The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-02-08
[OMY FOR FEBRUARY.

the Wagner, the principal sta
capella. ranks in splendor sec.
sirius. In the east Is Leo, con.
bright star Regulus, the sickle.
hin of stars which forms tn,
M head and shoulders being a
third of the distance from til,
the zenith. At about the sam,
the west is the pair of stars
second and one of the thirC
which mark the head OF Aries
Midway between Capela and Reg
lie below a straight line drawn
the other. are the Twins, Cas-
ollux-a pair of stars of about
brilliancy and, at about the same
bart as the pointers in the bow
at Dipper. The Dipper itself. OF
as this striking group OF seven
ppularly called In England, will
al the hour ramed above. stand
handle in the northeast, the
ppermost and at about the height
& star. while at about the same
the northwest is the shaped
Cassiopeia, THE Lady in Her
turn back to Orion. In this
Ike figure we have, undoubtedly,
very oldest of the consultations.
to Homer and Hesiod and re-
IN the book of Job. Orion is in
Nh historic associations and SUR
BY a halo of poetry and mythol-
lend to it. perhaps, quite as
fascination for the modern star
does the singular majesty of the
itself. 1t is still the mighty
IS 1t was in the days of Homer.
Is potency now is, not over the
but over the Imagination.
been the case with many others
Oscillations, chart makers have
lineamentS of Orion with n free
have imposed upon us figure
Ike anything which we can detect
5e stars. His sword, his lion skin
IS uplifted club, are appendages
should hardly imagine to exist
he aid of the figure which we may
celestial chart. Yet these ac-
are all referred to at an early
d they belong to the constellation
known to ancient astronomers,
may be questioned whether they
b by the still more ancient con-
makers. Looking ut the stars
rs and forgetting the picture. we
make out of them crude like
b gigantic human shape. such a
b school boy might draw upon his
D We may feel pretty certain that
fe is the original and true Orion.
tabic name OF this constellation
buza, the Giant. The name is pre-
that of it's brightest star. Bethel
Bat al-Jauza, Armpit of the Giant
Upper left hand corner of the great
the name of the star at the lower
bd corner, is the Arabian Rial,
bans Foot. THESE stars are both OF
magnitude. Saiph, at the lower
corner. is of the third magnitude.
, is Arabic and means Sword. Bel
the upper right hand corner, is
|econd magnitude. This WORD is
leaning warrioress--a name OF
e point is not very apparent.
rec stars which form Orion's belt,
second magnitude, are sometimes
as an asterisnl in themselves.
varlously known as the Three
Jacobs Staff, as the Rake. Taken
,tion with the star in the hilt of
d they form the Yard l., or the
Ell. as the name is sometimes
The line of these three stars is
sactly degrees In length, a fact
remember when one is estimating
among the stars. The celestial
asses very close to the uppermost
stars, dividing the constellation in
e that 1t lies one half in the
and one-half in the southern
re of the heavens. This most
OF the consultations is, therefore,
all of the earth's inhabitants.
The belt and in the sword, at the
icated on the planisphere, is the
Jrlon nebula, the largest and most
lie object of its kind. 1t sur
% star Theta-the middle star OF
On mark the lowermost corner OF
d-shaped figure of which one side
by the belt. An opera glass will
re an elongated cluster OF stars
a very pretty object-and If the
lear and moonless, the nebula it.
be seen as family luminous spot
perhaps, as the full moon, Photo
this wonderful object are now so
That description of it is hardly
Indeed, no description can con-
than a feeble impression of its
era appearance in the field of
scope. A cloud of luminous mist
az 1t appears to be, not altogether
LOT 1t resembles curiously mon
s head, severed from the body. !
'hed and profusely adorned with
aiming name.
Apply has revealed the fact that
alled Great Nebula is only the |
picuous portion of n mass of ne
after which extends over nearly |
OF this constellation. A broken |
drawn On the planisphere down
the star Bellatrix marks the To-
e. W. spiial HtOuid, NhiNi
rought out on photograph taken
or w. II. Pickering at Wilson's
,s9 and which was subsequently
aed by Professor Barnard. In its
hape 1t resembles the figure C.
ong- known nebula seems 10 Ito
TEX OF this grand yet only family
spiral.
,ctroscope has given conclusive
nat the light OF this great ium-
ID, and that of all other true
comes from glowing gases. of
Is certainly hydrogen, while re-
mother there is still a question,
is nitrogen. as is the opinion OF
ms, or, as Sir Norman Locl,yer
the vapor of magnesium. Pc
Two gases, which are found in !
u the nebulae. the Orion nebu!a
/, contain several ether gases.
inch has thus far been identi-
any terrestrial substance. The
which surround the inrestiga-
uch, however. that this failure
the nebular gases does not
they are elements wholly I'M
u.s. As to the nature a. the
lie theory which seems JUST now
70 most in its favor. though 1t
means accepted universally by
-, Is that OF Sir Norman Lock
Ia.