Evening journal., 1900-01-04

uoHomy, and the eyer increasing dis
coveries within the Sange Of electricity
have furnished explanations which be-
fore baffled the keeDest minds. Within
this century all the numerous small
planets, called Asteroids, or Planet
ODDS. or minor planets, have been dis
covered, and nearly every year has
added to their number. One of the
greatest tfiumphs OF mathematical as
tronomy-the discovery of the planet
Neptune, was achieved in this century,
and OF the fixed stars. especially the
double and variable stars, we have
gained within this century far more
accurate notions than those that pre-
vailed at the end of the previous cen
fury. The delicacy of astronomical in
struments has gained a perfection
which verges on the marvellous, and in
this respect this century far outstrips
all former ones. Through the immense
facilities Of printing far greater dis
semination OF the sciences has been
effected. and the knowledge of many
things that in former centuries was
the exclusive property Of a few has
extended TO many.
THE CONSULTATIONS.
The consultations that at about 81
o'clock of the January evenings are on
or near the meridian are OF special
splendor, rendering the appearance OF
the sky more beautiful than at any
other season Of the year. Above them
all in superior brilliancy stands Orion,
frequently mentioned by the classic
writer's OF ancient Greece and Rome
in o manner which shows how the
beauty OF this confguration OF stars
struck the fancy of the poets. The Belt
of Orion. made up of three stars in
straight line, will be recognized at once
| by its brightness and the equal dis
lance OF the middle star from those
at the extremities OF the line. The
length OF this line is almost exactly
degrees and serves as q useful meas
ure of the spherical distances OF the
stars from one another When the
three stars" are mentioned with out
any other qualification the Belt Of
| Orion Is referred to. Sometimes they
are called the Three Kings" because
| they point out the Hyades and Pleiades
on one side and Sirius on the other.
| The ancient husbandmen called them
l.Jacob's Rod" A more modern appel
llation for them, including the stars in
i the Sword Of Orion, Is the ELL and
i Yard From the belt hangs the sword
composed OF three smaller stars, lying
moro nearly north and south. The
middle one OF these is the multiple
star Theta, in the great nebula OF
lOrion, the finest nebula in the heavens,
: which even in n small telescope is a
beautiful object. On both sides OF the
belt and at equal distances from IL
Z are the two magnificent first magni-
f, tude stars Betelguese, or Alpha, and
. Rigel, or Beta, the former OF a reddish
: tinge and the latter of a pure white
color Rigel is somewhat lighter than
Betelguese, though older observations
prove that formerly the latter was the
brighter, whence its name, Alpha
from which 1t follows that Betelguese Is
to some extent variable star. West
OF Betelguese is the bright second
magnitude star Gamma, or Bellatris
. which marks the left shoulder of the
mighty hunter North of Orion is sit
4 uated the zodiacal constellation Tau
= lrus, or the Bull characterized by the
pleiades and the V-shaped group o
I the Hyades, forming the face OF thu
bull, with the red first magnitude sta
c Alpha Tauri. or Aldebaran, marking
the eye. and for this reason sometimes
called the Bulls Eye. The Pleiades are
= perhaps the most remarkable and Ger
tainly are the best known star cluste
y in the heavens. An eye Of ordinar.
II lpower OF vision can easily discern 81,
stars in this group, and in a moOnles
. clear sky seven or eight. The brightes
/" of them is Alcyone, to which the Ger
y man astronomer, Maedler, assigned tn
II honor OF the Central SUM-" a hypoth
lesis. however, that later investiga
~ lions have disproved Looking to tn
y north we see the constellation PerseuE
whose principal star, Alpha, or Algenil
e lies very nearly on the line produce
- of the three main stars of Andromedi
~ II, however, this line is bent littl
toward the west, we see Beta Perse
Y. or Algol, one of the most remarkabl
ar of the variable stars. East of Perseu
,h the constellation Auriga, OF the Char
o. ioteer, is too striking not to engage ;
n once the attention Of the star gaze
eff The principal coniiguration of TIL
en- star group Is rather large pentagoi
he the most conspicuous yertex of whic
wv is marked by the splendid first magn
OF tude star Alpha Aurigae, or Capell
THE CELESTIAL PANORAMA.
tie The majesty of the celestial pam
re- rama, as it lies spread out before OF
)st admiring eyes, may well engender
ls- the thoughtful mind a feeling of CO..
ne tempt for those whose mind is I,
ect shallow to perceive what is really graz
ny and beautiful, and in such strikiI
a contrast with all the petty TRANSACTION
err and meannesses, that a man endow
tn with loftier sentiments and aspiratio
as every day sees and despises. II
our surest criterion OF intellectual medic
the rity is the callousness with viii
led the works OF nature and I
ep- achievements of art and science q
try looked az, while, on the other har
AS there is no surer manifestation Of I
pill thinking mind than never to lack
her profound appreciation OF what is or,
so and beautiful in nature, art a
lro- science. There is no self-conceit
nds the part of a true artist in admir-
my, his own creation, or on the part OF
'ge- great scientist in admiring his gr'
rhel discoveries. II is said that the err