Evening star., 1896-01-04

the time of writing December 2O it is of
about the seventh magnitude and is Just
visible through an opera glass. The phe-
nomenon Of its variation in brilliancy will
be found to repay careful observation.
or the host of telescope objects which are
above us and around us tonight, 4 few
which can be found easily and can be seen
With an instrument of a very moderate
power may be pointed out. Let us begin
with the Pleiades and Hyades Strictly
speaking, these are not telescope objects
vet no one who has never looked at them
through at least an opera glass can have
more than faint idea of the beauty of a
star cluster With the naked eye we see six
stars IN the Pleiades. An opera glass will
inch telescope will show about sixty; but
even this number is only a small part of the
number revealed here by a first-class tel
escope or by the still more searching agency
OF photography. 1t Is known that within a
region here which might be covered by four
full moons, and forming a world system
which Is. apparently, roughly globular in
shape, there are upward of 1900 stars more
tnan one of which, If the estimate of the
distance of this cluster is fairly correct, is
a giant luminary in comparison with the
sun: Two hundred and fifty Tight years
is the estimated distance of the Pleiades-
ten times the distance of Sirius Our sun
at that distance would pale to a star of the
tentn magnitude. A1cyone, the brightest
flefade Is of the third magnitude and. If
the above given estimate is correct, it sur
thOuc-
and times.
The Hyades-the V-shaped cluster close
beside the star Aldebaran-although more
dlnuse than the Pleiades and less striking
10 .ne naked eye, Is really a finer object for
the opera glass. perhaps because its stars
are rather more brilliant
A Pretty Cluster.
Close beside the planet Jupiter-to the
west Of i've may see with naked eye, IL
the night Is clear. a little fleck of nebulous
light. which even an opera glass will show
to be star cluster. This is Praesepe. the
BeehlVe, or. as the name Is sometimes
translated. the Manger. 1t Is one of the
prettiest clusters In the heavens, even for
an instrument OF only moderate power IT
Is IN the constellation Cancer It lies be-
tween two stars of the third magnitude
Gamma and Delta Cancri-which were for
merry known popularity as the Aselli. or
Asses, names having an obvious reference
to that of the cluster
Another cluster which to the naked eyo
very much resembles Praesepe and which
Is, perhaps, even more beautiful than that
as telescope object is the double cluster
IN the handle of the sw ord of Perseus. 1t
lies about midway between the central
bright star in Perseus and the consteliati ton
Casslopeia, and can easily be found by
sweeping this region with an opera glass.
Wniie surveying this cluster we are not
Iar from the famous nebula in Andromeda.
Its position, rear the northernmost of the
three stars which form the belt of Andro-
meoa. is SHOWN on the chart To the naked
eye TINS Eebula appears as blurred"
star, which becomes still more hazy when
looked at through an opera glass. 1t Is
pointed out more because the reader NAV
like to know where it is than because he is
Ikeiy 70 hnd It very striking object with
any optical aid at his command
Let us turn to Orion and look for the
Great Nebula- Here, again, we shall be
likely to meet with disappointment. unless
we use at least three-inch telescope. We
can see with an opera glass faint indica-
tlon or nebulosity;' that Is about all The
three stars in the belt of Orion form one
side OF a diamond-shaped figure. the lower
OF three rather faint stars These stars lie
In the midst of the nebula, the central one
being Theta, multiple star, consisting as
seen through large telescope. of six stars,
OF the nebula. as the "Trapezium" The
densest part Of the nebula lies around this
star. The opera glass will show here quite
a a number OF stars, forming group which
Is worth looking at for its own sake and
II the night IL clear ard your ewes are
keen. you will find that the background on
which these stars shine is perceptibly hazy
The misty light of the rebula reouires 10
be condensed by a large telescope before
we can make much of it
Double stars are exceedingly Interesting
telescopic objects. Among those suited to
a small telescope and easily pointed ont
are: 1. Gamma Andromadae, the bright
star in the left foot of the maiden, one Of
the most splendid of colored doubles. con-
sisting of bright orange star with a
green companion. q Castor the more
northerly Of the Twins, the components of
which are white and Of about the same
brilliancy. 3. Gamma Arietis, the fourth
magnitude star in the left horn of the
Ram, both components white. f. Gamma
Leonis. in the Sickle the third star reck-
oned from Regulus. This last star is of
interest also as marking very nearly the
radiant" of the November meteors known
as the "Leonids''
The Planets.
Venus continues to be a magnificent