214 



KNOWLEDGE & SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



[August, 1905. 



The 



Face of the 

 for August. 



By W. Shackleton, F.R.A.S. 



Sky 



The Sun. — On the 1st the Sun rises at 4.24 and sets at 

 7.48 ; on the 31st he rises at 5.1 1, and sets at 6.49. 



Sunspots are numerous: also recent spectroscopic ob- 

 servations of the Sun's limb have shown many bright 

 and active prominences. 



The position of the Sun's axis and equator, required for 

 physical observations of the Sun, is indicated in the fol- 

 lowing table: — 



An eclipse of the Sun takes place on the 30th ; in this 

 country it will be observable as a partial one ; three- 

 fourths of the diameter being obscured in the southern 

 co'-inties, diminishing to about one half in the Orkneys. 

 From suitable positions in Canada, Spain, Algeria and 

 Kgvpt the eclipse may be observed as a total one. 



The particulars for London are as follows, whilst 

 the diagram illustrates the appearance at maximum 

 phase : — 



At Greenwich, partial eclipse (Sun's diam. = i), 

 magnitude 0-786 : 



Begins . . . . Aug. 30, 11 h. 49-1 m. a.m. 



Greatest Phase . . „ „ i 3'5 p.m. 



Ends . . . . „ „ 2 15-1 p.m. 



A partial eclipse of the Moon takes place on the morn- 

 ing of the 15th. At Greenwich, however, the Moon sets 

 before it is quite out of the shadow. 



First Contact with the Penumbra, Aug. 15 i 9'5 a.m. 



,, „ ,, Shadow, „ 2 389 „ 



^liddle of Eclipse . . . . ,, 3 41-0 „ 



Last Contact with the Shadow „ 4 43-1 „ 



,, „ ,, Penumbra ,, 6 12'5 ,, 



At Greenwich the Moon sets . . ,, 4 53 >> 



Magnitude of Eclipse (Moon's diameter = i), 0'292. 



Appearance of Moon at Aliddle of Eclipse, Aug. 15. 



The Planets. — Mercury, at the beginning of the 

 month, is an evening star in Leo; he is at greatest 

 ( asterly elongation on the 2nd, when he sets about one 

 hour after the Sun. On the 30th, the day of the solar 

 eclipse, the planet is in inferior conjunction with the Sun 

 at 3 a.m., and at the time of the eclipse the planet is 

 about 4= towards the S.W. of the Sun. 



Venus is a morning star in Gemini, rising shortly after 

 I a.m. throughout the month. On the 30th, the planet 

 will lie situated about 31) W. of the eclipsed Sun, where 

 search should be made at the time of maximum phase, to 

 ascertain if the planet is visible in the subdued light. 



Eros is in opposition on the 7th, but being in the 

 neighbourhood of its aphelion it is not a favourable 

 rpposition. 



Mars is due south about 6 p.m. near the middle of the 

 month, when he sets about 10 p.m. The planet is not 

 well placed for observation, as he appears low down in 

 the sky, and on account of increasing distance from the 

 earth his lustre is diminisiiing. 



Jupiter rises at 11.30 p.m. on the ist and at 9.45 on 

 the 31st. The planet is situated in Taurus, a little 

 south of the Pleiades. 



Saturn rises about 7.40 p.m. on the 15th, when he is 

 on the meridian shortly after midnight. W'c are looking 

 down on the northern surface of the ring which appears 

 open at a smaller angle than of late years. 



Uranus is on the meridian about 8.30 p.m. on the 

 15th. He is situated about 2i south of the 4th 

 magnitude star ^ Sagittarii. 



Neptune does not rise until after midnight. 



Meteors : — 



a i 



Aug. 10:2 45" -fS?" Great rcrsnii shower ; radiant 



moving E.N.E. about 10 

 per day. 



