Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-03

est luster, and, as q constellation, she has
no rival visible tonight.
Behind Cassiopeia stands her rather in
significant consort, Cepheus. Below &C.
pheus lies the Dragon, his head curved
downward, and his flaming eyes fixed upon
the horizon. Suspended, head downward,
from the pole star is the Little Bear Q.it-
tie Dipper) On the horizon and partly be-
low IL is the monster Ursa Major, repre-
scented by the Great Dipper. now in it's
lowest position, In the exact north
Facing the west, we have directly in
front of US the Eagle, marked by the first
magnitude star Altar, now at about one
fourth of the distance from the horizon to
the zenith. Above the Eagle is the spark
ling little cluster OF small stars which
form the Dolphin, better known, perhaps,
as Jobs Coffin. To the right OF the Dol
phin and at a rather greater altitude is
the Swan Cygnus), known also as the
Northern Cross. Midway between the Swan
and the horizon. in the northwest. is the
Tyre of Orpheus. notable, among other
things, for containing one of the bright
est, IL not the brightest, of the northern
stars-Vega or Alpha Lyrae.
To the left of Vega is a pair of stars Of
the third magnitude-Beta and Gamma
Lyrae-ranging nearly in line with the
head Of the Swan. Two straight lines
drawn from these stars to Vega and con-
tinued beyond to a distance about twice as
great as the distance of the stars from
Vega strike the two eyes of the Dragon.
The figure thus formed, consisting of two
similar triangles united by their apices at
Vega, is a striking one,when once observed.
and serves as a ready means of Identifying
both Vega and the Dragons eyes.
The most notable object toward the south
l1 IL Nynsa -4a lHaW, Of he
first magnitude, in the Southern Fish.
In the southwest Sagittarius has disap-
peared below the horizon. Capricorn Is fol-
lowing him and will soon set. Aquarius, the
Waterman, who comes next, as We trace
the zodiac eastward, is already a long way
past the meridian. The southeastern quar-
ter of the heavens is almost wholly occu-
pied by the monster constellation Cetus, the
Whale. Just south of the zenith, and
nearly overhead, is the great Square of Pc
gasus.
The East and Northeast.
The most interesting portion of the
heavens is its eastern quarter. Here may
now be seen the planet Mars. far outshin-
ing with it's ruddy splendor a star of the
first magnitude. Some ten degrees to the
left of Mars is the pair of second-magni-
tude stars which mark the head of Aries.
the Ram. Above the Ram is Andromeda:
below and little to the left are the
flSlducS. DlTeCIIy Denedtn the IlS1auSS Is
Aldebaran. the Bulls Eye" a reddish
star of the first magnitude. the principal
star in Taurus. The V-shaped cluster Of
the Hyades, close beside Aldebaran, rem
ders IL always easy to Identify. Still lower
and in the exact east Orion is just rising,
reminding us that the evening skies will
coon assume their winter aspect. Betel-
geuse and Rigel and the three stars which
form the belt of Orion-the Three Kings
are already above the horizon at O'Clock
In the northeast, at an altitude some
what greater than that of Aldebaran. is
Capella, the Goat. the principal star In
Aurtga, the Charioteer, and one of the two
rivals Of Vega In brilliancy, the other being
Arcturus. now below the horizon. Above
Auriga and at the feet of Andromeda
stands Perseus, brandishlng his sword and
swinging in his left hand the still more
terrible Gorgeous Head
This quarter of the heavens abounds In
objects suitable for n small telescope, and
even an opera glass, or, better, a good
spy glass;, will add very much to the de-
light with which one pursues these ele-
mentary studies of the heavens. No one
who has any taste for astronomy should
rest content. in these days, with oBserva-
lions made with the naked eye, nor be sat
isfed with merely knowing the names of
the consultations and of the principal stars.
Let us turn our opera glass first upon
the Pleiades. The naked eye, unless ex-
ceptiCnally keen. sees but six stars in this
little cluster, but the glass will easily bring
Into view twenty or thirty other stars, be-
sides increasing the brilliancy of those be-
fore seen. One who beholds the beautiful
vision for the first time will hardly sup
press an exclamation OF admira ton, and
he will wonder that he never thought to
try the experiment before. Now let US
lower the glass little and look at the
Hyades. We shall find the ruddy splendor
Of Aldebaran intensified. The star be-
comes almost the rival of Mars. and the lit
tie ''pigs"-Suculae, the Stockings, was one
Of the Roman names Of this cluster-may be
counted by the dozen. This cluster is per-
haps. finer opera glass object than even
the Pleiades.
Examine next the Fly. just above the
Pleiades, and the central portion-the Y
shaped fgure-of Perseus, and survey Cas-
siopeia, In search of those of her gems
which have escaped detection with the I'M
aided eye
Some brilliant Stars.
The constellation Pisces Is another snIfn-