April 1, 1898.] 



KNOWLEDGE 



95 



south of Beachy Head, and moving almost due west ; it 

 disappeared thirteen miles south-east of St. Alban's Head. 

 The earth point is indicated near Teignmouth, and the 

 length of observed path was ninety-five miles. Taking 

 the duration as four seconds, the velocity will be twenty- 

 four miles per second. The radiant point was at about 

 17(> + 12' near /? Leonis, and it agrees with the position 

 of a long-enduring meteor shower. 



The tireball which appeared at lOh. 20m. on the same 

 evening as the one described above, was not observed with 

 sufficient fulness to enable its path to be determined. 



FiREBAi,L OF March 12th, 7h. 5m. — A very brilliant object 

 of this class was observed at Slough and St. John's \\'ood, 

 London. The nucleus was globular, and traversed its path 

 with moderate velocity, leaving a long train behind it. 



Tlu' Ajiiil Lijriils. — This shower will be due on April 

 19th-"20th, and, the moon being absent, the conditions will 

 be highly favourable for witnessing any display that may 

 occur. The periodical maxima of this stream probably 

 recur at long intervals, for its parent comet has a com- 

 puted time of revolution of four hundred and fifteen years. 

 There was, however, a brilliant display of Lyrids on the 

 morning of April 20th, 1803. This shower is usually by 

 no means rich, but it requires further observation. Its 

 radiant point is at 270^+ 32 \ and it probably travels east- 

 wards during the very few nights of the shower's visible 

 activity. 



♦ 



THE FACE OF THE SKY FOR APRIL. 



By Herbert Sadler, f.r.a.s. 



SOJIE spots still occasionally diversify the solar disc. 

 Conveniently observable minima of Algol occur 

 at Oh. 15m. a.m. on the 13th, and 9h. Im. p.m. 

 on the 16th. 



Mercury is an evening star, and is very favour- 

 ably situated for observation during the first three weeks 

 of the month, but afterwards he approaches the Sun too 

 closely to be visible. He is at his greatest eastern elonga- 

 tion, 19i', on the 11th. On the 1st he sets at 8h. 5m. 

 P.M., with a northern declination at noon of 11° 38', and 

 an apparent diameter of 6''. On the 11th he sets at 

 8h. 50m. P.M., with a northern declination of 17- 45', and 

 an apparent diameter of 8 '. On the 23rd he sets at 

 8h. 26m. P.M., or about one hour and a quarter after the 

 Sun, with a northern declination of 18 '39', and an 

 apparent diameter of 10| '. While visible he describes a 

 direct path in Aries, without approaching any conspicuous 

 star. 



Venus is too near the Sun to be conveniently observed 

 this month. 



Mars is technically a morning star, but his diameter is 

 so small that it would be useless for the amateur to expect 

 to see any indications of markings on his surface. 



The minor planet Vesta is in opposition to the Sun on 

 the 6th of May, with a stellar magnitude of 6-0. However, 

 she is conveniently situated for the amateur observer 

 during the last half of April, so we give a short ephemeris 

 of her. On the 15th she rises at sh. 18m. p.m., with a 

 southern declination at transit of 6 52'. On the 25th she 

 rises at 7h. 29m. p.m., with a southern declination at 

 transit of 6 IS'. During the month she pursues a retro- 

 grade path in Libra. 



•Jupiter is an evening star, rising on the 1st at oh. 26m. 

 P.M., with a southern declination of 0^ 20' at noon, and 

 an apparent equatorial diameter of 41^'. On the 9th he 

 rises at 4h. 39m. p.m., with a northern declination of 0° 2V, 

 and an apparent diameter of 44". On the 16th he rises 



at 4h. 27m. p.m., with a northern declination of 0° 21', 

 and an apparent diameter of 44". On the 23rd he rises 

 at 3h. 55m. p.m., with a northern declination of 0° 37', 

 and an apparent diameter of 43 V'- On the 30th he rises 

 at 3h. 24m. p.m., with a northern declination of 51', and 

 an apparent equatorial diameter of 43". During the 

 month he describes a retrograde path in Virgo. 



As Saturn does not rise till 9h. 50m. p.m. on the Ist, 

 with a great southern decUnation, and Uranus is as badly 

 situated, ephemerides would be useless. 



Neptune has left us for the season. 



There are no very well marked showers of shooting stars 

 in April. 



The Moon is full at 9h. 20m. p.m. on the 6th ; enters 

 her last quarter at 2h. 28m. p.m. on the 13th ; is new 

 at lOh. 21m. p.m. on the 20th ; and enters her first quaiter 

 at 2h. 5m. a.m. on the 29th. 



<[K{)css Column. 



By C. D. LooooK, b.a. 



Communications for this column should be addressed to 

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

 the 10th of each month. 



Solutions of March Problem. 

 Key-move. — 1. B to E7. 

 If 1. ... P to R7, 2. E to KKte, etc. 

 1. ... K to R7, 2. K to Kt4,etc. 

 Correct Solutions received from Alpha, J. T. Blakemore 

 G. J. Newbegin, Capt. Forde. 



H. S. Brati'lntli (Algiers). — Solutions of February 

 Problems correct. 



Alpha. — The laws of the British Chess Association, 

 approved by Mr. Steinitz in his " Modern Chess Instructor," 

 allow a Pawn to decline promotion. By common consent 

 this " dummy Pawn " is no longer allowed in problems. 



P. G. L. F. — Many thanks ; they shall appear next 

 month. 



J. T. Bliikemore. — It sounds good ; have had no time to 

 examine as yet. Your other suggestion comes just a day 

 too late to be adopted. The game, however, is so short 

 that we thought one diagram rather liberal in the way of 

 illustration. 



PROBLEM. 



By A. C. Umlauff. 



Black (7). 



♦ # 5 i 





WB M 



P .^,^..1^/ 



% 2 





White (7). 



White mates in three moves. 



