The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1885-09-26
1887 or thcrCabouis.

y
regular, and none of the cometic or
planetary periods are, il is possible
that this star is now showing itself in
Audromeda instead of in Cassiopcia,
which is in adjoining constellation and
in the same quarter OF the heavens.
Among the noted writers who identi-
fled Tycho Brahe's star With the star
of the Nativity We're Theodore HeZa, a
celebrated French thcologian, and DIR.
jerome Caruan, an Italian physician
and mathematician, besides many lesser
oersonngCS.
There We're two astronomical events
connected with tho history of Christ
one was tho brilliant star which at
tended His birth, and the other was
the darkening of the sun which took
place during the tragedy of the cr"ciliN-
ion. Astronomers have paid much at
tcntion to both and have made clabo-
rate calculations in the course of their
investigations. The occurrence of a
total eclipse of the sun at the time oi
the cruciliXiou has been established,
but there has been much moro diff
Guilty in getting Il satisfactory cNptana-
ton of the appearance of the Star OF
the Nativity.
Some sixty years ago Prof. Christian
Ludwig ldcier, \ Prussian astronomer
and iinguist, after II long series OF cal
cuiation, established the fact that the
two planets, Jupiter and Saturn, were
III con junction., or apparently very close
together III the sky at the time or the
Nativity, and ne supposed that these
two bright bodies combining their light
made the conspicuous lu,ninary which
| attracted attention. The still more
celebrated Enckc repeated ldclcr's cal.
cu!ations and confirmed the fact that
! the third year before the Christian era,
which is held to be the real time of the
! Nativity, was singularly rich in plane
tary conjunCti0ns, Jupiter and Saturn
appearing together May 20; Jupiter
| and Mars coming together on the 3d of
September, aud Saturn and Mars being
! cDniuincu on the 5th of December.
Long bcferc the times Of ldcler and
Euckc, Kcplcr had written on the sub
jcct, and being Il believer i'll astrology,
| had enlarged on the theories of plane
tary influences in human affairs.
! Whether the Star OF Bethlehem was
a conjunction 0f planets or special
celestial luminary provided for Il most
august occasion, the possible rcappcar
ance of 4 periodic or variable star that
may have some connection with 50 IN
tcrcStinG an occasion cannot wei! hC
passed lightly.
The new star is scarcely bright
enough vet to be seen by ordinary Wis
ion, bnt persons desiring to find the
locality in which it exists may easily
do 50. Everyone knows the constclla
ton of trSa Major, seven stars o
: which form tho well known "Dippcr.'
This constellation rcvOlVoS arount
the Polar Star and never sets behlnt
the horizon to observers in the North
: crn hemisphere. On the opposite Sidt
= OF the Poic Star and at the same dis
tancc from it an the Djppcr is Cas-
Siopcia's Chair, showing five stars o
, the third magnitude arranged in th'
form of w. This group of stars re
wolves also around the Pole, ant
! never sets, being always in the heI'
- of view in the Northern hemisphere
= 1t is always opposite the Dlprer, witt
! the Pole Star between.
At the present time the Diprcr /
north Of the Pole, and the Chair
, almost due south Of if when vicwc'
D about 10 O'Clock at night. The tW
; groups may be easily recognized. I
= line drawn from the Dippcr through
. the Pole Star to the Chair and pro
D longed soulhward will pass throug
C. the three stars in Andromcda'S girdic
t which is the nearest group bcyon'
e the Chair ina southern direction. Th
e celebrated ucbuia is near the northern
= end of the girdlc, and if tho new sta
| "a I E., !, q will fhnrf
s No event in astronomy has III re
r cent times attracted as much attcntio
e as the discovery Of this new star, an
in case it should turn ont TO be
G matter of Importance the iniortnauo
it here given will prepare its reader
l. for such developments rs may follow
IT THE HARVEST MOON.