Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-06-13

years. In consequence of the preces
sion of the equinoxes, that westwar,
motion of the equinoxes on the ecliu
tic, the pole of the equator ha
changed it's position materially. TO
our pole star, Polaris, in the tail G
Ursa Minor, has not always acted, no
will it always act, in that capacity
| Four thousand years ago Alpha Ora
conis, or Thuban, was the pole star
| while in 10000 years hence the beauti
| full first-mag nitude star Vega will en-
| JOY the dignity of being the pole star
Once upon a time the signs of the
| zodiac agreed with the consultations
of the same name, while as natural
consequence of the procession OF the
equinoxes each sign has backed into
the constellation west of it, Although
no change of the pole of the ecliptic
has so far been observed, it does not
follow as an absolute fact that this ap
parently constant point may not IN
dergo a slow change, perceptible after
a long period of time. That comets
have changed and are still changing
their course is matter of observation
and even in the sidereal worlds
enough changes have been observed
to render the fact certain of changes
not being confined to our own solar
system. The stupendous distances of
the sidereal worlds, of which we have
hardly an adequate conception, render
an observation of their relative posi-
ton to each other extremely difficult
but despite this difficulty some
changes have been noticed, although it
will require millions of years before
the CONGREGATIONS of the stellar con-
stellations will be noticeably altered.
Changes in the brightness of fixed
stars have been observed in quite
number of cases. Thus we see that
steadily changes are going on through
out the whole universe, which in the
minds of the uninitiated will engender
a feeling of wonder, but to the philo-
sophie mind ever be potent stimulus
for further and deeper researches into
the mysteries of the universe.
The June Consultations.
The principal consultations that
come to our meridian at about 8
o'clock in the June evenings are
Bootes, Libra, Serpens, Corona Bore
ais and Ursa Minor. Extending the
line OF the last two stars in the handle
of the Great Dipper, it will pass near a
brilliant star that cannot fail to en-
gage attention. This is Arcturus, IN
the constellation Bootes, or the Hunts
man, the word Arcturus itself mean
ing bear driver" Arcturus is the
fifth in the list of first-magnitude stars
and after Sirius the most brilliant
among the stars visible in our latitude.
1t is recognizable by it's own splendor
and by the great equilateral triangle it
forms with Spica, in Virgo, and Dene-
bola, in the Lion. Drawing line of
about 10 degrees in a northeasterly di-
rection, we notice a star-Epsilon
Boots, or Mirae-which, with four
others, forms a rather large pentagon,
the nOrthernmost verteX of which is
marked by the star Beta Boots, or
Nekkar. The star nearest to Epsilon
in the pentagon is rather faint Epsi-
lon is fine double star. Almost due
east of it we see a constellation which,
in spite of it's smallness, is one of the
prettiest star pictures, in the heavens
on account of it's forming an almost
perfect Semi-circle. This is Corona
Borealis, or the Northern Crown. The
brightest star in this constellation is
Alpha Coronae Borealis, also called
Comma and Alphacc. To the right of
this are Beta and Theta and to the left
Gamma, Delta and Epsilon. About l
degree north of Delta, now visible
with an opera glass, is a sma4- star
which in May of the year 1866 sudden
ly blazed out until it became brighter
than Alpha itself. 1t belongs to that
interesting and myster-
ious class of stars called temporary.
Before it's outburst it was an eighth
star of Argelander's cata-
logue, and within a short time after 1t
assumed its low estate, which it still
retains. Eta, at a very short distance
from Beta, is remarkable for its being
a rapid binary with period of less
than AZ years. At times it can be
easily divided by small magnifying
glass. East of Virgo is the somewhat
inconspicuous constellation Libra, or
the Balance, but it is important as one
OF the consultations of the zodiac
The Alpha Of this constellation is of
the second and Beta, 10 degrees north
east of Alpha, of the third magnitude
Gamma, also of the third, forms, with
these two, a small triangle. About
degrees west IF Beta is the remarkable
variable star Delta. which is Of about
the fifth magnitude, but sometimes
dwindles into invis4uIlity. North of
Libra is the constellation Serpens, but
as it is to be considered part of
Ophiuchus we shall reserve descrip-
ton until we have occasion to describe
the latter. In the far south, but on
the meridian, we see some stars that
belong to a large constellation, the
main part of which, however, is too
low down to be seen in our latitude.
This is Centaurus, whose principal
stars, however are not visible in the
United States. Just south of Libra
is the ancient constellation Lupus, or
the Wolf, which is too low for any sat
isfactory observation in our latitude.
Ursa Minor is too familiar a constella-
ton to require any detailed descrip-
ton. 1t bears a striking reSem blance
to the Great Dipper, and for this rea-
son bears the name of the Little Dip
per. 1t is of special significance for
us, because it contains the pole star.
Polaris, the Greek name of which was
Cynosura. The pole star is at the ex-