 

 and Saturn, can only l)e observed in the nioinings. On 

 the 1st he rises about 2 30 am., and on the 31st 



about 12.34 a.m. The plauot is in quadrature on tho 8tli, 

 and stationary on the 22nd. 



Noptune may still be observed until after midnight. 

 He is stationary on the 8th,an<l in (piadrature on the 17th. 

 On the 1st he crosses the meridian at 7.9 p.m., and on the 

 31st at 5.12 p M. He remains nearly midway between 

 y} Orionis and 132 Tauri. 



The Stars.— About 9 p.m., at the middle of tho month, 

 Aries will be sotting a little nortli of west; Taurus will be 

 nearly due west ; Orion in the south-west ; Capella high 

 up in the west; Sirius low down about 30 .soulii of 

 west ; Procyon and Gemini higlior and a little noanr tlio 

 meridian; Caiioor on tho meridian; Leo jirotty high np 

 in tho sontli-oast ; Arctiirus to the oasi ; Honiilos and 

 Lyra low down in tlio north-oast. 



Minima of Algol occur at convenient times on tho lOth 

 at 9.52 P.M., on the 13th at H.40 p.m , and on llie 30th at 

 11.35 P.M 



<ri)rss (Tolumu. 



By C. D. LocoCK, b.a. 



Communications for this column should be addressed 

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

 by the 10th of each month. 



Solutions of Feliruary Problems. 



No. 1. 



(W. H. Guudiy.) 



1. Kt to Kt5, and mates next move. 



No. 2. 



(B. G. Laws.) 



Key move — 1. B to K3. 



If 1. . . . P to K4, 2. Kt to Q()ch., etc. 



1. , . . KtoQ4orR>fP. 2. Q to Kt7cli. 

 1. . . . PxKt, 2. QxPch., etc. 



[There is, unfortunately, a second solution by 1. ... I! 

 to Q6, threatening 2. Q to Kt7ch.] 



Correct Solutions of both problems received from 

 W. de P. Crousaz, J. Baddeley, Alpha, B. Harlev, G- A. 

 Forde (Capt.), F. J. Lea, G. Groom, C. F. P., C. C.'Massey, 

 W. H. S. M., J. T. Blakemore, ((J), W. Nash, C. C. 

 Pennington, N. L. Gillesjtie, S. G. Luckcock (6), E. Hunt, 

 A. J. Head, Endirby, Vivien H. Macmeikan, J. Sowden, 

 N. Buchanan, W. JaV (0), G. W. Middleton, Eugene Honrv, 

 H. S. Brandreth, N K. Dutt, A. E. Whitehouso, F. A. 

 Wilcock ((}), W. B. Alldritt, A. VV. Tyer, J. M. K., (J. 

 Child, H. LeJeune, A. H Machell Cox, J. E Broadbeut, 

 G. W. (ij), C. Johnston (6). H. Boyes, A. .Jackson, A. C. 

 Challenger (R), A. Dod (6), W. 'Smith, C. S. Hudson, 

 S. W Billings (0), F. Dennis 



All the above score 5, except where otherwise stated. 



Of No. 1 only from H. W. Elcuni. Of No. 2 from 

 J. A. Ni civil son. 



For the first tinio ])robably in many years no iiicorri'ct 

 gnlution to either prolilom lias been received. 



W.Jay. — See reply to "Endirby" below. A solution 

 in less than the stipulated number of moves would count 

 as an ordinary " cook." One other key, if there be one, 

 should 1)0 sent with it. 



f. A. Wilrock. — A very successful (irst ap])earanco 



Endirhy. — Nothing can be gained l)y .sending more than 

 two keys to any ])roblem. 



W. Nash. -Yes, your card gives 1. QQB3. 1 mmli 

 regret your slip. 



