Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-06-07

heavens. Though collecting in groups
here and there and forming connected
streams, an enumeration of the stars
in the great star catalogue shows that
the number increases with considerable I
regularity from the ealactic poles, |
where they are most sparse, towards
the galactic plane, where they are |
most densely crowded. Certainty an
interesting question that has often
obtruded itself on the mind is whether
there is any limit set to the sidereal
heavens. In regard to this question
Simon Newoomb remarks THAT il can
be shown mathematically that an
infinitely extended system of stars
would fill the heavens with a blaze OF
| light like that OF the MONDAY sun. As
no such effect is produced, it may be
concluded that the universe has a
to locate the boundary, nor to say how
many stars may lie outside the farthest
stretches of telescope VISION"
Thinking of the immensely of space
and the unlimited variety of worlds
that fill it, and, If there be a universal
1 system of all the starry creations, re-
flecting on the intricacy OF motion
which such an aggregate of forces
would necessarily produce, one cannot
but arrive at the conclusion that to
human investigation, however VAST and
subtle they be, limits must be set.
; At about o'clock in the June even
ings we see above in the magnificent
star Arcturus. after Sirius, the most
brilliant star in our latitude. 1t IS
the principal star in the constellation
Bootes, or the Huntsman, the name
Arcturus itself meaning the bear
driver" In a southeasterly direction
, from Aicturus are seen four stars
, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Epsilon-that
form a somewhat irregular cross, while,
. with Zeta and Eta, Arcturus forms an
. obtuse triangle, with the latter at the
: vertex of the obtuse angle. Arcturus
Q is star which for it's brilliance might
d be taken for a planet were it not FOL
o the fact that it is without the zodiaca
8 belt, within which all planets move
i With reference to Arcturus Simon
It Necomb says: las far as we know the
i two swiftest moving stars are, first
n Arcturus and, second, one known il
k astronomy as 1880 Groombridge, thu
/. latter SO called because it was first OBJ
e served by the astronomer Groombridg'
l. and is numbered 1880 in his catalogue
of stars. !"
l. East of Bootes we see the beautiful
j, little constellation Corona Borealis, o
ar the Northern Grown, the principal ant
,e most striking CONFORMATION of al
d. almost perfect semi circle of stars. Tn
+ brightest of these Is A lpha, or Gemma
is or Alphacca, of the second magnitude
8 East of the Crown is the fine constel
+. lation Hercules. to be described in on
IN July article. Northwest of Scorpio, bt
t. tween it and Virgo, two rather brigt
at stars. Alpha and Beta, constitute th
Dis principal members of tie zodiacal COL
It. stellation Libra, or the Balance 1t il
on the whole, an inconspicuous consle
l., lation, and only of Importance as one I
~ the u consultations of the zodia'
'ie Due south of Libra is the consolidate
ny Lupus, or the Wolf, of which, howepe
10 u. only part can be seen at any advan
he age in our latitude. Ths beautiful CO.
no stellation Scorpic is approaching Il
%. meridian. Ophiuchus is high up
ne the east and Cygnus and Aquila a
W. just rising.