Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-10-06

fact, as it relieves the darkness of the
long and bleak winter nights. At high
elevations it becomes very brief. At
Quito, in Ecuador, it lasts but 20
minutes. Tho shortest twilight in our
latitude takes place about the middle.
Of October and the beginning of March.
Pegasus, Aquarirs and Piscis Aus.
trails are the principal consultations
that come up to the meridian about
9 o'clock in the October evenings.
Pegasus, Or the Winged Horse, is a
very large and conspicuous constella-
ton. Its most striking CONFORMATION
is the Large Square," on two dag
onally opposite vertices of which, if
we are allowed to use the expression,
are attached two handles. The south
western one belongs to Pegasus, the
northeastern to Andromeda. Three OF
the stars of the four corners of the
square belong to Pegasus. Alpha, or
Markab, is the star in the square that
connects Pegasus with the latter. The
star in the northwestern corner is Beta,
or Scheat, and in the southeastern
corner Gamma, or Algenib, while the
fourth remaining one belongs to An
dromeda and is called Alpha of that
constellation, or Alpherat, though it is
sometimes lettered Delta Pegasi. The
handle on the Pegasus side of the
square is marked by the stars Zeta,
Theta and Epsilon, or Emf, the middle
one being at the bent and the last one
at the extremity. These three stars
mark also the horses neck and head.
Due west of Epsilon Pegasi (Enif) and
nearly midway between the latter and
Aquila we see a small constellation
thnf Il L.
| ing were it not for the fact of its being
one of the ancient 48 of Ptolemy's list
of consultations. This is Equuleus,
star in it is of the fourth magnitude
and the others of the fifth and sixth,
| 1t is neither as large nor as conspicu-
GUS as Delphinus, which is situated at
a short distance from it. South of
| Theta Pegasi lies the rather extensive
zodical constellation Aquarius, or the
! Water Bearer, which, though contain
ing no star that exceeds the third
mangitude, may be readily distin-
guished by four stars of the fourth
magnitude, 50 grouped together as to
form the letter " These mark the
urn from which Aquarius pours the
| water which streams down southwark
in a somewhat irregular course until it
reaches the constellation Piscis Aus
| trails, or the Southern Fish, principally
distinguished by Fomalhaut, Ia French
word and pronounced as such) star
of the first magnitude. All the other
stars of the Southern Fish are of a
low magnitude. Fomalhaut is one of
those stars, sometimes and for good
reason called-nautical stars, the posi-
ton of which has been determined with
great precision in order to enable
navigators to find their longitude al
sea, an interesting subject to which
we may revert in future article.
Lyra, with the beautiful star Vega,
is approaching the western horizon,
and the star Arcturus, that shines
with almost planetary splendor, is close
to it. Aquila, with Affair, though
still high up, is bending toward the
west. Cygnus has crossed meridian,
slowly moving toward the west. Low
down in the northeast the beautiful
star Capella and the remarkable
cluster of the Pleiades may be seer
slowly rising up, announcing the arriva
of the autumnal season. With the dis
appearance Of the beautiful constella
ton Scorpio, that has SO long adorned
the summer skies, the season of sum
| mar is closed l