Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-03

the horizon, while around and overhead
Is host of interesting objects-star clus-
tiers, ne5ulae and double stars-either WISH
BILE to the naked eye or within the reach
OF an instrument of very moderate power
AT the hour named the constellation
Orion, with its splendid setting Of first
magnitude stars-Betelgeuse, Rigel, Sirius
Procyon and Aldebaran-stands in mid
heavens almost exactly in the south. Over
head Is the constellation Auriga, the prin-
cipal star in which. Capella, ranks in SPLEEN
dor second only to Sirius. In the north
the two most striking of the circumpolar
constellations-the dpper. or the plow. as
our English cousins prefer to call this re-
markable group of seven stars. and the
W-shaped figure of Cassiopeia, 'sThe~ lady
In her chair"-may be seen at about equal
attitudes above the horizon. the one to the
right and the other to the left of the Pole
star. In the east is the constellation Leo,
containing the star Regulus, the sickle-shap-
ed group Of stars which forms the head of
the constellation being at about one-third
Of the distance from the horizon TO the
zenith. At about the same altitude in the
west Is noticeable a pair Of second-magni-
tude stars in the head of Aries.
The seven stars named above-all Of the
first magnitude-can easily be identified BY
noting their relations to one another as in
dictated on the annexed planisphere. Ca
pella will be found almost exactly over
head. Betelgeuse Is the upper and Rigel
the lower Of the two bright stars in Orion
Sirius is situated below and a little to the
left-the observers left-of the constella-
ton; Its SURPRISING brilliancy renders its
identity unmistakable. Procyon, still far
ther to the left and at a greater altitude, is
at about the same distance from both
Sirius and Betelgeuse, forming with these
two stars a nearly equal-sided triangle
Aldebaran is to the right of Orion. The
three stars in the belt of the constellation
lie about midway between this star and
Sirius.
Regulus, although usually reckoned an. ong
the twenty stars of the first magnitude,
stands near the bottom of the list. its bril-
liancy being much inferior to that of any
Of the other stars here pointed out. Its po-
sition as the Jewel in the handle of the
sickle renders it easy to recognize.
The Gemini of the Almanac.
Midway between Regulus and Capella-a
little below a straight line drawn from one
to the other-may be seen a pair Of stars
which are at about the same distance apart
dipper. Being very conspicuous they are
easily recognized. These are the twins,
Castor and Pollux-the Gemini of the alma
nae. Pollux, the more southerly of the
two, is Of the same brilliancy as Regulus,
and is usually reckoned as first-magni-
tude star. Castor, a little less brilliant is
placed in the second class
1t Will be noticed that these eight first
magnitude stars-the only stars of that
class now above the horizon-are punched
within an area that might be included with
In a circle which would take in considerably
less than one-fourth of the visible hemis-
phere of the heavens, a fact which strik-
ingly illustrates the irregularity in the dis
tribution of the bright stars over the celes-
tial sphere. There are but six other stars
Of this order of brilliancy visible in our lati-
tude and these are scattered somewhat at
random over the hemisphere which is now
below the horizon. Another point worth
noting in this connection is that, while
among our northern circumpolar stars
stars which never disappear below our hori-
zon-there is not one of the first magnitude
there are among the southern circumpolar
stars, which never appear above our hori-
xon, no less than six of this class
On curved line drawn from Capella
through Betelgeuse to Sirius. about midway
between Capella and Betelgeuse, Is a pair
Of stars which somewhat resemble the
Twins. but are less brilliant These stars
form the tips Of the golden horns of Tau
ruS-the horns with which the great celes-
tial bull was said anciently ito open the
year." the rising Of Taurus in April being
formerly the signal for the farmer to begin
his springs work.
Facing the west one may see a line Of four
stars Of the second magnitude curving
downward from near Capella to the horizon,
with a slight inclination to the right. The
uppermost Of these stars marked aP on the
planisphere) IL Alpha Persei. the principal
star in the constellation Perseus. The three
others belong to Andromeda, the uppermost
Of the three, Gamma Andromedae (gA), be-
ing in the left foot and the lowermost in
the head Of the constellation.
The great nebula in Andromeda can be
seen we'll only through a large telescope;
but 1t is SO often referred to that 1t may be
interesting to know where 1t is. To the
right Of the middle star Of the three just
noted may be seen two faint stars, which, in
connection with the bright star, form the
belt Of Andromeda. The nebula is near the
outer of these two stars at the point marked
by a small circle on the chart. It Is said to
be visible to the naked eye, and, in fact was
discovered before the invention Of the tele-
scope. An opera glass will show IT unmis-
takably as blurred star
The star Algol marked on the planis-
phere) can readily be found from the fac
that 1t forms, with Alpha Persei and Gam