Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-06

riksha or arksha became In the Greek LAM
guage arktos. which was the common Greek
word for bear" still preserved IN the words
Arctic" and 'Arcturus." So Il happened
'.rikshas' for poets. the Greeks mistook
them for bears, both being rnisled by q
rame. the meaning OF which had been for
gotten. How the seven bears became trans
| formed into a single bear Professor Muller
does not tell us. The explanation is In
genious, 30 Tar as IL goes. We leave II with
the reader without attempting to influence
his Judgment but leaving him free TO
| choose between II and the skeleton referred
to above.
An old Roman name for the seven stars
or the Dipper was Septemtriones. whence
We get our adjective "septemtrional" In the
| sense OF northern" Varro expls ins this
name as meaning the Seven Plow-Oxen,-
trio being. according to him. an archaic
word for ok" Professor Muller has sug-
sested, however. as more probable expla-
nation, that this word trio was originally
strio and was related to the word stella Cfor
sterula). star" so that the name Sep
temtriones meant originally the same az
Seven Rikshas" T. e., the Seven Stars"
These pathological notes have been inserted
here In illustration OF the unquestionabls
fact that much Of the mythology and mys-
terry which enshrouds the ancient constella-
tions has no basis whatever among the
stars. but is Of an exotic growth. for which
the suggestiveness of a mere name is often
wholly responsible
1t seems not unlikely that whatever was
the origin of the constellation of the Great
Bear, this asterism was limited originally to
the oipper-like group of seven stars. and
was subsequently extended by astronomers
to suit their own purposes. Hence, a some
what similar group Of seven stars. known to
US as the Little Dipper. received the name
Smaller Bear Orsa MINOR.
The constellation Auriga the Charioteer
can be located readily by means OF its
bright star. Capella, the She-Goat. which
may now be seen fairly above the horizon
In the northeast.
Above Auriga stands Perseus brandish-
Ing in his right hand his sword-of which,
by the way. there is not the slightest trace
among the stars-and swinging in his left
hand the terrible Medusa head, marked by
the variable star Algol. the blinking
demon" described last month
To the right of Perseus and in mid
heavens. In the east, reclines Andromeda.
stu farther 70 the right and at a greater
altitude is Pegasus. A large dipper-shaped
group OF seven stars of the second maeni-
tude forms the basis OF these three constella-
tons and renders their location easy. The
great square OF Pegasus is the bowl Of this
Clipper; the star at its northeastern corner
Alpherat. is In the head of Andromeda
Midway between Andromeda and the
eastern horizon is pair OF stars, one Of the
second and one Of the third magnitude
which mark the head Of Aries. the Ram
Near the more southerly of the two Is n
fourth magnitude star. which renders the
pair easy to Identify.
To the left of the Rams head and NJ n
somewhat lower altitude is a small triangle
or stars. the brightest of the third rnagnf-
tnde. which forms the constellation of the
Fly Below the Fly may be seen the WE'LL
known cluster Of the Pleiades
Some ten degrees south of the Rams head
may now be seen the planet Mars far out
SHINING with Its familiar rudy glow a star
OF the nrst magnitude. Directly beneath
Mars H Menkar, a second-magnitude star.
In the head Of Cetus. At about tyo-thirds
OF the distance from this star TO Fomalhaut
is Deneb haitos. also of the second magni-
tude. which marks the monsters tan.
These two stars show the extent of Cetus.
which Is about all that the ordinary observe
er VIII care TO note.
The two fish which form the cons,ou.
don Pisces-the Northern and the Wester,
rlsh-are shown on the planisphere fhe
former between Andromeda AMI Aries. the
G 1a.es pe.ween Pegasus and the tail Of
Cetus. Each is marked by a loose agere-
CATION OF faint stars. and a keen-sirTbtea
observer can trace the string or han nd n-bich
Inites them. This constellation Is. how
zodiacal consultations wv
Aquartus, the Waterman, comes nex, In
"i9ei, az we proceed Westward along ths
.ooiac. he Is represented on the chart by
the nsure OF a man in a rather cramnod
position, holding in his right hand an IN
Veited urn, from which flows a stream 90
water, traceable by a stream of faint stars
Mhien curves downward beneath his feet
TO the mouth OF tie Southern Fish rhe
shoulders of AQCarius arc marked nv a
pair OF third-magnitude stars, which form,
WITH the star In the nose OF Peys sIs a
ne sy rlght-angied triangle with two equal
sides. The urn is formed by a small Y
SNAPPED group OF fourth-macnitude stars
near the right shoulder
capricorn can be found by means of the
two stars, one OF the secondhand ono 81 the
third magnitude, in his head These starr
are at the southern angle OF a nearly eoual-
sided triangle. OF which the two other
angles are marked by Affair and the star
IN tne nose or Pegasus Capricorn would
hardly be worth noting but for the ciro,m
stance That his name has been given TO
one OF the tropics" The western linit
OF the sign" Capricorn constellation sag
noXes. and when the sun in its annual
round OF the heavens arrives at this point
about December p. II is at its farthest dis
lance south OF the celestial equator.
The Planets.
Mercury IL an evening star. ana Mt SUM-
ser tonight VIII be about three-euarters Of
an hour high. between west and southwest
1t will reach its greatest elongation east on
the 18th.
Venus is still visible as a morning star,
but Is rapidly drawing in toward the sun.
Mars Is now the cynosure OF all eyes
astronomically inclined. Its position is
Shown on the planisphere. together with
that portion OF its track among the stars
uaversed by II between the LIST Of August
last and the 10th OF January next on the
18th OF September IL was Stationary"
Since that date ii has been 'retrograding"
moving toward the west. 1t will again
come to a stand on the 23d OF November
During the remainder Of the year its course
Will he direct" or toward the east ON
the Goth OF November IL will pass its as
cenGing node-that is. 1t will cross the
SUMS path from south to north. Its ..op-
position" Will occur on the morning OF the
2lst of this month.
Jupiter Is now an evening star rising at
about 10 pm. On the oath IL will be sta
uonary, and during the remainder of the
year It's course VIII be retrograde
Neptune is still plodding his slow course
invisible TO the naked eye. in the constella-
ton Taurus. Saturn and Uranus are both
hidden In the suns rays. They will be N
conjunction with the sun next month.
The position OF the moon at nm. An
marked on the planisphere for every day
OF the month on which she win be above
the horizon at that hour. She will be
found tonight near the head OF Capricorn.
FOR DEBILITY