Ai-GUST 1, 1896.] 



KNOWLEDGE 



191 



6. Intensity of tJte Shock : Was it strong enough («) to 

 make windo-ws, doors, fireirons, etc., rattle (iv.) ? (6) to 

 cause the chair or bed on which the observer was resting 

 to be perceptibly raised or moved (v.) ? {c) to make 

 chandeliers, pictures, etc., swing, or to stop clocks (vi.) ? 

 ((0 to overthrow ornaments, v.ises, etc., or cause plaster to 

 fall from the ceiling (vii.)? (t) to throw down chimneys, 

 or make cracks m the walls of buildings (viii.) ? 



7. Sound P/ieno)ii,ii(i : (a) Was any unusual rumbling 

 sound heard at the time of the shock, and, if so, what did 

 it resemble ? (b) Did the beginning of the sound precede, 

 coincide with, or follow the beginning of the shock, and by 

 how many seconds ? (c) Did the end of the sound precede, 

 coincide with, or follow the end of the shock, and by how 

 manj^ seconds? ('/) Did the sound entirely precede the 

 shock, and, if so, what was the length in seconds of the 

 hiterval between the end of the sound and the beginning of 

 the shock? ie) Did the sound become gradually louder 

 and then die away, or were there several maxima of 

 intensity ? ( f) Did the sound change in character at or 

 about the time when the strongest vibrations were felt ? 

 (:i) Was the sound loudest before, at, or after the instant 

 when the shock was strongest ? 



THE FACE OF THE SKY FOR AUGUST. 



By Herbert Sadler, F.E.A.S. 



THE decrease in solar spots is still noticeable. Con- 

 veniently observable minima of Algol occur at 

 3h. 19m. A.M. on the 15th ; at Oh. 8m. a.m. on 

 the 17th ; and at 8h. oGm. p.m. on the 19th. 

 Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter are all too near 

 the Sun this month for the observer's purposes. 



Mars is now becoming visible in the evening sky. 

 On the 1st he rises at llh. p.m., with an apparent 

 equatorial diameter of 8-2 ', the defect of illumination on 

 the p limb amounting to I5". On the 7th he rises at 

 lOh. 4(im. P.M., with a northern declination of 17" -tl', 

 and an apparent equatorial diameter of 8}". On the 

 12th he rises at lOh. 3im. p.m., with a northern declina- 

 tion of 18" 27', and an apparent equatorial diameter of 

 8|". On the 19th he rises at lOh. 17m. p.m., with a 

 northern declination of 14° 10', and an apparent equatorial 

 diameter of nearly 9". On the 26th he rises at lOh. Sm. 

 P.M., with a northern declination of 20' 15', and an 

 apparent equatorial diameter of 9-2 . On the 31st he 

 rises at 9h. 50m. p.m., with a northern declination of 

 20° 47', and an apparent equatorial diameter of 9-^ ", the 

 phasis amounting to 1'4". He describes a direct path 

 through Leo during the month, passing through the 

 Hyades towards the end of it. 



Saturn is still an evening star, but should be looked for 

 as soon as possible after sunset. On the 1st he sets at 

 lOh. 53m. P.M., or 3h. 8m. after the Sun, with a southern 

 declination of 13° SO', and an apparent equatorial diameter 

 of 16; ' (the major axis of the ring system being 89i ' 

 in diameter, and the minor 13|"). On the 7th he sets at 

 lOh 30m. P.M., or 2h. 53m. after the Sun, with a southern 

 declination of 13° 34', and an apparent equatorial diameter 

 of 10 '. On the 17th he sets at 9h. 52m. p.m., or 2h. 3Gm. 

 after the Sun, with a southern declination of 13- 45', and 

 an apparent equatorial diameter of 15 V'. On the 31st 

 he sets at Sh. 59m. p.m., or 2h. 12m. after the Sun, with 

 a southern declination of 14 3', and an apparent equatorial 

 diameter of 15 " (the major axis of the ring system being 

 37y' in diameter, and the minor 13.J"). Ho describes a 

 short direct path in Libra during the month, being about 



2^"^ north of x Libra fSrd magnitude) on the 12th. 

 lapetus is in superior conjunction on the early morning of 

 the 11th. 



Uranus is an evening star, but shoi.ld be looked for as 

 soon after sunset as possible, and his great southern 

 declination militates against bis successful observation. 

 On the 1st he sets at llh. 2m. p.m., with a southern 

 declination of 17° 37', and an apparent diameter of 37 '. 

 On the 31st he sets at 9h. 2m. p.m., with a southern 

 declination of 17° 45'. He describes a short direct path 

 in Libra during the month. 



As Neptune does not rise tLU about lOh. p.m. at the end of 

 the month, we defer an ephemeris of him till September. 



This month is one of the most favourable ones in which 

 to observe shooting stars. The most noted shower is that 

 of the Perseids, with a radiant point at the maximum 

 display on August 10th in R.A. -|- llh. 52m. + 56°. 

 Observations of this region of the heavens with an opera- 

 glass will, no doubt, show stationary meteors, or meteors 

 which shift their positions very slowly. Their places, and 

 the direction of their shift, should be noted for the purpose 

 of determining whether the radiant is a geometrical point 

 or a circle, on an eUiptic area, as suggested with regard to 

 the November meteors (Mnnthb/ Xotices of the Roijal Astro- 

 nomical Societij, Vol. XLVIL, pp. 66-73). The radiant 

 point souths at 5h. 37m. a.m. 



The Moon enters her last quarter at 6h. 34m. p.m. on 

 the 1st ; is new at oh. 2m. a.m. on the 9th ; enters her last 

 quarter at 9h. 2m. p.m. on the 15th ; is full at 7h. 4m. a.m. 

 on the 23rd; and enters her last quarter at lOh. 55m. a.m. 

 on the 31st. She is in perigee at 6h. p.m. on the 11th 

 (distance from the Earth, li26,340 mUes), and in apogee 

 at 3h. p.m. on the 27th (distance from the Earth, 251,880 

 miles). There will be a total eclipse of the Sun on the 

 morning of the 9th, invisible at Greenwich, and a partial 

 eclipse of the Moon on the morning of the 23rd ; but only 

 the penumbra of the Earth's shadow will be projected on 

 the Moon at Greenwich, the Moon setting before the 

 contact with the umbra occurs. 



Cfjrss Column. 



By C. D. LococK, B.A.Oson. 



Commimications for this column should be addressed to 

 C. D. LococK, Burwash, Sussex, and posted on or before 

 the 10th of each month. 



Solutions of July Problem. 



(A. C. Challenger.) 



Author's intention : — 1. P to Kt3, etc. 



Uufortimately, there is a second and similar solution 

 beginning with 1. B to Rt. 



Correct Soiations received from H. H. Quilter (both 

 solutions), H. F. Biggs, W. Willby, G. A. F. (Brentwood), 

 C. H. G., H. Le Jeime, and Ubique. 



A. S. Coulter. — In self-mate problems. Black is not com- 

 pelled to defend himself from being mated. His sole 

 i object is to avoid mating White. 



//. Price. — There is a second solution to yonr problem, 

 j commencing with 1. R to KKtsq, 2. B to B3ch, etc. If 

 ' you correct it please send a diagram. We insert the 

 challenge below. 



C. 11. (iiishin. — Thanks ; but the want of economy in 

 the construction is fatal. 



J. F, W'cl.ih. — The tournament 13 noticed below. 



