May 1, 1899.] 



KNOWLEDGE 



119 



THE FACE OF THE SKY FOR MAY. 



By A. FOWLEE, F.R.A.S. 



THE SUN.— The Sun rises on the 1st at 4.33, and 

 seta at 7.21 ; on the 31st he rises at 3.51, and 

 sets at 8.3. A fine group of spots was visible 

 during the latter part of March, so that the Sun 

 may stOl be worth careful scrutiny. 



The Moon. — The Moon will enter her last quarter on 

 the 2nd at 5.47 p.m. ; will be new on the 9th, at 5.39 p.m. ; 

 enter her first quarter on the 17th, at 5.13 p.m.; will be 

 full on the 25th, at 5.49 .\.m. ; and enters her last quarter 

 on the 31st at 10.55 p.m. 



On the 24th, there will be an occultation of B.A.C., 

 5254, magnitude 54. Disappearance at 10.15 p.m., at 

 125° from north point (138° from vertex) ; reappearance at 

 11.25 at 261° from north point (204° from vertex). 



On the 26th, 7 Sagittarii (magnitude 5-4) will be 

 occulted. Disappearance at 11.39, at 51° from north 

 point (69' from vertex) ; reappearance at 0.39 at 302° from 

 north point (312° from vertex). 



The Planets. — Mercury is a morning star, reaching his 

 greatest westerly elongation of 2(5° 4' on the 10th at 4 a.m. 

 He rises, however, only about halfan-hour before the Sun, 

 so that he will not be seen with the naked eye in our 

 latitudes. 



Venus is a morning star, but, like Mercury, does not 

 rise early enough to be seen with the naked eye. On the 

 12th she rises at 3.22 a.m., that is 53m. before the Sun, 

 and crosses the meridian at 9.51 a.m. 



Mars remains visible throughout the month, but as his 

 apparent diameter is only 6*6" at the beginning of the 

 month and 5-6" at the end, he is not very accessible to 

 small telescopes. Still, about the end of March, when the 

 apparent diameter was not more than 88", the principal 

 markings were readily perceived. He is a little east of the 

 Praesepe, in Cancer, at the beginning of the month, and 

 afterwards travels almost directly towards Regulus. On 

 the 1st he sets at 2 a.m., and on the 31st at midnight. 

 Nine-tenths of the disc will be illuminated. 



Jupiter is a conspicuous object, though not far above 

 the horizon. During the month he describes a westerly 

 path, lying roughly midway between Spica and a Librae. 

 He will be due south at 11.32 p.m. on the 1st, and at 

 9.22 P.M. on the 31st, his altitude on the meridian at 

 London being about 27°. The eclipse disappearances and 

 reappearances take place on the eastern side of the planet ; 

 in the case of the first satellite (lo), only the reappearances 

 are visible. The satellite phenomena are especially in- 

 teresting at convenient hours on the 6th, 7th, 13th, 14th, 

 15th, 22nd, 23rd, 29th, 30th and 31st. 



Saturn is a little more favourably placed for observa- 

 tion than last month. On the 1st he rises at 10.48, 

 crossing the meridian at 2.51 a.m., and on the 31st at 

 8.40, crossing the meridian at 12.45. He is still in the 

 southerly part of Ophiuchus,and traverses a short westerly 

 path. When on the meridian at London, his altitude is 

 only 16°. At the middle of the month the polar diameter 

 of the planet is 16-8"; the major and minor axis of the 

 outer part of the ring are respectively 42-2' and 18-9" ; 

 the major and minor axis of the inner edge of the bright 

 ring are respectively 20'8' and 120". It will be seen that 

 the rings are very widely open. The northern surface of 

 the rings is visible. 



Uranus is in opposition on the 27th. He is nearly 5° 

 north of Antares, but with his south declination of 2U°, 

 he only reaches an altitude of 17° when on the meridian 

 at London. He rises on the 1st at 9.36, and on the Slst 



at 7.32, crossing the meridian on these dates at 1.46 a.m. 

 and 11.39 p.m. respectively. His apparent diameter is 

 3-7". 



Neptune is practically not observable. 



The Stabs. — About 10 p.m. at the middle of the month, 

 Spica Virginis wiU be due south, Arcturus a little east of 

 south, Ursa Major nearly overhead, Scorpio rising in the 

 south-east, Vega pretty high up in the east, Cygnus north- 

 east, Leo in the south-west, and Gemini a little north of 

 west. 



By C. D. LococK, b.a. 



Communications for this column should be addressed to 

 C. D. LooocK, Netherfield, Camberley, and posted on or 

 before the 10th of each month. 



Solutions of April Problems. 



No. 1. 



1. K to K2, and 2. Q to Q2, etc. 



No. 2. 



1. B to K8, and 2. K to Kt7, etc. 



[Other variations obvious.] 



Correct Solutions of both problems received from 

 Alpha, K. W., J. T. Blakemore, Capt. Forde, A. H. 

 Doubleday, J. H. Jones, F. V. Louis, C. S. Kershaw 

 J. M. K. Lupton, J. Herbert. 



Of No. 1 only, from R. Inwards, W. de P. Crousaz, 

 G. J. Newbegin, Gerald Todd, J. Baddeley. 



W. de P. Cromaz.—AfteT 1. E to Kt5ch, K to R2 ; 2. B to 

 R8, Black need not take the Bishop. If two keys to a 

 sound problem are received, the solution coimts as in- 

 correct. A reiluetio <id ahsurJuin would show the necessity 

 for this. In the case of duals on the second move it is 

 different. We no longer have your card, but fancy that 

 you sent more than one key to No. 2 (March). 



J. T. Blakemore. — Thanks for your contribution, which 

 we publish with pleasure. Have you an original problem 

 for publication ? 



PROBLEMS. 



No. 1. 

 By H. Bristow. 



Black (S). 



^ m 





m m 





White (7). 



White mates in two moves. 



