Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-08-04
yulrN DEIA WAKE THURSDAY. AUGUST 4 1898:

Draconi, or Thubap. This star is SONS
Importance. as about a, 600 years ago it
wac the Pole star. As necessary con-
sequence of the procession OF the
squinoxes the worlds axis ia shifting
slowly, its extremities describing In
25, 800 years circle, the radius OF
which ia 231a degrees, and centre the
pole of tho ecliptic. Although the
pole Of the heavens is coming nearer
the present pole star, Polaris, reaching
it's closest proximity Of one-half degree
to it at the cloau Of the next century, 1T
will then begin to recede from it, and
in about 1900 years Polaris will DO
no longer the pole star, but reieghte
this claim to tho beautiful star Vega.
The star Gamma, or Etanin, In the
Dragons head, marks almost exactly
the zenith of Greenwich, from which
almost all civilized nations reckon
their longitude. BY observation upon,
Etanin the so-called alteration OF
light" was discovered, by which we
understand tho apparent displacement
of heavenly body. due to the com
hination of the orbital motion OF the
earth with that of light.
The constellation lyra, Though IL
occupies no vast space in the heavens,
is distinguished by containing one OF
the finest stars in the whole sky, Alpha
Lyrae, or Vega. Although astronomers
have not yet auccseded in accurately
| measuring '1ereHl distances, II admits
Of no doubt that Vega ia an incom.
parably yaster body than our sun. Al
o distance OF abnut degrees from Veai
thore are two stars Of the fourth magni'
| tude, Epsilon and Theta, which form
| a very pretty equilateral Triangle will
It, Epsilon, the mnre northern OF tbs
two, is quadruple star. BY means o
4 common opera glass this star Ii
separated in two, and powerful in
strument divides each again into two
Southeast OF Vega. at distance O
about s degrees, are situated the star
Beta and Gamma Lyrae. East o
Scorpio constellation engages atten
tion, which familiarly, and not inaptly
ia called the milk Dipper. Its aeen
tifiic name is Sagitiarius, meaning th
archas The four stars in the bowl ar
Sigma, Tau, Theta and Phi. to tn
! last OF which the handle is attached
marked by the star Lambda. South 9
the latter Delta, Epsilon aud Gamm
form an isoseeleH triangle. The oh
server cannot help noticing that tn
Milky Way, in Sagittarius, is especial
bright and irregular, presentin
! atreamers ami dark pockvts.
Il Between Sagittarius and Scorpio an
, north OF hoth, the constellation Ophit
chua, with the Serpent, extsnds froi
, eaat TO west and north, while Coron
Borealis and iierculee, north OF Ophii
, chus, are bending toward the ives
West of SagittariuH. Scorpio 10 sti
, high up, whilst ilootes, with Arcturu
are rapidly approaching the westeI
'. horizon. The fine constellation Aquil
: with the first magnitude star Altai
! and mott h of it the large cross shape
, constellation Cygnus. are coming near
and nearer the meridian, which tut
will reach next month.
The thoughtful observer, when, /.
= starlight night, he looks up at Il
: immense vault of the heavens, Studio
) over with innumsrable stars, ear
!, one OF which represents world
!, it's own. q solar SUSTAIN with its retinl
! Of planets and satellites and other &C
!, mical bodies cannot hut be Impress
: with the immensity and grandeur
= the universe, and inYoluntarily D
= thought will arise in him that, AFT
q all, there is something incomparaht
. higher and loftier than anything I'll
4 small earth IL able to Offer.