The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-11-10
Plain Directions for Locating Those
That Are Fixed in the
Sky.
The Great Bear and the Little
Dipper, With Draco Lying
Between.
Distance to the Fixed Star 81 Cygni
-Doneb, Of Unknowable Dimensions
Myths Of Innnlty.

west. OF the seven bright stars thst forr
this brilliant dipper, the two end ones Q
the bowl are called the Pointers. The
point upward toward the north star. Tn
Pointers are five degrees apart, and fur
nish an excellent unit of measure for esti
mating star distances in the sky. Mixar
the star at the bend in the handle of th,
dipper, forms with little Alcor : clos
naked eye pair. Mizar, itself. under lov
magnifying power, separates into two beau
tiful stars. Mizar was the first pair sue
cessfully photographed by Bond.
In q line with the Pointers, and about
thirty degrees from them shines Polaris
the most valuable star to US in the whole
heavens. The Pole star in the TELESCOPES
resolves into brilliant principal attended
by small companion. It is the brightest
of the seven stars forming the Little Dip
per, and is the end one in it's handle. The
dams Of the Pole, are quite bright. and lie
above the midway point between Polaria
and the end star in the handle of the Great
Dipper. The remaining stars in the Little
Dirper are quite dim, and yet perfectly
distinct on clear moonless night. They
are about ut four degrees apart, and in the
that in Ursa Major. The Little Dipper ID
the most conspicuous part of the constella-
lion Ursa Minor.
About midway between the two dippera
lies Draco, the dragon slain by Cadmus,
and whose teeth grew such crop Of blood
thirsty men. A chain Of fifteen stars, not
bright, which bend toward Polaris and
then away from it, forms the dragons
oody. Its head is four bright stars near
The meridian and little north Of the zen
18th. A straight line from Vega. the bright
at star near the zenith. to the bowl Of the
angular head 81 the dragon. Thousands
'f years ago, when the Egyptian pyramids
we're buildings, the Pole star of the north
ern heavens was Thuban, a star in Draco.
Ihuban was then brighter than Polaris,
put it has faded away. until Polaris is now
much the brighter of the two. Thuban is
,asily found by drawing line from Mizar
10 the Guardians of the Pole. II is the
brightest star midway between these two
POINTS. Note the distance from Thuban to
Polaris-it is the distance that the celestial
pole has moved in 1000 years.
On On the h side Of Polaris, opposite TO the
Aing Cepheus with outstretched hands.
This inconspicuous constellation has its
b. ighter stars grouped in tho form of an
Irregular K. Near King Cepheus is his
xife, Cassiopela, the brilliant lady in the
chair, and Andromeda, their daughter.
If a line be drawn from Mizar to Polaris,
and prolonged about % degrees, it will
each Cassiopela. The conspicuous figure
lere is Cassiopela's chair. formed Of 1--WE
bright stars. which. taken together, make
m irregular w, and with sixth dim star
hair whose legs point away from Polaris.
: was in this constellation that the won
tertul temporary star of Tyoo Brahe in
he year 1872, famed out brighter than
.enus; and for year was distinctly visi-
pie at midday. There are those who now
aith, that this star, the so-called "Star Of
Bethlehem" will shortly reappear in this
,onstellation.
Lyra. the Tyre whose sweet music en-
shanted all nature when famous Orpheus
ouohed its chords, now appears directly
nay be found by looking for the brilliant
tar Vega. Vega, with two Lesser lights,
about two degrees apart, form an euuilat-
'ral triangle near the zenith. The northern
IF these lesser lights is the famous Epsilon.
looked at in an opera glass and ii readily
ZACH Of those in q telescope, and IN each
;ase again beautiful pair appears. There
9 little doubt of the rotation Of each pair;
md possibly both pairs resolve around
1eir common center of gravity. South and
little vest of Vega are two bright stars in
'rlghteus whole magnitude.
Cyngus, the Swan, 10 beautiful constel-
alton because of its fine Roman cross. Il
100 east OF Lyra, with the upright of its
,rnss stretched upon the Milky Way and
no arms at right angles to it. The stars Of
quite bright. Doneb, the brightest, is Z
.reat sun of unknowable dimensions, for il
ias no perceptible parallax or proper mo-
ion. It forms the northern end or head of
ne cross. Beta, the star in the foot Of the
ross y not 80 bright but in the telescope
'ur sky. About six degrees above the east
IN arm OF the cross is the famous star 81
;ygni, scarcely visible to the naked avs.
from the days of Tycho Brahe down a.
(tonomers have failed again and again in
ne sttempt TO measure the. distance to the
host to reveal it's distance. The
[.elicate measurement of Bessel proved that
This great sun was nearly 100000 timea "a
lar from us az our own sun.
There may now BE- found near the eastern
uorlxon four bright stars about fifteen de-
reee apart, forming great square. Two
ides of the square are nearly in line with
solaris, and to it's upper corner is attached
triangle of smaller stars, which aids in
Identifying it. This is the Great Square Of
'eRasus. the winged horse.
Alpheratz il the northeast star corner Of
he square. When Alpheratz has risen to
he meridian all the Astronomical CLOCKS in
ur observatories mark the beginning of
The sidereal day. This star is Just over the
|oundary line of Pegasus and belongs to
.ndromeda, the princess that was chained
~ her gracelees parents and at the mercv
the sea monster. The hero. Perseus.
|leW the monster and obtained the maiden
|s his wife. Three other very bright stars, |
bout twelve degrees apart, extend from
|lpheratz northward and somewhat to-
)1ard tho horizon. These form the handle
e the immense dipper, of which the great
|quare ID the bowl. Andromeda lies above |
he stars in this handle. embracing them
III except the end one.
The end star in tho handle Of the great
|quare Is Algol, the variable star ia Perseua.
|lRol - wonder, ahd during the fall |
Ind winter months, when it has risen
|lRher in the sky, it will be an exceedingly
Interesting object. Algol usually shin e.
imost % bright IA Polaris, but at intervals
e about sixty hours it fades avav and
smains very dim for few hours.
Toward the west. and about midway he.
woen the horizon and the zenith. NAV be
ZEN the Northern Crown, q constellation
nat very much resembles the object vhooe
anne 1t bears. The half dozen etarp III the
roWn are not of uniform bri1htness. They
re arranged close together in eymmetri
al curve nearly in the form Of q half
arele. with the opening toward the xenith.
1T WAS NOT HER JOHN.
Man who Was Supposed 70 le Dsaa ana