The evening times., 1900-08-01

which would greatly altez its physical con-
dition. There are. it IS true. iEcessant
changes going on in the nodes and apo.des
and inclinatiOns Of the planes. but these
changes are immaterial and periodical, so
that in the long run they are in reality no
changes at all.
II is worthy of note that the mathemati-
cal treatment OF the perturbing forces has
called the greatest analytical powers Of
man into play and furnished a testimony
OF the aeuteness CT the human intellect
and the magical peYer Of mathematical
analysis no -skepticism nor cynicism can
inVslidate. IL is thought worthy OF medi-
tation that while powerful empires have
been swept away and the effects OF bril-
liant victories nave been rendered futile
by subsequent events the dorc ain of the
human intellect has ever kept on increas-
ing and has attained to a height which 10
revolution in the annals OF history vii
ever diminish or bury into oblivion
Between the Two Bears.
Looking overhead at about O'Clock in
the August evenings we see the extensive
eircumpOlar constellation DraeO W nd n :
in ample folds between the two Bears. The
head Of this fabulous monster is marked by
quite conspicuous quadrilaterAI of four
stars, Beta or Rastaben, Gamma or Ets-
NM NJ anu ~lSil4d. llt TWO lOEDltI ut. L5
between the second and third magnitude
and about.4 degrees apart.
Gamma. in its daily revolution, passes
almost exactly through the zenith OF
Greenwich and is noted in modern as
tronomy from its connection with the dis
covery OF a new law in physical science
the alteration OF light.
The middle point of a line drawn from
Mizar, the last star but one in the handle
or the Great Dipper TO Gamma in the
bowl of the Little Dipper is marked by a
star OF the third magnitude. This Is the
star Alpha Draconis. or Thuban. and Is
very remarkable for the fact that about
1900 years ago il was the PCle-star and
then ten times nearer the true pole OF the
heavens than the present pOle-star, Po
laris. is now or ever viii be Draco also
has the distinction OF containing the Pole
of the Ecliptic"-that is. that point which
is quadrant distant from every point IN
the ecliptic- This point lies nearly in a
straight line between Poiaris and The head
OF the Dragon, though somewhat nearer
the latter.
Two other consultations overhead are
1yra and Aquila- Lyra is made very
conspicuous constellation by the star Al
ph2 Lyrae, or Vega. one of the finest Of
the frs, magnitude stars. and without any
doubt incompaTably larger than the sun
On the east OF Vega, at a very short dis
tance frcm it. there are Two stars. Epsf-
Ion and Zeta, which form with II an equi-
lateral triangle. Epsilon. the more north
ern Of the two. IS a quadruple star.
A keen eye can divide il into two. and a
large telescope splits each Of the compo-
nents. About s degrees southeast Of Vega
lie the two stars. Beta and Gamma. both
Of the third magnitude. Southeast Of Lyra
and due west Of ophluchuS three stars
are situated in a short straight line. o,
which the middle one is a FIRST magnitude
star This is the chief cOEGguration Of the
constellation AQuila. or tire Eagle, and the
first magnitude star Affair. which has been
chosen the standard first magnitude star.
The two EeighbOTing stars are Beta on the
south a cOub!e star, and Gamma on the
ether side.
Not far from Aquila. in a northern direc-
ton. is sGen q little constellation, which
though inconspicuOus. is one Of the ancisnt
fOrty-eigh; Of Ptolemy II is called Sagit-
IA, o. the Arrow. The fine cross-shapeA
constellation Cygnus is high up and close
20 the meridian, while Hercules. Orphiu-
chus. ScoTpio. and the Northern Crown are
slowly bending toward the western hori-
Z0l. The brilliant star Arcturus Is half
way between the meridian and the western
horizon ard Virgo. with Spica. close TO
the latter Pegasus. with its great Square
Is rising in the northeast the harbinger Of
the approaching season of autumn The
two planets. Jupiter and Saturn. and the
first magnitude stars, Arcturus. Vega. Al
tair. and AnJares. will give 20 the August
evening skies a very attractive and i'm
pTesSiye appearance u