October 1, 1896.1 



KNOWLEDGE 



239 



THE FACE OF THE SKY FOR OCTOBER. 



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



SUNSPOTS are still very few in number. 

 Conveniently observable minima of Algol occur 

 at 9h. 20m. p.m. on the 1st, llh. 2m. p.m. on the 

 21st, and 7h. 51m. p.m. on the 24th. 



Mercury is visible as a morning star during the 

 last half of the month. On the 17th he rises at 5h. 2m. 

 A.M., or Ih. 27m. before the Sun, with a southern declina- 

 tion of 2" 4.5 , and an apparent diameter of Hi", /^Vths of 

 the disc being illuminated. On the 22nd he rises at 

 4h. 50m. A.M., or Ih. 48m. before the Sun, with a southern 

 declination of 3^ 4', and an apparent diameter of 6j", 

 yVo^Iis of the disc being illuminated. On the 27th he 

 rises at oh. Im. a.m., or one hour and three-quarters before 

 the Sun, with a southern declination of b' 4', and an 

 apparent diameter of Oi ', Vo'^^^ of the disc being 

 illuminated. On the 31st he rises at oh. ICm. a.m., or 

 Ih. 39m. before the Sun, with a southern declination of 

 7° 20', and an apparent diameter of 5 j ', rather over iV^hs 

 of the disc being illuminated. 



Mercury is in inferior conjunction with the Sun on 

 the 8th, and at his greatest western elongation (18j') 

 on the 24th. While visible he describes a direct path 

 in Virgo, without approaching any conspicuous star very 

 closely. 



Venus is an evening star, but owing to her southern 

 declination is not well situated for observation ; more- 

 over, she is too near the Sun during the greater part 

 of the month. On the 27th she sets at 5h. 45m. p.m., 

 or Ih. 3m. after the Sun, with a southern declination 

 of 2V 41', and an apparent diameter of 12", tVj'^s 

 of the disc being Uluminated. On the 31st she sets 

 at oh. 45m. p.m., or nearly an hour and a quarter 

 after the Sun, with a southern declination of 22^', and 

 an apparent diameter of 12". While visible she is near 

 |3 Scorpii. 



Mars is now a very conspicuous object in the evening 

 sky. On the 1st he rises at 8h. 33m. p.m., or 2h. 57m. 

 after sunset, with a northern decUnation of 22^ 55', and 

 an apparent diameter of 11|", the phasis on the preceding 

 limb amounting to 1^'. On the 14th he rises at 7h. 58m. 

 P.M., with a northern declination of 23 28', and an apparent 

 diameter of 12V'. On the 31st he rises at (Jh. 51m. p.m., 

 with a northern declination of 24° 12', and an apparent 

 diameter of 14^". During the month he crosses from 

 Taurus into Gemini. 



Jupiter does not rise before midnight at the end of 

 the month, and Saturn and Uranus have left us for the 

 season. 



Neptune is an evening star, rising on the 1st at 8h. 26m. 

 P.M., with a northern declination of 2P 41', and an 

 apparent diameter of 2-6". On the 31st he rises at 

 Gh. 30m. P.M., with a northern declination of 21 38'. He 

 describes a very short retrograde path in Taurus during 

 the month. 



October is a fairly favourable month for showers of 

 shooting stars, the most marked display being that of the 

 Orionids on the 18th, the radiant point being in E.A. 

 6h. 8m. and +15 . 



The Moon is new at lOh. 18m. p.m. on the 6th ; enters 

 her first quarter at 2h. 47m. p.m. on the 13th ; is full 

 at Ih. 17m. p.m. on the 21st ; and enters her last quarter 

 at 3h. 21m. p.m. on the 29th. She is in perigee at 5h. a.m. 

 on the 7th (<listance from the Earth, 221, '.»40 miles), and 

 in apogee at Ch. a.m. on the 21st (distance from the Earth, 

 252,500 miles). 



d^i^css Column. 



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



Communications for this coliman should be addressed to 

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

 the 10th of each month. 



Solutions of September Problems. 

 No. 1. — 1. Q to QR8, and mates next move. 

 No. 2. — 1. Q to QB6, and mates next move. 



[Owing to the omission of a Black Pawn at KR6, there 

 is, unfortunately, a second solution by 1. B x P.] 



CosRECT Solutions of both problems received from 

 G. A. F. (Brentwood), Alpha, H. S. Brandreth, F. Hepburn, 

 H. Le Jeune, A. S. Coulter, E. C. WiUis, J. H. CarroU, 

 Eugene Henry, G. J. Newbegin, -J. M'Robert, H. W. Elcum, 

 W. Willby, S. CoUen, A Norseman, W. Clugston. 



Eugene Henri/. — Of the two positions which you enclose 

 we prefer No. 2. Though it is clear that either the Book 

 or one of the Bishops must move ( for otherwise the Book 

 is useless), both the key and variations are quite up to the 

 mark. In the other the variety is hardly proportionate to 

 the large force employed, and the stationary position of 

 the White Queen is to be regretted. Your third position 

 (now marked No. 2) has just reached us. The key is very 

 pretty. Two of them shall appear in the next number. 



W. Clugston. — Thanks. They shall be examined. 



PROBLEMS. 

 No. 1. — By J. K. Macmeikan. 



Black (.5). 



m i 



m mm mm. — mm 



iii a ^ i 





3!S 



#^ 



i m. i 



^^*j^ ;^ja^ //m 



White (U). 



White mates in two moves. 

 No. 2.— By A. G. Fellows. 



Black (:>). 



White (7). 



White mates in three moves. 



