Evening star., 1899-03-04

see among them the two youths found on
me charts. We may be fairly certain that
the original Twins were the twin stars and
nothing else. Standing very nearly in the
suns path. they formed for the ancients
one excellent marker By which to keep
their tally of the progress of the seasons
ana no name for them was more natural
nor could be more appropriate, than this
Inc name Castor and Pollux, by the way
cannot nave been given originally to these
stars 1t belonged to quite a different pair
OIL Twins. the brothers of Helen and ely
temnestra- whom comparative mythology
has identified with the phenomena of day
ara nignt. Hence the story of their shar-
ing between them the attribute of immor-
taiity, the one being above ground living
while the other was dead in the lower
world conceit quite in harmony with the
NEUROLOGICAL conception of day and night.
out which has no point whatever whenever
appneu to these twin stars.
Not Much Like a Crab.
The constellation Gemini is the third of
the zodiacal consultations. Leo already
pointed out, is the fifth. Between these
two is Cancer. the Crab. 1t hardly need be
said that to whatever the constellation
owes its name. there is no figure of a crab
to be discovered here. The most that we
can find is triangle of third magnitude
stars. of which the sides are about five de-
grees in length, situated nearly midway be-
tween the Twins and Regulus The two
stars which form the eastern side of this
Triangle were known anciently as the Aselli
or Asses. Between them may be seen n
feck of nebulous light, which even an on
era glass shows to be a star-cluster This
Is Praesepe, the Manger or Beehive-for
either rendering of the name is admissible
one OF the most beautiful of the telescopic
clusters. On the other side of Leo-fhe
eastern side-is Virgo, the Maiden the sixth
constellation OF the zodiac. 1t is now only
IN part above the horizon. the star Spica
hn hon =
n alden In her left hand, being still too low
to be visible.
The Planets.
Mercury will be evening star through
out the month, but not far enough from
the sun to be visible until near the middle
OF the month. 1t will be at its greatest
elongation east from the sun, Is degrees
80 minutes. on the oath. Look for it a lit
tie north of west
Venus is a magnificent morning object
in the southeastern sky, rising some three
hours before the sun. and now shining with
nearly her greatest, brilliancy. She was at
her greatest elongation west from the sun,
46 degrees % minutes, on February TO-
Mars is now the planet for evening OBJ
servation- AT pm. 1t is seen nearly
south, Well up toward the zenith near the
twins, Castor and Pollux, far surprising
with Its ruddy splendor a star of the first
magnitude. With a good telescope one NAV
see the more prominent of its markings;
but its great distance from U.S. even when
at ITS nearest point for this year-oyer co.
opo.oOo miles, on January 1s-renders it less
favorable for observation than for many
years past. Mars was Stationary" 4 de-
grees southwest of Pollux, on February 2T
Its movement is now direct or toward the
east.
Jupiter Is an evening star, In Virgo, rising
shortly after pm.
Saturn. in scorpio. rises about am;
Uranus, an hour earlier Neptune is an
evening star, in Taurus, quite close to the
tip OF the Bulls southern horn
On the 10th, at pm, Washington time,
the sun will enter Aries, and spring will
begin.