Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-02-12
ORION.

In the starllt winter nlgnt no casual
observer can fail to notice a group oi
brilliant stars rising msjestically in the
eastern sky, and unlike anything else in
the heavens. An elongated parallelo'
gram, with band of three bright stars
in the center, and row Of stars running
obliuuely downward, forms the outline
of the grandest of all the consultations.
Il is called Orion, and mythic lore lends
its treasures Of inspiration to fancy, and,
taking the shining outlines for frame
work. interweaves aud surrounds them
with the lofty stature and noble bearing
of the mighty hunter whose proud boast
it was that there was nothing on earth
he could not conquer.
Bellatrix and Betelguese shines as
epaulets on the broad shoulders, Rigel
giows in damondlight on the left foot,
while the paler lustre of Saiph sparkles
on the right knee. A triangle of three
small stars marks the head. and the gir-
die is formed by three stars of the
second magnitude, running from north
west TO southeast. There are no other
stars in the heavens like them for posi-
ton and brightness, and they are there
fore named the Three Stars. They are
also called the Three Kings, because
they point out the Haydes, and Pleiades
on the one side and Siriuson the other.
The University Of Leipsic called them
Napoleon. But the more common name
for them, including the sword, is the Ell
and Yard as the line which unites them
is lust three degrees in length, and is
divided by the central star into two equal
parts, tbus serving as graduated stand
ard to an experienced eye to measure
the distance from star to star. The row
of stars running obli9uely downward
forms the sword and is often called the
Ell, because it is once and quarter the
length of the Yard. A few degrees west
of the Bellatrix, in the shoulder, there
are eight small stars, which point out
the skin Of the lion in the left hand.
"First, next tho Tyins, see great, Orion rise;
Ills arms. extended stretch Ger half the
Hisstride as large; and with steady pace.
He marches on and measures vast space !
On Sach broad shoulder bright sIar as
And three obliquely grace his banging blade.
In his vast head, immersed III boupaless
Three stars less bright, but yet as great. he
But father off removed, their splendor's
Thus graced and armed he leads the starry
host.
Tb;s constellation comes to the mer-
dian ON the 23d of January, and, as the
oon;noctial masses through the middle
of;t 4 can he seen by all the habitable
world, 1t contains seFenty-eight. visible
stare. though the telescope reveals more
tban two thousand. Calico found eighty
in the bell, tRenty-one in o nebulops
star in the head, and five hundred IN an
other part of Orion within the compass
of one or two degrees. ,
Orion abounds in rare astronomical
ouriosities aud fields Of fertile specnla-
ton to the metaphysical mind. 1t is a
constellation rich in double and multi
nlv stars clusters and nebul@. ia the
month of January its leading brilliant,
4, ,1etelguese. is almost exactly on the
me -idian, and almost exactly. han way
hetw, zen the horizon and the zenith
Erom Nis circumstance the star receives
;,s name the meaning Of which is the
orr-nit l,S Of the central one TOrion be-
~ opIiad "the central one. because he
;s div;ded centrally by the equator.
Rstelguese is one o. the most remark
NJ variables in the heavens. Sir John
i,I Ierscbel records, in 1886, tat these va
riations we're marked and striking. :, ~
1852 this star was brighter than Capella,
and the largest star in the Northern
Hemisphere. Huggins found, from ex-
animation by spectrum analysis. deer
s;ve evidence of many elements known
10 exist in our sun, although n the lines
indicating the presence OF hydrogen
we're Eanting in the spectrum.
> Rieel. the brightest star below the
Is a nOtad double, whose eelApo-
oeit are orange snd blue. One OF the
lene tbe head is 8 triple star, ana q
,.sis ',,is IN, :. Ia the sword can be resolved
n,o ,..os s;T ~ bv oSeriul telescope. l9u1 o.
n ~ ~. &c S,-3;n9 trspezum, ana tso
others so minute As h i0i - " 'S'' y
mower Of the telescope. -,,nd;ng the
R,t the great nebnlR SUI. Oe.e. .ss ~ -
.tsys in the sword, and dis o,e.~1 .-a,,s
in 1856, is IN many : bea-
the most wonderful object N tne fed
vens Itis clearly visible 70 the naA
eve on a moonless night, the only nine
,nitable for the examination oil tne ne
bul,. All that the ordinrry observer
perce;ves Is a strange indisinctness
around the middle star Of the sword, OF
which The smallest telescope reveals the
explanation; for the object is not star
mi A difused baze. Examined with
telescope Of greater power, the hazy ap-
pearauce still continues. but Il begins 70
tske on strange and fantastic forms
thoueh remaining shapeless mist vita