The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-13
THE STARS IN MAY.
Bright Stars Now Twinkle-Jupiter and
Saturn, and How to Find Them.

Saturn, and How to Find Them.
William Dawson in Newcastle Courier.
The bright star two hours nearly south of the
zenith, and some west of the meridian, in late
twilight, or nearly dark is Jupiter, the largest
planet in the solar system. Its diameter is about
81, 900 miles-nearly eleven times the diameter
of the earth And it is nearly five hundred mil
lion miles away, five times as far the sun,
which makes it appear quite small in size. But
it reflects enough of the suns light which falls on
it to make it the brightest star now visible. AS
seen through a good-sized telescope it looks
larger than full moon to the naked eye, and has
two dark belts or bands across it from east to
west 1t has also four moons, which revolve
around it in the direction, being always
nearly in a line with the belts. These moons can
be seen with very small telescope.
The fixed star little southeast of Jupiter is
Regulus, in the south end of the Sickle which
may be traced northward Another pretty
bright star near two hours or thirty degrees east
is Denehola, in the east edge of the constellation
Leo. and very near the head of Virgo This lat
ter constellation reaches southeasterly distance
Of three hours, forty-fve degrees About two
hours southeast of Denebola is Alpha, the
An hour southeast Of Spica and twice star south,
bearing east from Denebola, are four or more
stars somewhat in the form of a square, called
the Crow. 1t is represented on an old map as
being perched on Hydra, the Water Snake, as
though it were trying to pick off some of the
=
and the Cup, west, are also pictured as resting on
the serpent, which extends long distance across
the southern heavens. Its head is indicated by
youp of four or five stars, about an hour east
of Procyon. A star Of second magnitude south
east of this head group, and little west of south
from Jupiter, is Alpha Hydra.
Then, looking southwest bearing north,
see bright star named Sirius, popularity called
the Dog Star 1t does not shine, like Jupiter
by rejecting the suns light but by it's own
radiant light 1t is many thousand times furth-
er off than Jupiter, and is the brightest fixed
star in the heavens. 1t can easily be seen in
daytime with good spy glass. Above Sirius
nearly half way to the zenith we meet Procyon
Dog). Sirius is the Great Dog. The small star
little to the right of Procyon is Gomelza
North and upward of this, and high up in the
western sky, are two stars-Castor and Pollux-
in the upper part Of Gemini-the Twins. Castor
the northern one, is fine double STAR seen
through good-sized telescope. Several smaller
stars below these two are in the same constella-
ton. Still lower in the west, but some higher
than Sirius, we find Betelguese, in Orion. But
most of the stars in this grand con-
Now look nor.hward on line with
Sirius and sBetelguese, the first bright
star we meet some higher than the latter is
Saturn. the planet with splendid ring around
it. 1t is rather less than Jupiter and twice as
far off. A little further on this line of range
northward is Beta of Taurus not so bright as
Saturn. Aldebaran. the Big and Pleia6es are
in this constellation, but have set, and of course
not visible now. Still further on we come to a
very bright star, Capella. smaller star above
and to the left is Menkalina. proongation of
this line would pass little below the North
Star. But this star, often called Polaris (being
near the pole of the heavens) is better indicated
by the Pointers, which are the two stars in the
left-hand part of the Dipper, now well up toward
the zenith and some east of the meridian. The
bright star away northeast is Alpha Lyrae. An
other, southeast, or easterly from the zenith. is
Arcturus. Jupiter and Saturn are the only
planets now visible, and Saturn will soon disap-
pear in the western horizon, on account of the
apparent motion of the sun eastward among the
stars.
Spots on the sun are still prominent, though
fewer than they were two or three years ago.
The moon is grand object for a telescope how
ever small A spy-glass two feet long. worth
six or eight dollars, will show forty or more Of
the lunar mountains. w. DAWSON.
SPIcELAND May 4, 1885.