The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-07-15
NOW 70 TELL rHH srARA


for finding the principal stars and constella-
tons visible at that time In tho evening sky
since then many other consultations have
been brought into Wow by the advance OF the
earth In its orbit. When those have once been
recognized 1t Is impossible ever to forget them
as they are all marked either by peculiar brill
liancy or by some singular figure traced out by
the stars composing them. and which appeals
powerfully to tho Imagination. Such con-
stellation IS Scorpto. for instance possesses. in
consequence Of its curious outlines a charm
similar to that which Humboldt ascribes to the
Black Ses. the Caspian Sea. and certain coun-
tries. on account OF their striking forms as
shown In maps.
IL the observer goes out OF doors In some
place whore no has plenty OF sky room. say at
81 O'Clock In the evening. he will recognize.
low In the west and northwest. some OF tho
consultations described In April when they
were high In tho heavens. Poised upon the
northwest horizon. he will perceive the sickle
OF Leo; above that the nebulous glimmer
OF Berenices Hair. and half way up the
western sky tho golden Arcturus outshining
everything In that part OF the heavens. Be-
tween Arcturus and the zenith 10 the North
ern Grown. The Great Bear is seen descending
headforemost toward the extreme northwest
ern horizon. and the Little Bear is poised above
the pole. apparently balancing upon It's tail.
Spica. the diamond OF the Virgin. glitters low
down in the southwest. Now. leaving these old
friends Of his spring evenings. let the observer
look overhead. little east OF the zenith he will
SEQ star which at onco chains the attention
both by its unusual brlliancy and by the tinge
OF ,lendid blue which the eyo detects In its
lively rays. especially when 1t Is looked at with
telescope. This is Vega in tho Tyre. II the
observer has telescope here is Q chance
too A rat. rata nhiant
glass Of three inches aperture will show the
delicate eleventh magnitude companion star
OF Vega IL the air Is clear and steady Close by
Vega. on the east. will be seen two little stars
which make email triangle with 1t. A power
full opera glass will readily show that the north
ernmost Of these stars. which is called
Epsilon LyrD. Is double. Now let the OBJ
server turn three inch telescope upon It, with
a magnlfying power OF say 200 diametors.
He will perceive that each Of the stars shown
by the opera glass Is In turn imposed OF two
stars very close together. and II his telescope
10 Of the finest quality. and his eye good. he
will see between the two pairs two exceedingly
minute stars which Herschel called the Debil-
lissima. and which are famous tests for toll
escOpes OF three or four inches aperture.
few degrees south Of Vega are the third mag
nitude stars Beta and Gamma Lyric. both
double. and about half way between them lies
the wonderful Ring Ncbua. Not a trace OF this
nebula can DO seen with the naked eye. the
spot whore 1t exists appearing black and
empty. II the observer has no right ascension
and decination circles attached to his instru-
ment. no can find the nebula by sweeping with
the telescope from Beta to Gamma LyrR. 1t
looks like one of the smoke rings that smoker
sometimes blows from his lips in tho still air OF
a room. but 1t would encrcle the whole solar
system. with plenty Of room to spare.
East OF Vega is the constellation OF Cygnus.
marked by the easily recognized figure Of a
largo cross. sometimes called tho Northern
Cross The bright star at the head OF the cross
is Deneb CyRni, and the smaller star at Its foot
Epsilon Cygni. The latter Is one Of the most
beautiful OF all the double stars. on account Of
the contrast In the colors OF Its components,
ono being orange and the other deep blue.
They are readily separated by q telescope Of
two inches aperture. In fact. largo spyglass.
II armed with an astronomical eyepiece, will
show this splendid double we'll.
Rather more than third Of the distance from
Vega to the bowl OF the small dipper in the Lit
tie Bear a group Of stars forming diamond:
shaped figure will be seen. This is the head OF
the Dragon. constellation the remainder OF
whose stars are strung out in winding limo
nearly encircllnG the pole. Far over in the
northeast the observer will see the W.shaped
figure formed by the principal stars Of Cas-
siopoia.
Turning now toward tho southeast quarter OF
the sky. he will see. pretty we'll elevated above
the horizon. first magnitude star. on two
sides OF which. at distance Of about two de-
grees. is third magnitude star. limo drawn
through those three stars points toward Vega.
Tho larger star is Affair in the Eagle East
OF the Eagle and south OF Cygnus is
small. well-marked group called the Dol
phin. and sometimes Jobs Coffin. Tho OBJ
server will notice that tho Milky Way stream
ing upward from Cassiopeia and enveloping
Cygnus passes between Vega and Affair in two
branches. the portion lying near Affair being
unusually brilliant. Passing On toward the
south. the Milky Way becomes exceedingly
bright In cloud-like patches Just above the
horizon. Right hero tho figure OF a short. in
verted dipper called the Milk Dipper is seen.
This marks the zodiacal constellation Of Sagit-
tarius. With telescope the observer may
spend hours exploring the wonderful star fields
Of the Milky Way. until no exclaims. In the
words OF the angel In Richters dream:
- End is there none to the Universe OF God
10 also there is no beginning"
West OF Saglttarius and at about an equal
elevation above the southern horizon Is Scor-
pio Its principal star. Antares. Is one Of the
chief ornaments Of the midsummer sky. 1t
Will DC readily recognized py us uery nue.. ana
a four-inch telescope will show a little green
star half hidden in Its rays. There are two
smaller stars near Antares which, with 1t, form
a slightly crooked line. recalling the figure
above described In the Eagle. A long. crooked
limo OF stars below and to tho left OF Antares
marks the trailing body OF the Scorpion. To
the right OF and above Antares are three or four
stars lying nearly In line at right angles to the
line formed by Antares and the stars near 1t.
Thoy are in the claws and head Of the Scorpion.
Two OF these stars are OF the second magni-
tude. and the northcrnmost OF the two is Beta
Scorpii. fine double. Still further to the right.
two second magnitude stars will DO seen in
rather blank region. SO far rs large stars are
concerned. These mark the two scales OF the
balance in Libra. Their names are SO odd that
the curious observer may like to learn them.
The southern star iscalled Zubenelgenubi. and
the northern one Zubeneschemali.
Turning now to the. region overhead the OBJ
server will see. nearly In the zenith. q oonstel-
lation which possesses peculiar interest. be.
cause it lies directly In the path along which
the solar System Is advancing through space.
This is the constellation Of Hercules. which