Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1885-10-09
sessed by the savant who said " Let
me write the songs OF a nation and l
care not who makes its laws"
The New Star.
Contributed.


Contributed
On the I'd of September last, ca
b.egram was received at New Haven
from the astronomer Hartwig, Stras-
borg, announcing tue appearance Of
new star in the girdle of Andro-
media. A might be we'll expected,
such tidinSs have caused great
stir among astronomers and star
gazers throughout this country.
More particularly located, the new
apparition is in the central part of
the famous nebula Lar the star M,
of the constellation Andromeda, be-
ing only about % North Of the above
named star.
This nebula has been known from
the earliest dawn of astronomy as a
science. 1t takes the form of all
elongated ellipse and heretofore has
exhibited nothing remarkable in the
general character os nebul@. Power
full telescopes, indeed, have revealed
few minute starry POINTS scattered
about its dusky exranse, with a
slight condensation Ct light in the
center. Nothing beyond this has
rewarded the scrutiny of the closest
observers, since the Invention of the
telescope and lis practical applica-
ton to astronomical research. But,
10! to all appearance newly created
star of about the sixth magnitude
now brightly CLEANS at point mid
way from what would be the two
foci of the great nebula.
To the casual observer or reader
there is no little difficulty in the
riGhtful Interpretation of this an
nouncement OF new creation" in
the remote realms of space. III the
fret place, while We calmly speak of
the occurrence as something so un-
looked for and novel, the alleged star
must certainly have been already ex.
listing and brightly shining for n
long term of earth's years, totally be-
You'd the ken of the intelligent inhabi-
tants within the pale of the solar
system. Knowing, Us we do, that
no portion of the constellation An
dromeda can be, in point of mathe-
matical certainty, any nearer our
earth than about twenty trillions of
miles, the little telltale rays of light
which have brought this startling
news may have been, for aught the
wisest astronomer knows, ages upon
ages, traversing the voids OF ethereal
expanse before they impinged upon
the object glass of the Strasborg tel
escope. But dismissing a bootless
speculation, it is reasonable to sup
pose that the discovery will prove a
valuable acquisition 10 science. The
new star. if star it really is, cannot
be regarded otherwise than q splen-
did confirmation of the nebular
theory.
Fortunately for common observers,
the nebula containing the new body
is the only one distinctly visible to
the unaided eye, while it occupies
place in the heavens most convent
ent for observation with limited APP.
planes. The mean right ascension
Of the constellation Andromeda is 15o
or about one hour Fast of the equi.
noctial colure, and the deciinstion of
its extreme limits may be put down
as lying between 800 and 500 N.
The nebula itself is only about %
North of the star M, in the girdle.
1t can readily be detected by care
fully adjusted field-glass in the
hands of the most unskilled. Any
clear evening, during the present
month (October), let the glsss be
pointed, between Z and 8 o'clock,
towards the northeast, at an eleva-
ton of about forty. five degrees. A
few sweeps will suffice to bring the
interesting object within the field Of
view, and once located relatively to
surrounding stars. it can he easily
found any time thereafter. The fol-
lowing diagram shows several of the
most conspicuous stars in this con.
stellation, with their names and re-
lative positions and a careful study
of these will enable anybody with
good eyes to detect the nebula with
out other optical aid: