NOVBMBBR 1, 1900.] 



KNOWLEDGE. 



263 



much struck witli the apparent proximity of tlio firoball ami tliou^Ut 

 that it must have fallen within two or throe Inquired yawls of the 

 spi^t where they stood. People in Yorkshire. Lancashire, Scotland, 

 and AViltshire 'were similarly impressed. In Wiltshire, a i>arly of 

 observers thought the lireball must have alighted in n lield about a 

 mile off. while at St. .Vndrews, Scotland, it seemed to fall into a lidd 

 of turnips close to the observers. The descriptions vary so miuh as 

 reganls the time and jxisition of the object that several large fireballs 

 would, on first consideration, appear to have appeared on the evening 

 in question. There is no doubt, however, that there was really only 

 one, but that some of the accounts are inexact, and this we might 

 miturally expect, as most of the observers were inexperienced and 

 must have been taken by surprise at the suddenness and brilliancy of 

 the apparition. 



FiBKBALL OF Sepiembeb 16, Sh. 44m. — A fine nictoor, brighter 

 than Venus, was seen at this time by Mr. W. K. Bcsley, of Lonilon, 

 Mr. J. Gilbert Wiblin. of Oxfoixl. Mr. Chas. I'arker, of" Handsworlh, 

 near Binniugham,and Mr. T. Harries, of Llanelly. The observations 

 are in satisfactory accordance, and show that the radiant was in 

 324" -25° between Capricornus and Piscis Australis. The meteor 

 fell from a height of about 50 miles above Hcwdley, to 'A'2 miles above 

 Wigan, and had a visible path, as observed, of about 8<) miles. But 

 it is probable that the real length of path was greater than this, for 

 the observers did not see the meteor until it had traversed a section 

 of its course. 



Obsebtatioxs of SnooTixa Stars in Seftembee. — The 

 month was highly favourable for astronomical observations. At 

 Bru-tol, 127 meteors were seen during 17 lioui-s of watching distri- 

 buted over 10 nights. Both at the opening and closing of the month 

 there were active radiants at SSi*^" + Sti", 71+65°, and 17+4:*'. 

 During the last week in September showers were seen from 6' + 11 , 

 23 ' + 57°, 27" + 3 , and 76" -I- 32'. 



The XovEStBEB Meteors (Leonids). — Observei-s should look out 

 on the mornings of the 14th, 1 5th, and 16th, as it is quite possible, 

 notwithstanding the failures in preceding years, that a fine display 

 may be presented. We are not yet sufficiently aciiuainted witli the 

 stream in its past vicissitudes, or present and future developments, to 

 speak positively as to whether the shower wdl or will not return in 

 great brilliancy this year. Nor is, it possible tj say exactly when or 

 where the display will be visible to the best advantage should ii 

 return. But the morning hours of November 15 appear to be the 

 most promising, and will be likely to furnish a rich shower, if not a 

 really grand display, though the moon wdl be visible in the same 

 region of the sky as the radiant point. She will, however, be in her 

 last quarter, and ought not to seriously interfere with successful 

 observation. 



THE FACE OF THE SKY FOR NOVEMBER. 



By A. FOWLEK, l.K.A.S. 



The Sun. — On the 1st the suu rises at (J. 5-5 and sets at 

 4.33 ; on the 30th he rises at 7.44 and sets at 3.51. There 

 will be an annular eclipse on the 22nd, invisible at Green- 

 wich, the line of central eclipse passing across South 

 Africa, the Southern Indian Ocean, and Western Australia. 

 At the Cape of Good Hope, a partial eclipse, magnitude 

 0.492, will be visible, and at Natal a partial eclijise of 

 magnitude U.717. 



Sunspots are not likely to be either large or numerous. 



