Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-02-17
AstrOnomy.-Article 4.
Watertown Wis, Feb, Is. 1871

Placing the eye upon the Pleiades or 7
stars, look across the Hyades, the cluster
in the bulls forehead, with Alde6aran the
red star in the centre and the line will
lead y GU to those remarkable stars in line,
| known as the belt of Orion. The two ex-
| treme stars are only 40 asunder; on the
globe Orion IS represented as man in
| Roman dress, welding club in his right
hand, and having a lions skin thrown over
his left arm, to serve as shield to ward off
the attack of Taurus, the QUILL who is
coming in full charge at him; and certain
ly he looks to be a formidable opponent
Taurus is supposed by NJ. Lemprier, in
his classical Dictionary, to be the animal
under the figure Of which Jupiter car ried
off Europa, the daughter of Agenor, king
Of Phenicia, to the island of Crete. As it
was the custom OF ancients to have images
on their ships, both at head and stern, the
first of which Was called the sign, from
which>the ship was named. 1t was sup
posed by some who were skilled in those
matters, that this circumstance gave rise
to the fable, that Europe was carried away
by Jupiter under the figure of Taurus. 1t
has been calculated that this Europa lived
about 1862 years before the Chr stian era.
Viewing this constellation of Orion in
the position it now, P. NJ. occupies.
Taking the three stars in the belt as the
objective point, they seem to be the centre
of an irregular square formed by four
brilliant stars. Beilatrix bears north west;
of the I'd magnitude. Betelgucse is on the
north east corner, and of the first magnl-
tude; Rigal also of the lst magnitude is in
the left heel, resting on Lepus, or the figure
of the Hare, in the constellation of he
same name, while Saiph in the right thigh
is of the fourth magnitude, and in the south
east or lowest corner, Rigal being in the
south west corner and LIST magnitude.
AS we see the figure on the globe, Bella
trix is in Orions left shoulder, while Betel-
gueise is in the right shoulder. Observe,
between Bellatrix and Aldebaran there is
line of circular stars ranging north and
south, these are in the lions skin that Orion
has thrown over his left arm for shield
the head being down. Under Rigal in the
.'uth west corner are few scattered stars
" The constellation of the Hare, the two
T. st are Arnib north east and Nibel
~, west.
lie hree remarkable stars forming the
belt VI Orion, and from which his sword is
| suspended, FERNS most attractive feature
in the group.
The western star is named Minta&a, the
| centre star is called AlniLam, and the east
ern star is Almitak, they are of the third
magnitude, but position makes them the
| three most remarkable stars in the heavens
Observe, from the most eastern star, and
inclining little to the south west, there
| is faint line Of four stars, these are in the
sword. They are all double stars, and there
is also nebulae or star cluster which seen
| through Lord Ross gigantic telescope,
| presents wonderful sight. A gentleman
looking through this telescope, turned to
Lord Ross and said: ssIt would seem that
| can look into the very portals Of heaven"
The visual ray revealed a depth of stars,
like the long vista Of a street, showing me
star falling back behind another to dis
lance shat seemed to reach to the very
"portals Of heaven" yet the naked eye
can scarcely observe this wondrous sight.
A good opera glass will render great service
when directed to such points as we are now
describing.
There is a star of the 4,h magnitude, be-
tween Bellatri1 and Betelguese, elevated
above these stars about 4 degrees, forming
low triangle. this is in the back OF Orions
head 100 due north of this last star is
Tauri of the Sd magnitude forming the
point Of the right, or off horn of the bull;
while 50 little east of north is Ell Nalh of
the I'd magnitude ON the point of the near
| or left horn; on which Auriga is resting
| his right foot.
Ito north of the left horn, or Ell Nath
| is Capela, and 80 due east is Menkainan
| these, two of the finest stars in the heavens
are midway between the equinoctial line
| and the north pole star and in the 5th
| hour. Auriga is represented on the globe
as having goat on his back, two kids un
der his arm, and bride reins in his hand,
| Capezla is in the goats back, and Menkalina
| in the right shoulder of Auriga
The ancient Greeks had several contra
dictory accounts Of this constellation, some
| suppose it was Ericthonius the fourth king
| of Athens, and son of Vulcan and Minera,
and that he was very deformed; that be
was the inventor of chariots and of the
manner of Harvesting horses to them.
! Others say Auriga was the son of Mercury
and Phoctusa, and was charoteer to Ocno
maus, king Of Pisa in Ellis, and we'll skilled
| in the management of horses. But as these
tales don't account for the goat and her kids
it has been supposed that they refer to
Amalthoca daughter of Nelissus king of
Crete, who in conjunction with her sister
Melissa, fed Jupiter on goats milk. While
| again, some malicious or sensorius people,
| (for there were such in the world then as
| well as now) will assert that he stole the
| goats from Minerva. The goddess was
shocked at such an act, and placed star
| in the goats back, so that all the world,
and the rest of mankind, have been ever
since aware of who it was that stole the
goat.
When we look at Capella and Menkalina,
| we fix at once upon the point midway be-
tween the north star and the equinoctial
line, and, as locating point for that line,
we take the northern edge of Mmtaka, the
most western of the three stars in Orions