July 1, 1898,] 



KNOWLEDGE 



167 



ensuing shower to be fully recorded during its earlier 

 stages, and allow the radiant point to be accurately fixed 

 on several dilTereut ni,i,'hts of observation. Meteors are 

 always plentiful during the second half of July, for, in 

 addition to the Perseids, there are meteors from Aquarius, 

 which often become strikingly numerous towards the close 

 of the month. 



THE FACE OF THE SKY FOR JULY. 



By A. Fowler, i-.r.a.s. 



ALTHOUGH there now seems to be a decline in sun- 

 spot activity, small spots may frequently be de- 

 tected, and occasionally one may be seen which 

 will repay minute examination. Even in the ab- 

 sence of spots, faculiP are often well worth careful 

 observation. On the 18th there will be an annular eclipse 

 of the Sun, which, however, will not be visible in this 

 country. 



Mercury will be an evening star, but as it does not 

 reach its greatest easterly elongation until August 9th, it 

 will not be well seen until the latter part of the month. 

 The planet will be in conjunction with the Moon, 4 lii' to 

 the north, on the 20th, at 7h. p.m., the Moon being then two 

 days old ; this circumstance may assist the observer in 

 identifying the planet. On the 27th, at 10b. a.m., the 

 planet will be in coDJunction with Regulus, and will be 

 close enough to appear in the same telescopic field of view. 

 The movement during the month is from Gemini, through 

 Cancer, to a little east of Regulus in Leo. 



Venus is an evening star throughout the month, the 

 easterly elongation and brightness both increasing. She is 

 now a very conspicuous object in the western sky after 

 sunset, and in the telescope presents a phase like the Moon 

 a few days from full, three-fourths of the disc being illumi- 

 nated. She will be in conjunction with the Moon, 5° 55' 

 to the north, on the 22nd, at llh. a.m., the Moon being a 

 little more than three and a half days old. The apparent 

 diameter of the planet increases from IH 0"to 15-6" during 

 the month. On the 10th she sets at 9h. 57m. p.m., and 

 on the 30th at nh. 15m. p.m. 



Mars, during the greater part of the month, does not 

 rise until after midnight, and will be of no interest to 

 amateurs. 



Jupiter, in Virgo, continues to be well situated for ob- 

 servation in the early evening. During the month his 

 apparent polar diameter diminishes from 33'2 to 30'8". 

 On the 20th he sets at lOh. 21m. p.m. 



Saturn, in spite of its low declination, is a fairly con- 

 spicuous object in Scorpio. The northern surface of the 

 ring is visible, the apparent major axis of the outer ring on 

 the 19th being 41-25 , and the minor axis 1789'. The 

 apparent polar diameter of the planet itself diminishes 

 from 16-8" to lG-2'' during the month. 



Uranus, with its southerly dechnation of about 20 , is 

 not well placed for observation in these latitudes. It is a 

 Uttle east of A Librse. The apparent diameter of the 

 planet is 3-8". 



Neptune, in Taurus, cannot be observed. 



The Moon will be full on the 3rd at !)h. 12m. p.m.; enters 

 her last quarter at 4h. 43m. p.m. on the 10th ; is new at 

 7h. 47m. p.m. on the 18th ; and enters her first quarter at 

 Ih. 40m. P.M. on the 26th. She will be partially eclipsed on 

 July 3rd, and the phenomena will be partly visible at 

 Greenwich. The first contact with the shadow will take 

 place at 7h. 4Gm. p.m., fifty-eight minutes after contact with 

 the penumbra, and the last contact with the shadow at 

 lOh. 49m. P.M., finally passing clear of the penumbra at 



llh. 47m. p.m. The eclipse wiU be almost total, its 

 magnitude (Moon's diameter = 1) being 034. The 

 Moon will rise, partially eclipsed, at Greenwich at 

 8h. 18m. P.M. The first contact with the shadow takes 

 place at 49° to the east of north, and the last at 70" from 

 north towards west. 



>. Sagittarii, magnitude 3, will be occulted on July 30th, 

 the disappearance occurring at 7h. 31m. p.m., 98^ from 

 the vertex, and the reappearance at 8h. 41m. p.m., 283° 

 from the vertex, reckoning eastwards. 



a^tns Colnmn. 



By C. D. LooooE, b.a. 



Oommunicationa for this column should be addressed to 

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

 the 10th of each month. 



Solutions of June Problems. 



No. 1. 



(By A. C. Challenger.) 



R to Esq, and mates next move. 



No. 2. 



(By J. T. Blakemore.) 



Key-move.— 1. R to Kt7. 

 . . K to K4, 2. B to B3ch, etc. 



. . K to B4, 2. R X Pch. 



. . B to B2, 2. B X Bch, etc. 



. . Kt to B2, 2. Q X Bch, etc. 



Correct Solutions of both problems received from 

 Alpha, W. de P. Crousaz, H. le Jeune. 



Of No. 1 only from W. F. Denning, J. M'Robert, H. S. 

 Brandreth, W. Clugston, Capt. Forde. 



[Evidently a difficult pair, judging from remarks and 

 results.] 



G. G. BeazLey. — 1. Q x Kt is met by R to Q7. 

 G. A. Forde.— In No. 2, if 1. R to KR7, K to K4 ; 2. B 

 to BBch, K to B5, and there is no mate. 



II'. /•'. Dinning. — Kt to B3 is probably answered by 

 1 B to B2. 



Ifl. 

 1. 

 1. 

 1. 



PKOBLEMS. 



No. 1. 

 By A. G. Fellows. 



White mates in two moves. 



