The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-12-12
CnrLDREN's DEPARTMENT.
For Boys ana Girls.
TALKS ABOUT THE STARS.
M I

ANO. l.
If you 90 out doors at night VIXEN there
is no moon nor clouds and look into the
sky you will see in every direction little
twinkling lights which we call stars. You
cannot see these in the daytime, because
the dazzling light from the sun obscures
the light from the stars. IL you place
burning candle at some distance from you
in the bright sunlight, you will understand
how this is. But you must not suppose
that there are no stars shining in the SKY
during the day. You will be pleased to
watch the heavens just after sunset and
see the stars come into view ; or you can
rise early in the morning and see them fade
out as the daylight breaks. Many more
stars can be seen when there is no moon,
for its light obscurcs the palcr ones as the
aim light obscures them all. AS you cX-
anime these stars you will notice that some
appear larger and brighter than others.
You may divide them according to their
brightness into five or six classes. You
may find at one time six or seven Of the
first class or brightest; more than twenty
nt the second class; about scvcnty-fvc
of the third class and il you could count
them about 1000 in all the other classes
But you must keep in mind that you see
only half of the sky and stars at one time
and you will sometime learn that people in
south America, Africa and Australia see
many stars that we never see. As you
watch the stars you will notice that in
some places they are arranged in groups,
and you can imagine various shapes and
forms with which you are familiar. Per-
haps you may think that some letters are
dotted out on the face of the heavens; you
may find outlines of clippers and even
fancy the forms of animals. Long, long
ago. people named these groups of stars
after some fancid resemblance to certain
objects, and the names have never been
changed
CONSULTATIONS.
A large group of stars is called con-
slellaton, and now you want to learn to
point out the:constellation and give their
names as you learn to point out
the countries on map. In this lesson
we will try to help you to locate two con
stcllatons. If you go out about six o'clock
in the evening at this time of the year,
December and look towards the north,
you will observe group of seven stars re-
sembling dipper in form this group is
called The Dipper.' 1t will appear
right side up and the handle will be to-
wards the west The Dipper is only part
-f the constellation Ursa Major or Great
Bear. The handle of the Dpper makes
the tail of the Great Bear and the other
stars a part of the body. The two stars in
the end of the Dipper fartliest from the
handle are called "Pointers," because they
point to the Pole Star, and if you will
notice how far the Pointers are apart and
which way they point, you can
find the Pole Star nearly in the line
about five times that distance from the up
per pointer. Now if you will carefully
look along the space between the Pole Star
and the handle of the Dipper you will see
The Little Dipper' with the Pole Star for
the end of the handle. The Little Dipper
is in the constellation 'Ursa Major or Little
Bear.