Apeil 1, 1897.] 



KNOWLEDGE. 



103 



Irons concludes his preface to the book thus : — " This 

 volume has been written with the hope that the life of 

 Dr. Croll, recording the triumph over his early strujrgles, 

 his scientific researches — which secured him a worldwide 

 reputation as an original thinker — and his earnest belief 

 in the Christian faith, may prove interesting. It may 

 only be added that the entire proceeds of its sale will be 

 handed to his widow." 



THE FACE OF THE SKY FOR APRIL. 



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



SPOTS continue to diversify the solar disc from time 

 to time. Conveniently observable minima of Algol 

 occur at llh. 56m. p.m. on the 11th, and at 

 8h. -iGm. P.M. on the 14th. 



From the middle of the month Mercury becomes 

 very well placed for observation. On the 16th he sets at 

 8h. 30m. P.M., or about 1^ hours after the Sun, with a 

 northern declination of 16' 47', and an apparent diameter 

 of 60". On the 23rd he sets at 9h. 13m. p.m., or 2h. 5m. 

 after the Sun, with a northern declination of 20' 51 , and 

 an apparent diameter of 6|". On the 30th he sets at 

 9h. 30m. P.M., or 2h. 11m. after the Sun, with a northern 

 declination of 22° 57', and an apparent diameter of 8}''. 

 He is in superior conjunction on the 2nd, and at his 

 greatest eastern elongation (20p) on the 28th. During 

 the month he describes a direct path in Taurus, being 

 about V south of the Pleiades on the 27th. 



Venus is a beautiful object during the first three weeks 

 of the month, but after that she rapidly becomes invisible, 

 being in inferior conjunction on the 28th. On the 1st she 

 sets at lOh. 18m. p.m., with a northern declination of 

 22° 45', and an apparent diameter of 41", about ^^ths of 

 the disc being illuminated. On the 11th she sets at 

 9h. 43m. P.M., with a northern declination of 23° 17', and 

 an apparent diameter of 51". On the 21st she sets at 

 8h. 38m. P.M., with a northern declination of 21° 43', and 

 an apparent diameter of 57". While visible she describes 

 a short looped path in Aries. 



Mars is visible, but his disc is now so tiny that hardly 

 any details can be made out on his surface. He will be 

 occulted by the Moon on the morning of April 9th, but 

 the phenomenon will hardly be visible in this country. 

 On the 1st he sets at 2h. 15m. a.m., with a northern 

 decUnation of 25° 28', and an apparent diameter of 6J". 

 On the 30th he sets at Ih. 15m. a.m., with a northern 

 declination of 23° 43', and an apparent diameter of 5i". 

 During the month he describes a direct path in Gemini, 

 being very near c Geminorum on the 8th. 



.lupiter is still an evening star, and is very well situated 

 for observation. On the 1st he rises at 2h. 25m. p.m., and 

 souths at 9h. 33m. p.m., with a northern declination of 

 12° 17', and an apparent diameter of 431". On the 16th 

 he rises at lb. 22m. p.m., and souths at 8h. 31m. p.m., 

 with a northern declination of 12° 33', and an apparent 

 diameter of 41| ". On the 30th he rises at Oh. 25m. p.m., 

 and souths at 7h. 35m. p.m., with a northern declination 

 of 12° 33', and an apparent diameter of 40', the phasis on 

 the/ limb amounting to 5 '. During the month he de- 

 scribes a short retrograde path in Leo, a little to the east of 

 Eegulus. 



As Saturn does not rise until nearly 9 p.m. at the end of 

 the month we defer an ephemeris of him till May, and the 

 same remarks apply to Uranus. 



Neptune has practically left us for the season. 



Shooting stars are fairly plentiful in April, the best 

 marked shower being that of the Lyrids, with a radiant 



point in R.A. 18h. f33°. The radiant point rises on the 

 19th and 20th, when the maximum occurs, about 6ih. p.m., 

 and souths about 4h. a.m. 



The Moon is new at 4h. 24m. a.m. on the 2nd ; enters 

 her first quarter at 8h. 27m. a.m. on the 10th ; is full at 

 Gh. 2om. AM. on the 17th; and enters her last quarter 

 at 9h. 4Hm. p.m. on the 23rd. 



CEfjcss Column. 



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



Communications for this column should be addressed to 

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

 the lOth of each month. 



If 



B to Kt7. 

 2. Q to Qsq, etc. 

 2. Q to B2ch, etc. 

 2. Q to Kt2, etc. 



Solutions of March Problerm. 



No. 1. 



(By P. G, L. F.) 



Key-move. — 1. 

 . . . K to B5, 

 1. ... K to R7, 

 1. . . . KxP, 



No. 2. 



(By Eugene Henry.) 



1. Kt to B2, and mates next move (one dual). 



Correct Solutions of both problems received from 



Alpha, J. T. Blakemore, Captain Forde, W. J. Ashdown, 



H. Le Jeuue, H. H. Thomas, E. W. Brook. 



Of No. 1 only from A. P. Hyatt, Sigma, H. W. Elcum, 

 M. Wiedhofft. 



Of No. 2 only from W. II. Lunn, G. G. Beazley, W. 

 Clugston, .1. M'Robert. 



A. P. Hyatt.— 1( 1. Kt to Kt5, P to K5. 



IF'. H. Lunn. — There is no dual after 1. . . B to B3. 



Siijma.—U 1. Kt to K7ch, B x Kt. 



H. W. Elcum. — No. 2 was a two-move problem. 



M. Wiedhoft't. — Your solution is accidentally destroyed. 

 It was, at least, clerically incorrect. 



U'. -T. Ashdoiin. —Man-y thanks for the three problems, 

 which shall be examined. 



PROBLEMS. 



No. 1. 



By Philip H. Williams. 



Bl4CK (J). 



WM '''wM "^M^ ''wm. 



« ^ fM 



^ i 

 m im 



m. «„.,Jii „„„,.■, 



^ ^ S 



^„„^,^...~-~. - ^^ i'»- 



m IS 



White (6j. 



White mates in three movea. 



