February 1, 1898.] 



KNOWLEDGE 



17 



In February no special showers are due, but large 

 meteors are often observed on about the 7th and 10th. 

 At this period there is a well-defined shower from 74''+ l.S", 

 near a AuriijiB, which needs further watching. 



THE FACE OF THE SKY FOR FEBRUARY. 



By Herrert Sadler, t.r.a.s. 



A FEW, but not many or large, spots are visible on 

 the Sun's disc. 

 Conveniently observable minima of Algol occur 

 at lOh. IHm. p.ji. on the 9th, at 7h. 2m. p.m. 

 on the 12th, and at 3h. 7m. a.m. on the 27th. 



Mercury is a moruing star, but is badly placed for obser- 

 vation on account of his considerable southern decli- 

 nation. On the 1st he rises at Gh. 27m. a.m., or about 

 one hour and a quarter before the Sun, with a southern 

 decUnation of 21° 18', and an apparent diameter of 6^". 

 On the 10th he rises at 6h. 36m. a.m., with a southern 

 declination at noon of 21^ 8', and an apparent diameter 

 of 5|". On the 20th he rises at 6h. 40m. a.m., with a 

 southern declination at noon of 18° 2.5', and an apparent 

 diameter of 5;^". After this he is too near the Sun to be 

 conveniently observed. He describes a direct path while 

 visible through a portion of Sagittarius into Capricornus. 

 He is in conjunction with Mars at 6h. p.m. on the 11th, 

 but of course both planets will have set. 



Venus is in superior conjunction with the Sun on the 

 15th, and Mars is practically invisible. 



Ceres is still fairly well placed for observation, southing 

 on the 1st at S'h. 5m. p.m., with a northern declination of 

 29^ 29', and a stellar magnitude of about 7j ". On the 

 14th she souths at 8h. 10m. p.m., with a northern 

 declination of 29° 46'. On the 28th she souths at about 

 7h. 15m. p.m., with a northern declination of 29° 58'. 

 During the month she describes a short looped path in 

 Auriga. 



•Jupiter is now very well situated for observation, rising 

 as he does on the 1st at lOh. p.m., with a southern 

 decUnation at noon of 2° 42', and an apparent equatorial 

 diameter of 41'. On the 10th he rises at 9h. 22m. p.m., 

 with a southern declination of 2° 81', and an apparent 

 equatorial diameter of 42". On the 20th he rises at 

 8h. 40m. P.M., with a southern declination of 2° 18', and 

 an apparent equatorial diameter of 43". On the 28th he 

 rises at 8h. 2m. p.m., with a southern declination of 1° 55', 

 and an apparent equatorial diameter of 48V'. During the 

 month he pursues a retrogi-ade path in Virgo, being about 

 1|° south of / Virginis towards the middle of the month, 

 the two objects forming a fine naked-eye double star. 



Saturn and Uranus do not rise till some time after 

 midnight at the end of February. 



Neptune is still favourably situated for observation. He 

 rises on the 1st at 2h. 29m. p.m., with a northern decUnation 

 of 21° 42', and an apparent diameter of 2^". On the 

 10th he rises at Ih. 40m. p.m., with a northern decUnation 

 of 21° 42'. On the 20th he rises at Oh. 54m. p.m., with 

 a northern decUnation of 21° 42'. On the 28th he rises 

 at Oh. 28m. p.m., with a northern declination of 21° 48'. 

 He is nearly stationary in Taurus during the month, in a 

 region barren of naked-eye stars. 



There are no weU-marked showers of shooting stars in 

 February. 



The Moon is full at 6h. 24m. p.m. on the 6th ; enters 

 her last quarter at Oh. 35m. a.m. on the 14th ; is new 

 at 7h. 41m. p.m. on the 20th ; and enters her last quarter 



at llh. 13m. a.m. on the 28th. No bright star is occulted 

 at any convenient hour for the amateur observer in 

 February. 



(2E!)tss Column. 



By C. D. LocooK, n.A. 



Communications for this column should be addressed to 

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

 the lOth of each month. 



Solutions of January Puzzles. 



No. 1. 

 1. R to Kt7, dis. ch., K moves. 2. P x B, becoming a 

 Black Knight, dis. ch., Kt to B2, dis. ch., mate. 



No. 2. 



1. P X E, becoming a Black Rook, Castles ! (<() 2. R to 

 QB5, B to Esq, mate. 



(a) This is a fresh Rook, and evidently, therefore, has 

 not moved. The Black King has not moved (by hypothesis), 

 so that Black is perfectly justified in Castling. 



No. 3. 



1. P to K8, becoming a Black Knight, ch. 



[Both sides being mated simultaneously, the game 

 seems a fair draw. Any other move, such as R to B8, 

 would lose. J 



We regret that all the above have proved either un- 

 attractive, or, from their novelty, perhaps, too difficult for 

 our solvers. 



/"'. W. A, (le Tabeck. — The "Chess Intelligence" is in- 

 tended to be a permanent record of chess events. In a 

 monthly magazine it is obvious that it cannot usually be 

 news. The publication of problems has, during the last 

 nine years, resulted in many hundreds of solutions and 

 inquiries. For some years an annotated game was printed 

 regularly in every number. During all this time there 

 was not one particle of evidence to show that these games 

 were ever played through. We are glad to hear of the 

 exception, and shall endeavour in future to consider the 

 undoubted rights of the minority. 



PROBLEMS. 



No. 1. 



By W. Clugston (Belfast). 



Buck (;i). 







m $ iEi ' 



1^1 





White (H). 



White mates in two moves. 



