Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-07

solitary star will be visible to the naked
eye. In this vacant region modern astron-
omers. to complete the charting Of the
heavens, have placed a constellation bear
ing the very significant name Anita Pneu-
matica, the air pump. The brightest star
in this ghost of a constellation is star of
the fourth or fifth magnitude. at about the
center of the region. On the right of the
Air-pump is the constellation Argo; on it's
left is the Centaur. Both of these constel-
lations. however lie mainly within the re-
gion of the south circumpolar stars, the
ship Argo showing only its spars and rig
ging and the Centaur only his head and
shoulders above our horizon. Above the
Centaur and at about one-third of the dis
tanoe from the horizon to the zenith, may
be seen very pretty sprinking of faint
stars, which form two small considerations
the Crater. or Cup, and Corvus. the Crow
that are well worth examining, particularly
If one Is using opera glass. The cup is
the more westerly of the Two. Its bowl is
formed by a semicircle of five or six stars
of the fourth and one of the third magni-
tude, which opens toward the east. A short
line of three third magnitude stars on the
right forms its base The Cup Is a little
lop-sided, but otherwise is a very passable
celestial goblet.
| The Crow is not quite so like" as the
Cup STILL 1t can be distinguished easily by
means of four stars of the third and one of
the fourth magnitude, forming trapezium,
or irregular square, to the left of the Cra-
! ter. The lower left-hand star is in the
Crows feet; the others in his wings and
head. Both the Cup and the Crow stand on
the back of Hydra, a constellation chiefly
remarkable for it's enormous length. The
Hydra's head is marked by short curved
line of three stars-one of the third and two
of the fourth magnitude-at about two
fifths of the distance from Procyon to Reg
ulus. From this point its body may be
traced ION a celestial chart, if not among
the stars) slipping downward to the LETT,
passing under the Cup and the Crow and
/ terminating near the horizon in the south
/ east. The brightest star in this constella-
| tion-Cor Hydrae, the Hydra's Hearts d.
rectly above the vacant region of the Air
pump, midway between Procyon and the
I Cup. Although of only the second magni-
tude. owing to its lonely situa tion it is
very conspicuous, and will readily be iden-
| tilted
| In the SIMS Path.
| Let us turn now to the zodiacal constel-
lations-those which lie along the line of the
suns path. At o'clock Sunday evening
the western boundary of Taurus. the Bull
west and northwest The striking features
of this constellation, by means of which
it may be recognized, are the bright star
Aldebaran and the Pleiades. The planet
Jupiter is also now in this constellation
But both the planet and the star cluster
though still above the horizon, will be too
low to be seen at o'clock. Adjoining
Taurus on the east is the consteIlatio
Gemini. the twins, marked by two bright
stars, Castor and PoluX. These stars may
now be seen in the west, at about three
| ffths of the distance from the horizon to
| the zenith. Observe that the suns path
! (the ecliptic), as laid own on the plans-
phere. passes south of Pollok at distance
about equal 20 the stars distance from its
companion, Castor. The two bright stars
are in the heads of the twins; their feet
are about midway between these stars and
the head of Orion. who now reclines above
the western horizon. The region of the feet
of the twins is fine opera glass field. pre-
senting several pretty streams and other
combin atoms of faint stars.
| Next In order, as we follow the suns path
eastward. comes Cancer, the crab. This
| constellation contains no bright stars but
/ there is situated IN 1t one of the prettiast
| star clusters in the heavens, Praesepe the
| manager the position of which Is indicated
on the planisphere by small circle. TO the
naked eye Ii appear as n f1eck Of nebulous
light; an opera glass will show II as a star
! cluster, while even a small telescope will
! make of 1t an object of exceeding beauty.
| me crap is also IA nous as the cOnSteila ton
| in which Hershel discovered the planet IRA
nus. This planet revolves around the sun in
| a period of eighty-four years Since its dis
! covery, in 1871. ii has performed one COM
! plete revolution, and is third of the way
! around on a second, being now in the constei-
| lation Libra. Leo, the lion, comes next in
/ order The sickle, which forms the lions
bushy head and shoulders, is known to many
who are unacquainted with the ancient and
! astronomical name of this constellation.
| The bright star in the handle of the sickle
| is Regulus, sometimes called Cor Leonis. the
| lions heart This star lies almost exactly
| in the suns path. At the hour of our OBJ
| servation II will be found nearly on the
meridian-that is. almost exactly south-at
! about the same altitude as the twins. De
nebola, in the lions tail. is of the second
| magnitude 1t is al the lower left-hand cor
ner of a noticeable quadrilateral of four
/ stars at some little distance to left, or east
. of Regulus.
Beyond the Equator.
| Following the suns path across the equa-
| tor We enter the constellation Virgo, the
| virgin. This constellation offers little Of In