Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1899-05-06

essary to speak Of the Importance Of the
SUMS light without II neither vegetable
nor animal life would be possible. on the
sky only the stars, being self-lumlnous
bodies. would shine. for the light Of the
moon and the planets Is but light bor-
rowed Of the sun.
CONSPICUOUS CONSULTATIONS.
Two conspicuous consultations win
come to the meridian at about 9 O'Clock
IN the May evenlngs-Ursa Major and
Virgo Ursa Major, or the Great Bear, IS
very extensive constellation. OF which
only that part which IS so appropriately
called the "Dlpper," and so familiar to
everybody by that name. Is conspicuous.
The two stars In the latter IN whose line
the pole star is situated are called the
pointers, since they point out the pole
star Their names are Alpha or Dubhe,
and Beta or Merak The other five stars
completing the Dipper are Gamma or
Phad, Delta or Megrez, Epsilon or All
9th. zeta OF Mizar, and at the end OF the
handle Eta or Benetnash. With the ex-
ccption OF Delta, these are all bright stars
OF the second magnitude. Mizar, at the
bend OF the handle, is remarkable for be-
ing a double star, It's companion. Alcor,
being seen with small telescope
1t Is quite a recent and curious discovery
that Mizar is really triple star Alcor
being itself double, though It's duplicity
Is only ulscernIble by the spectroscope
and not by telescope. II at the distance
OF 90 degrees south we draw a llne paral.
/ faf
Phad, we perceive three remarkable pairs
Of stars that mark the two. hind paws
and the left fore paw OF the Bear. These
two pairs are at almost equal distances
from each other, and the stars constitut-
ing each pair also Of nearly
equal distances from each other.
These pairs sometimes set, ol-
through an the other stars of the
constellation are circumpolar; that u.s.
never set IN our latitude Stars whose
! spherical distance from the pole Is equal
or less than the latitude OF the place OF
observation are clrcumpolar with respect
to that place. that is, I'm their dlurnal
motion they describe complete circles
and, consequently. never set in that lau.
tude. For the latitude of Baltimore al
stars are clrcumpolar whose polar dis.
lance is smaller than about 90 degrees
or, which amounts to the same thing
whose declnation Ga greater than about
81 degrees. The expression "clrcumpo.
lar" Therefore. is only relative, and con.
stellations that are circumpolar for one
place are not necessarily so for other
places III we prolong The line Joining
the last TWO stars IN the handle Of tn,
Dipper 1t viii pass above a magnificent
reddish star. Arcturus. the brightest nxet
star In the northern hemisphere. Nearly
on line with Arcmrus and Phad, some.
what nearer the latter5we see an Isolate,
star OF the third magnitude, called Col
Carroll, or Charles Ileart,the only promi-
nent star IN the constellation Canes We
mattel, or the Hunting Dogs. Midway DE
tween Cor Carroll and Denebola In IN,
Lion, beautiful cluster OF small stars g.
situated, which is called Coma Berenices
or Berenices Hair. and was establishe,
, by the Alexandrian astronomer Conon II
I honor of the Queen Of Ptolemy Softer
The zodlacal constellation Virgo occuple
] a considerable space IN the heavens. 1T
/ most prominent star Is Alpha or SDc,
D Virgins. with Denebola and Arcturus {
/ forms an almost equnateral triangle
] Southwest Of Splca four stars may be no
! ticed forming an irregular quadrilatera
a This IS Corvus or the Crow being perch
. ed upon Hydra. Down in the northeas
r a brilliant star cannot fail to engage tn
e observers attention, and Will at once b
recognized as Vega. The beautiful con
stellaton Scorpio Is high up. Betwee
Vega and Arcturus we again see Her
n cules and the Grown. Taurus. Orion an
q CAMS Major have set. The Disappearance
= Of these from the nocturnal skies and tn
/. appearance Of Vega. Hercules and CO
a roma at an early hour OF the evening an
! nounce the approach Of the Summer sea
- son.