Evening star., 1897-06-05

| is nothing striking about the figures of
either the man or the serpent, both can
be made cut, with the aid of little imag-
ination, as they were probably seen by
the ancient constellation maker. The head
OF the Serpent is formed by a small tri-
angle OF stars. Of which two are of the
about 10 degrees southeast of the North
ern Crown. The head Of Ophiuchus is
marked by bright second magnitude star.
which will now be found very nearly in
the horizon. 1t lies at about three-ffths
or the distance from Antares to Vega the
bright star now to be seen in the northeast
The left shoulder is marked by a notice.
the left hand by similar pair, rather
more brilliant. The Serpent Holder stands
with his left foot in dangerous proximity
70 the Scorpion. With these hints and the
aaa ss OF the sketch given onSthe hemisphere
the constellation. should be located easily.
1t Is worth noting that 70phiuchus is al
most exactly opposite Orion on the celes-
tai sphere. and, like Orion, Is partly in
tne northern and partly in the southern
hemisphere.
kneeling Hercules.
In mid-heavens in the east is Hercules,
an old-timer. like Ophiuchus, and about
equally shadowy. The head of Hercu-
les Is close beside that of ophiuchus and
is marked by a variable star, which ranges
This star is also double star and is a
very pretty object for a small telescope
one OF Its components being green. The
feet Of Hercules are toward the north The
old denigod is represented as kneeIing.
and. indeed. the old Greek name of the
constellation, Engonasin, signifies On
Knees or the Kneeler. The figure sketched
on the planiSphere can easily be traced
thougn not very conspicuous, and may be
presumed to be the original of the constel-
.a.ion. .a Note that the body. formed by a
trapez1um of four third magnitude stars.
lies midway between Vega and the North
ern Crown. This and the left arm formed
oy line OF five fourth magnitude stars.
lation.
Hercules contains very beautiful star
cluster, a globular mass 81 tiny stars. To-
Gated on the western bordersof the trane-
the TO- It # the is se s ndratss
Sood neidgiass as a small nebulous spot
though to bring out its fu1f beauty is work
Tor large telescope 4t.Akas frequently
been photographed, and 1T has been found
to present very remarkable ARRANGEMENT
OF stars, as II they were. whirling among
themselves in ccrkscrew orbits. Hercules
is also interesting from. the fact that with
IN this constellation Ifos,accordinR Tn Sir
William Herschel, the point toward which
the sun and its family of planets are tray-
eIlng in space. The point fixed upon nv
aerschei as that toward which we are
moving is near the star Lamba in the left
arm, and Is indicated on the planisphere
by small circle and the letter H. Sew
eral other determinations of this apex of
tne sun way as the point in question is
called, have since been made, and while all
agree IN locating 1t somewhere in this
region OF the heavens, its precise position
Is still in question. Photography is expect
ca eventually to enable its position to be
fixed with fair degree of exactness. The
principle on which it may be determined is
the simple and familiar fact that when we
move In any direction surrounding objects
appear to move In the opposite direction.
II the stars, scattered through space, were
absolutely fixed and motionless while only
the sun moved, the problem would be sim
pie enough. But this is not the case.
EVERY star has Its own proper notion"
as well as the sun; all are moving and in
various directions, SO that It is only by
taking sort of general average Of their
movements that the direction of our own
can be judged. The latest determination,
made by Herr Stumpe places this apex
very nearly at the center Of the Lyre.
Toward this point we are travelling accord
ing to this astronomer, at the rate of about
elght miles a second, or 15O,0O0,O00 miles
year.
The Planets.
Mercury is a morning star, and will con-
tinue such throughout the month. 1t will
be at Its greatest elongation west from
the sun-about % degrees-on the 18th.
Venus is also morning star. She shone
with her greatest brilliancy as such on
the Sd of this month.
Mars is an evening star He is in Cancer,
about midway between the Twins and
Regulus. In Leo, easily distinguishable
through his well-known ruddy light.
Jupiter Is still a splendid evening star.
He Is in Leo, five degrees east of Regulus.
Saturn also is an evening star, and by 8
pm is well above the horizon in the south
east, appearing as an range-yellow star of
the first magnitude. He is about 10 de-
grees northwest of Antares, and FORMS,
with Arcturus and Spica, a large right
angled triangle. of which two sides are
nearly equal Saturn was in opposition to
the sun, crossing the meridian at midnight,
on the 18th of last month. The rings are
now widely open, and the planet makes a
fine show in the field of good telescope.
Uranus is but a little more than de-
grees from Saturn. a little west of south.
On the 18th the two planets will be in con-
junction. Uranus directly south of Saturn.
2 degrees and minutes distant from it.
Uranus now shines star of the sixth
| magnitude. and Is, therefore, Just within
reach of the naked eye.> With an opera
glass it can be seen easily. There are sew
eral stars of about the, same brightness
here, but observation fdf "a few days will
detect the planet by Its. .hletement.
On the 10th, at II p.m..s N ellington niean
| time. the sun will ente Cancer, and the
tropical summer will begin