May 2, 1898.] 



KNOWLEDGE 



119 



five miles over a point five miles north-east of Bisley. 

 The flight was directed upon an earthpoint at Braintree in 

 Essex, and, seen from this district, the object must have 

 appeared stationary in the heavens. The whole length of 

 its observed flight was one hundred and sixty-two miles, 

 and if the time of its duration is considered to have been 

 fifteen seconds its velocity must have been only eleven 

 miles per second. The radiant point was in Monoceros at 

 121°—!^, but it does not correspond with that of any 

 known meteoric shower. This fireball was an exceedingly 

 interesting one from its brilliant aspect, and long, graceful 

 flight, and it is also notable as a typical specimen of the 

 very slow-moving and isolated meteors often directed from 

 radiants low in the western sky. 



THE FACE OF THE SKY FOR MAY. 



By Herbert S.vdler, f.r.a.s. 



THE minimum period of sunspots has not arrived yet. 

 Mercury is a morning star, and is in inferior 

 conjunction with the Sun on the 1st. On the 

 14th he rises at 3h. 40m. a.m., with a northern 

 declination at noon of 10^ 51', and an apparent 

 diameter of 11". On the 21st he rises at 3h. 31m. a.m., 

 or about half an hour before the Sun, with a northern 

 declination of 10^ 42', and an apparent diameter of OV'. 

 On the 31st he rises at 8h. 9m. a.m., or about three quarters 

 of an hour before the Sun, with a northern declination of 

 13" 20', and an apparent diameter of 7^ '. He is at his 

 greatest western elongation on the 28th. While visible 

 he describes a direct path in Aries, without approaching 

 any very bright star very closely. 



Venus is well placed for observation as an evening star. 

 On the 1st she sets at 9h. Oca. p.m., or one hour and three 

 quarters after the Sun, with a northern declination at noon 

 of 20' 21', and an apparent diameter of 10^ . On the 

 11th she sets at 9h. 38m. p.m., or about two hours after 

 the Sun, with a northern declination of 22 57', and an 

 apparent diameter of 11 ', about ninety-three one-hun- 

 dredths of the disc being illuminated. On the 21st she 

 sets at lOh. 2m. p.m., with a northern declination of 

 24^ 25, and an apparent diameter of 11 . On the 31st 

 she sets at lOh. 18m. p.m., or about two hours and a 

 quarter after the Sun, with a northern declination of 

 24^ 44', and an apparent diameter of 111 '. She will be 

 occulted by the Moon on the afternoon of the 22nd, the 

 disappearance taking place at 6h. 54m. p.m., at an angle 

 of 115^ from the vertex, and the reappearance at 7h. 32m. 

 P.M., at an angle of 184 ■ from the vertex ; of course, in both 

 cases, before sunset. 



Mars is, for the purposes of the amateur, invisible. 



Jupiter is an evening star, and is still very well placed 

 for observation, rising on the 1st at 3h. 20m. a.m., with a 

 northern declination of 0^ 52', and an apparent equatorial 

 diameter of 43". On the 7th he rises at 2h. 54m. p.m., 

 with a northern declination of 1° 1', and an apparent 

 diameter of 42V'. On the 14th he rises at 2h. 24m. p.m., 

 with a northern declination of 1° 8', and an apparent 

 diameter of 42". On the 21st he rises at Ih. 56m. p.m., 

 with a northern declination of 1° 11', and an apparent 

 diameter of 41j". On the 31st he rises at Ih. 15m. p.m., 

 with a northern declination of 1" 10', and an apparent 

 diameter of 40V'. During the month he describes a retro- 

 grade path in Virgo without approaching any naked-eye 

 star. 



Saturn is in opposition to the Sun on the 30th, but his 

 southern declination is so great as to prevent any satis- 

 factory observation of him in these latitudes, and the 

 same remarks apply to Uranus. Neptune is invisible. 



There are no well-marked showers of shooting stars 

 in May. 



The Moon is full at 6h. 34m. a.m. on the 6th ; enters 

 her last quarter at 9h. 36m. p.m. on the 12th ; is new 

 at Oh. 58m. p.m. on the 20th ; and enters her first quarter 

 at 5h. 14m. p.m. on the 28th. 



C^css Column. 



By C. D. LooooK, b.a. 



Communicationa for this oolomn should be addressed to 

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

 the 10th of each month. 



Solution of April Problem. 



(By A. C. Umlauff.) 

 Key-move. — 1. Kt to Kt7. 

 If 1. ... K to Kt3, 2. Q to K8ch, etc. 



1. . . . Kt to B4, 2. Kt to K5ch, etc. 



1. . . . Any other, 2. Q to K6ch, etc. 

 [There seems to be a dual after 1. ... Kt to Kt7 which 

 has escaped notice.] 



Correct Solutions received from Alpha, B. Goulding 

 Brown, W. de P. Crousaz, Capt. Forde. 



A. C. Chiillenr/er. — Many thanks for the problems, which 

 shall appear shortly. Much regret your abstention in the 

 other matter. 



PEOBLEMS. 



By P. G. L. F. 



No. 1. 



Blaci (4). 



White mates m two moves. 

 No. 2. 



Blacs (6). 



White (3). 



White mates in three moves. 



