Febbcaby, 1902.] 



KNOWLEDGE 



47 



7 P.M , or more than two hours after the sun ; about this 

 time the jilanet presents a large crescent of nearly 1' 

 diameter to a telosoopie view. 



Mars is also in Aquarius, but sets shortly after the sun, 

 and is therefore not suitable for observation. 



Jupiter and Saturn are in Sagittarius, but as they rise 

 only about an hour before the sun, they are iucouveuieut 

 for observing purposes. 



Uranus is in the most southerly part of Ophiuchus near 

 the stars and i Ophiuchi, and rises a little more than 

 three hours before the sun ; its great southerly declination, 

 however, makes it somewhat unsuitable for observation. 



Neptune is favourably situated throughout tlie month. 

 He crosses the meridian at i1.ll p.m. on the 1st, and at 

 7.23 P.M on the 2Sth. The planet is still on the borders 

 of Gemini and Taurus, not very distant from 1 Gemi- 

 norum. The accomi)anying chart should enable it to be 



Piith of Xt'ptune from 1st February to 1st April, 1902. 



found readily. The chart shows all the stars down to the 

 S .5 magnitude, which lay near the planet's track. The 

 Jilanet appears in the telescope as a star a little brighter 

 than the Sth magnitude, the colour is said to be greenish, 

 >)ut this is not very noticeable in small telescopes. 



The Stars. — The positions of the principal constella- 

 tions about 9 P.M. at the middle of the month are as 

 follow : — 

 Zenith . Auriga (brightest star Capella), is a little 



west of the zenith. 

 South . Gemini Castor and Polhix) high up, Procyon 



and Siring ; Orion is a little west of the 



meridian, Taurus is to south-west, high up. 



Cancer and Hydra 1o the south-east. 

 East . Leo (Reguhoi) a little south of east, Virgo 



low down, to the north- east Ursa Major, 



Ardiirus rising. 

 West . Perseus, Pleiades, Pisces and Aries with 



Cygnus to the north-west, and Cetus to the 



south-west. 

 North . Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Draco and Ursa Minor, 



with Ve(ja on the horizon. 

 Minima of Algol occur at convenient times on the 17th 

 at 11.43 P.M , and on the 20th at 8.;i2 p.m. 



€l)css Column. 



By C. D. LococK, b.a. 



Communicationg for this cobunn should be addressed 

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

 by the 10th of each month. 



Solutions of January Problems. 



No. 1. 



(S. G. Luckcock.) 



1. Kt X P, and mates next move. 



No. 2. 

 (C. D. Locock and J. K. ISIacmeikau.) 

 Main Solution. 

 Key-move. — 1. B to B4. 

 If 1. . . . P to R7, 2. RxQKtP, etc. 

 1. . . . PxB, 2. EtoQBo, etc. 



1. . . . Pto K4, 2. R to KB.5, etc. 

 [A second solution by 1. R to K5 was intentionally left, 

 partly because it could hardly be avoided, while a third 

 bv 1. K to Ktl, was left accidentally, the authors 

 erroneously supposing that 1. . . P to K-t would be a 

 valid defence. The maiu idea of the proldcm, in fact the 

 primarv object in view, was the " trv" bv 1. Kt to Kt6, 

 P to R7; 2. KtxP at Q2 (or Kt"to QBl.), P to R8 

 (becoming a Bishop) ; 3 Kt to K.5, stalemate. We print 

 below, in case it may be of interest, an earlier, and in some 

 respects superior version of the problem, which the authors 

 believe to be sound, though it was rejected as not being 

 so suitable to the special purpose in view as the unsound 

 version given last month.] 



Mr. W. Nash was credited with a point too few last 

 month. He should accordingly have been bracketed ninth, 

 with a score of 64. 



Correct Solt:tions of No. 1 received from J. Baddelev, 

 Alpha, W. Nash, W. de P. Crousaz, W. V. M. Popham, 

 G. W. Middleton, W. Jav. G. Woodcock. H. Le Jeune. 

 F. Dennis, W. H. Boyes,"C. Johnston, C. R. Beechev, E. 

 F. B. Barlow, H. H. S. (Teddington), A. C. Challenger. 



Of No. 2 from W. Jay (2 solutions). Alpha, S. G. 

 Luckcock, W. Nash f2 solutions), W. de P Crousaz (3 

 correct, 1 incorrect), W. V. M. Popham, G. W. Middleton 

 (1 correct, 1 incorrect), W. H. Boyes, C. Johnston (3 

 correct, 1 incorrect), C. R. Beechey (I correct, 1 incorrect), 

 ii. H. S. (Teddington), A. C. Challenger, four of whom, 

 besides seven others, have duly fallen into the " stalemate 

 trap." Mr. Luckcock alone has commented on the trap, 

 though of course others may have seen through it. 



Several correspondents. — Many thanks for your good 

 wishes. 



Ba'Iiam. — [I cannot find your signature.] In No. 1, 

 R to Bsq. is answered by Kt x R or Kt to B3. In No. 2, 

 after 1- B x RP, P to K7; 2. R x QKtP, P Queens; 3. 

 R to QKt8, Q to B6 (or 8), there is no mate. The Bishop 

 must go to Bi, in order to nullify the effect of Black's 

 third move. 



C. R. Beechey. — Your claim for duals in No. 1, after 

 three moves of the Black Knight, is quite correct. 



G. Woodcock.— After 1. R to KKt2, P to R7 ; 2. R 

 (Ktsq) X P, P Queens, 3. R to Kt8, Black replies Q to B6 

 (or 8). 



G. W. Middleton. — Have written to the publishers 

 accordingly. Congratulations on your other success. 



W. Nash. — I regret the mistake, which I had suspected, 

 but was unable to verify. The fact that I had destroyed 

 your card made me suspect that I had credited you with 

 a point too little, as it is my practice to destroy only those 

 solutions which score full points. 



E. F. D. Barlow. — Thanks for the problem, which shall 

 appear shortly if found apparently sound. Could you not 

 find a less stromj key ? Your particular method of 

 jirinting is new to me, though rubber stamps are of 

 course constantly used for printing the pieces. 



A. C. Challenger. — Have noted your preference as to 

 date. 