The Moon.— The moon will be full on the (Jth at 

 11.0 P.M., wiU enter last quarter on the 14th at 2.38 a .m., 

 will be new on the 22nd at 7.17 a.m., and will enter first 

 quarter on the 29th at 5.35 p.m. The principal occulta- 

 tions visible at Greenwich are as follows : — 



Not. 6 

 .. 12 



., '■"> 



7 Arietis 

 A' Cancri 

 K Piscium 

 16 Pisfium 



0-6 



SO 

 5-6 



9 .5* P.M. 

 11.51 P.M. 



6.11 P.M. 

 U.2.J P.M. 



d. h. 



14 9 



20 11 



8 12 



8 17 



The Pl.vnets. — Mercury will be in inferior conjunction 

 with the Sun on the iUth, and will be a morning star 

 throughout the remainder of the mouth. He is, however, 



not very favourably situated for observation in our 

 latittidt.'S. 



Venus is a moniiiig star, rising .shortly before 3 a.m. at 

 the beginning of the uiontli, and aliout 4.15 a.m. at the 

 end. On the loth, throe-i|uartiTs of the disk will be 

 illuminated. The path of tlif planet is from near 

 /J Virginis to k Virgiuis, passing a point about 4^ north 

 of Spiea on the 21st. 



Eros traverses a retrograde path througli the nortlicru 

 part of Perseus into Cassiopeia^ and is visible througliout 

 the night. Tlie following ephemeris, for Berlin midnight, 

 may be useful : — 



True Kij,'ht Ascension. 



H^ M. 8. 



November 1 



'i 



„ U 



,. 1« 



„ 21 



2i.i 



Doroniber 1 



At the beginning of the month this planet will be aliout 

 equal to a star of magnitude 95. 



Mars is beeoining better situatc^d for observation at 

 convenient hours, rising on the 1st just before half-past 

 eleven, and on the 30th shortly after half-past ten. The 

 path of the planet is easterly through Leo, and on the 

 ISth the planet will be H degrees north of Kegulus. On 

 the 15th, the illuminated portion of the disk will bcO-SOO, 

 and the planet will be 125 millions of miles from the earth. 



Jupiteris rapidly approaching conjunction with the Sun, 

 and can only be observed under very favourable circum- 

 stances. On the 1st he sets about 6 p.m., and on the 15th 

 at 5.23 P.M. 



Saturn may still be observed for a short time in the early 

 evening. During the month the planet traverses a short 

 easterly path in Sagittarius, nearly between the stars 

 X and (J.. On the 1st he sets at 7.2 1, and on the 30th at 

 5.40 P.M. 



Uranus is too near the Sun to be observed. 



Neptime, in Taurus, is visible throughout the greater 

 part of the night, rising on the 1st shortly after 7 p.m., 

 and on the SOth soon after 5 p.m The path of the planet 

 is a short westerly one. nearly midway between 132 Tauri 

 and Eta Geminorum. 



The Stars. — About 9 p.m. at the middle of the month, 

 Gemini will be low in the north-east ; Auriga and Perseus 

 high up in the east ; Taurus between east and south-east, 

 with Orion below ; Aries nearly south-east ; Cetus nearly 

 south ; Andromeda and Pi.sces in the south ; Cassiopeia 

 almost overhead ; Pegasus and Aquarius towards the 

 south-west; Cygnusand A<iuila in the west; Lyra a little 

 north of west; Corona setting in the north-west; ami 

 Ursa Major below the pole. 



Minima of Algol occur at convenient times on the 1st 

 at 9. LI P.M., on the 4th at G.O p.m., on the 21st at 10.53 

 p.m., and on the 24tli at 7.42 p.m. 



C^tss (ZEolumu. 



By C. D. LococK, b.a. 



-^ 



Communications for this column shoidd be addressed 

 to C. D. LococK, Netherfield, Camberley, and be posted 

 by the 10th of each month. 



Sjlutioiis of October Problems. 



(VV. Geary.) 



No. 1. 



1. Kt to B5, and mates next move. 



