Atjgust 1, 1899.] 



KNOWLEDGE 



191 



THE FACE OF THE SKY FOR AUGUST. 



By A. FOWLEB, F.B.A.S. 



THE SUN.— On the Ist the Sun riaes at 4.25, and 

 sets at 7.47 ; on the 31st he rises at 5.12, and 

 sets at 6.48. Spots are still occasionally to be 

 seen. 



The Moon. — The Moon will be new on the 6th, 

 at 11.48 A.M.; wUl enter the first quarter on the 14th, at 

 11.54 A.M. ; will be full on the 2l8t, at 4.45 a.m. ; and 

 enter the last quarter on the 27th, at 11.37 p.m. 



The brightest star occulted at a convenient time during 

 the month is / Sagittarii, magnitude 5-1, on the 18th ; 

 the disappearance takes place at 10.28 p.m., at an angle of 

 50° from the north point (44^ from the vertex), and the re- 

 appearance at 11.34 P.M., at 267° from the north point (251^ 

 from the vertex). Other occultations are : — 19 Piscium, 

 magnitude 5-2, on the 23rd, from 3.1 to 4.8 a.m. ; 

 r^ Arietis, magnitude 5-2, on the 27th, from 12.5 to 1.5 

 A.M. : yi Tauri, magnitude 4-6, on the 28th, from 4.20 to 

 5.19 A.M. ; 1) Geminorum on the 30th, from 4.9 to 5.25 

 A.M. ; ^ Geminorum on the 3l8t. from 2.59 to 8.58 a.m. 



The Planets. — Mercury moves westwards towards the 

 Sun until the 19th, when he will be in inferior conjunction. 

 He will afterwards be a morning star, and at the end of 

 the month will come into a very favourable position, a few 

 degrees west of Regulus. The greatest westerly elongation, 

 of 18^ 2', will occur on the morning of September 5th. 



Venus is unfavourably situated for observation. She is 

 approaching superior conjunction, and the apparent diameter 

 is therefore small ( 9-8 ' on the 15th), and the disc nearly full. 



Mars sets so soon after the Sun this month that he 

 may be considered not observable. He is near p Virginis 

 at the beginning of the month, and moves in a south- 

 easterly direction. 



Jupiter remains an evening star, low down in the 

 south-west, soon after sunset. His apparent polar diameter 

 at the middle of the month is 82-2". The satellite 

 phenomena are not very numerous during the short periods 

 available for their observation. At 8.43 p.m., on the 3rd, 

 there will be egress of the shadow of the second satellite ; 

 on the 10th, at 8.51 p.m., transit egress of the second 

 satellite ; and on the 24th, at 7.56 p.m., an eclipse 

 reappearance of the first satellite. 



Saturn may be observed until nearly midnight during 

 the early part of the month, low down in the south or 

 south-west. He is between ij and i Ophiuchi, and traverses 

 a westerly path until the 21st, when he will be stationary, 

 and during the rest of the month an easterly path. The 

 rings are widely open, and their northern surfaces are 

 presented to us. On the 3rd, the apparent polar diameter 

 of the planet is 16-4", and the outer major and minor axes 

 of the outer ring are respectively 40-9" and 18-5 '. 



Uranus is also an evening star, but like Jupiter and 

 Saturn can only be observed for a comparatively short 

 time after sunset. He is in Scorpio, a little less than half- 

 way from y to 19 of that constellation. At the middle of the 

 month the planet sets shortly before 11 p.m. ; is stationary 

 on the 12th, and in eastern quadrature on the 27th. 



Neptune cannot be observed this month. 



The Stabs. — About 10 o'clock at the beginning of the 

 month, Perseus and Cassiopeia will be in the north-east ; 

 Pegasus, Andromeda, Aries, and Pisces towards the east ; 

 Aquarius and Capricomus in the south-east ; Cygnus and 

 Lyra nearly overhead ; Aquila due south ; Hercules and 

 Ophiuchus towards the south-west ; Corona and Bootia in 

 the west ; and Ursa Major in the north-west. 



Favourable minima of Algol will occur on the 2nd, at 

 11.31 P.M., and on the 25th, at 10.1 p.m. 



C^tss Colttmn. 



By C. D. LococK, b.a. 



Communications for this column should be addressed to 

 C. D. LococK, Kxo^-LEDGE OflSce, 326, High Holbom, 

 W.C, and should be posted by the 10th of each month. 



Solutmis of July Problems. 



(By J. K. Macmeikan.) 



No. 1. 

 1. Kt to B2, and mates next move. 



No. 2. 

 1. R to B8, and mates next move. 



CoBBKCT Solutions of both problems received from 

 Alpha, E. Servante, G. A. Forde (Capt.), N. M. Munro, 

 G. J. Newbegin, H. S. Brandreth, J. Baddeley, A. H. 

 Doubleday, G. C. (Teddington), W. de P. Crousaz, H. Le 

 Jeune, H. H. Thomas, K. W., W. d'A. Barnard, D. R. 

 Fotheringham, K. R. B. Fry (Cheltenham College), T. 

 Frampson. Of No. 1 only, from W. H. Jones, W. Grimshaw. 



A. H. Doitbleday. — Variations are quite unnecessary in 

 two-movers. 



W. Grimshaic. — After 1. P to B4ch, KxR ; there is no 

 mate. 



Alfred Osborne. — Your solution of No. 2 (June) is 

 correct, but arrived too late for acknowledgment. 



G. A. Forde. — Some of our solvers object to sui-mates. 

 Nevertheless their indignation shall occasionally be braved 

 if a good specimen, in two or three moves, is sent in. 



Henry Bristoic. — We gladly notice your booklet next 

 month. 



W. H. Jones. — If 1. R. to Q3, the Black King escapes. 



A". M. Munro. — Your problem is not sound ; there 

 appears to be only one " threat " and there are several 

 defences to it. Can you revise it ? Your other question 

 has been answered in the daily press. 



A. P. M. — The solution of No. 1 (June) is quite correct. 

 In the variations you mention the White King retakes the 

 Pawn or Rook, discovering check-mate from the White 

 Rook. 



I. M. Brou-n {Bradford). — Change of address noted. 



E. Servante. — I should recommend you to write to Dr. 

 Hunt, 101, Queen's Road, Dalston, N. 



PROBLEMS. 

 No. 1. 



By Rev. E. Cowley. 



Black (1). 



Whitb (4). 



White mates m three moves. 



