Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-04


these two celestial briiiisrts Is difficult to
decile. because of their difference in COLOR
Arcturus beint n yellow star while Vega is
bluish-wnite- on the rhGt1matTic scale
one of the systems now adopted M
prOvement on the OIL methcd Of determin-
ing star masnitudes BY eye estimates-they
are of equal brilIianCy, both being eight
ten-hs Of magnitude brighter than a
typical star Of the first magnitude.
Arcturus belongs 10 the class of solar
stars-stars which are thought, Oh the testi-
mony of their "spectra, to be in about the
came condition physically as the sun. Vega
belongs to the class OF which Sirius is The
most illustri0us representative-stars which
supposed to be in earlier stage OF
world-life and to be intensely hot, as well
as Intensely brilliant.
Between west and southwest end near
the horizon may be seen Spica. The Wheat
ear, the principal star In the constellation
Virgo. and in mid-heavens. toward the
southeast, Affair. in the Eagle. These stars
are both of the Sirian type and are about
average frst-uagnitude stars.
Antares.
A little to the west of south and in the
midst of the sparkling array of stars which
form the Scorpion. is Antares. sometimes
called the Scorpions Heart. AntaTes is a
decidedly red star and belongs to still
another of the FIVE classes into which the
stars are w arranged according to the
character g their light as analyzed by the
spectroscOps. The red stars. most OF which
are Of the lower magnitu1es, are regarded
as decrepit suns. verging upon extinction as
Il min9rieS Their SDectra Indicate that they
are enveioped in comparatively cool vapors
particularly the vapor Of cdrbon-which
absorb a large portion of their light. as the
rays OF the setting sun are absorbed an!
Urged By the vapors and Impurities in the
eGrth's atmosphere.
STAR NaSnituGc~.
A word may be In place here regarding
star magnitudes. 1t has been found con-
vtnient to classify the stars according to
their brilliancy. Sixteen or seventeen
''magnitudes-' are reckoned, Of which the
first six embrace al! the stars visible to the
pak I'd eye. But since the stars are Of all
degrees of brilliancy, from the brightest
dow to the faintest visible through large
telescope. IL is obvious that there can be no
Nell-nlariied dividing line between the sew
eral classes. but that they must merge into
one another, a faint star OF one magnitude
being inlsstinguishable from a bright star
of the class below. A typical or average
star of magnitude Is. however, about
two and a half times as bright as an aver
age star OF the next lower magnitude; and
a comparison of the numbers Of the stars
in the several classes. arranged according
to this scale, brings out the very interesting
times as many stars as the class next
above II. There are, according to the usual
computation. twenty stars of the first mag
nitude. sixty OF the second. 300 of the third.
4JD of the fourth. 100 of the fifth and 1900
of the sixth, making in all about G.nt0 stars
visible to the naked eye Since only one
half of this number can be above the
horizon at any one time, and about two
thirds of them are so faint as only to be
visible to keen eyes and on the cieareSt
nights. IL will be seen that the popular
estimate of the number OF the visible stars
is quite wide of the truth. They are to he
reckoned by hundreds, not by rnyriads. as is
commonly supposed. The phctOnetrIc sys-
TEN, above alluded TO. subdiYiies each ma s.
nituie into tentEs. Thus. a star bordering
on the first and second magntudes is said
to be of the Is magnitude. 1t may he re-
garlel either as faint first magnitude or
q bright second magnitude star.
The Consultations.
Tie more important of the coEstellati,ns
which may now be studied at p. N. are
outlined on the annexed planispn-re. With
this Aid one should have little difficulty In
locating them. Orly Il few of them. how
ever. will be found 10 present points OF much
interest. except for those who may wish to
famfIiarize themselves with all of the con-
stcllaticns OphiucEUs, Hercules and s. git
tarius are hCp1lsssly imaginary, at least
as they may be found de.neatcd on a coles
tai chart No modern SJaT-SaZCr would
think Of tracing any shapes Susn these
aInona the stars where they are located.
The case is somewhat different with the
SER ent and the Dragon. These monster
reptiles may. indeed be traced. but. they
are not so strongly marked that one would
be likely TO Enl them without the assist
anCe Of the chart.
The position of the Eagle is well marked
by the bright star Al;a!r. But its position
Is all that can he found. The bird Itself IS
Invisible to the keenest eye. 1t is quite
likely that the original Eagle was much
less artistic bird than Is shown on the
chart. its body probably consisted simply
OF the star Altar. while TIE t"O s;aIs
which flank Affair formed its wings
The popular imaCiEatio1 III modern times
has revise. the ancient cons relations. Re
;ectinS all except the more striking asteT-
!sms and imposing upon there new names,
which. II not always elegant o. poetic. lave