The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-01

lin the diagram D marks the situation Of Proc
y9n. the head 81 hgGra; while ana sho "
in the curve OF the sickle, or neck OF Leo, and d
points out Deneboia, In the Lions tall
In the beginning of the month the con-
stellaiion of Leo makes it's appearance
near the eastern horizon about O'Clock in
the evening, taking about two hours for
the entire constellation TO come into full
view As the stars traverse the heavens
at the rate of Is degrees per hour, It's posi-
ton at any time OF the night can be readily
discovered, being at the zenith by 1 O'Clock
ia the morning.
Leo, one of the signs Of the zodiac, is
represented as a rampant lion, and pre-
sents one of the most beautiful pictures of
the heavens. Its principal stars are ar
ranged somewhat in the form of sickle.
Reguius, iii the handle, is n brilliant star
OF tic first magnitude and from which the
curve of the sickle, marking the neck of
the Lion, is easily found. Regulus lies al
most exactly in the elliptic, and is one of
the stars from which longitude is reckoned.
Denebola, at the end OF the tail, is an inl-
portant star To remember, because of its
place in determining the different constella-
tions which are to appear III the diagram
for March.
The Hydra is long, struggling serpent.
with its head lying near Procyon, of the
Little Dog, and extending along the heav-
ems towards the southeast for distance of
100 degrees, running far out beyond Virgo.
IL Is one OF the most perfect figures Of all
the celestial groupings, and it needs but a
little stretch of the imagination to inter-
pref it into a huge snake. As will be seen
from the diagram the head of the HYDRA is
marked by rhomboidal figure of four
stars, whose magnitude is fourth of that
OF Reguius. According TO mythology, the
Hydra was fearful serpent which in
ancient times infested the lake Lerna. Its
destruction constituted one of the twelve
labors of Hercules.
Among the planets Saturn, the god of
time. viii be the most interesting of the
evening stars for some months to come
Under favorable circumstances Saturn ap-
pears TO the naked eve with almost the
brlillaney of hrst-magnitude star, its
brightness being about equal TO that of its
near neighbor, Regulus. Seen through the
telescope this planet presents picture of
neyer-failing wonder and beauty to the OBJ
server. No other star of the entire trma-
ment, save perhaps the sun, has been so
asslduously watched and carefully studied
as this far-oh member of the solar system.
which journeys about the sun at the inn
mense mean distance of 900, 10000 miles,
at the rate of II 300 miles an hour, its wear
being equal TO nearly thirty Of those ON the
earth. and comprising ~, 700 DAYS of about
ten and a quarter hours duration each. In
mass and size Saturn ranks next to Jupi-
ter, having diameter of IS. 900 miles more
than nine times that of the earth, while its
volume Is nearly 500 times that of the
earth.
From the earliest use of the telescope to
ia do. -ns, L
point OF all observation, both from an
ldealistic and scientihc standpoint Pos
sessing its rainbow of companion rings.
and having It's surface illuminated by the
presence OF eight moons, its evening skies
must glow with a beauty SURPRISING the
power of words TO describe.
The planet Neptune, god of the sea.
although an evening star is too far re-
moved 10 be seen by the naked eve. Its
present position is on the ecfiptic, IN the
vicinity of the Pieiades. The discovery of
tins planet IS due to one of the boldest and
most brilliant conceptions of modern
scientific research, and contains history
oil thrilling interest 10 the student of
astronomy. While the huge planet Sat
urn, after his journey of thirty years, re.
turned 10 his calculated place. precisely on
the second at each revolution, his next
door neighbor, Uranus, manifested such
perturbatlons as To completely non-plus
the astronomic world No orbit could be
determined for this straying planet. The
probable cause of its deviation was some
times subject Of discussion among as
tronomers,. and yet, probable as it now
seems, no decided conviction prevailed as
to the existence of a trans Uranian planet
until Herschel attacked the question.
reaching the conclusion that the eccentri-
city Of Uranus could be accounted for on
no other ground than the existence of an
outside planet. which was subsequently,
dlscoXered hY leNerrier of pariS