Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-11-07


aud it can cause no. SURPRISE that this
singular variability Ut the light of this
star has been known for many ages. 1t
is to be considered a fortunate circum.
stance that there Is a smaller star near
Algol, serving as convenient standard
Of comparison. Under ordinary cir
oumstances Algol is much brighter than
its neIghbor, but when II sinks to its
lowest point the two stars shine with
almost equal brightness. There has
been a good deal Of speculation with
reference to the very strange variability
Of this star, and it Is only within very
brief time that this stars mysterious
behavior has been interpreted IN man.
ner the correctness Of which admits no
longer Of doubt. This was done by the
German astronomer, Vogel, who has
proved that Algol for a period OF d.
10 b.. recedeB from the earth at the rate
of 26 miles per second, and for the same
period moves toward the earth. This
motion, Of course, is not in a straight
line, but in an orbit, hna such NOV e.
ment iB possible only on the condition
that there i an attracting body around
which Algol revolves, and this com
psnion, il not absolutely devoid OF in
trinsic light, is dark relatively 10 Algol.
Whenever we look we thus see this evil
dences OF the great law of Rravitation.
In the binary systems we see 1t mani.
tested by one sun revolving nbout
another sun, 10 the case CT Algol by a
sim revolving about b larger body which
for unknown reasons Is devoid of self
luminosity and which consequently on
account of its stupendous distance from
us will never be seen through even the
most powerful telescope OF the present
time or the future. OF Algol and its
dark companion We shall have some
thing moro to say ON the occasion OF
describing the constellation of Perseus.
The principal consultations that
about 9 O'Clock IN the November even
ings will eliminate In our latitude are
Andromeda, Pisces and the two circufn-
polar cancellations CasSiopeia- and
Cepheus, Andromeda begins with the
northeastern corner Of the Great Squire
of Pegasus and extends in north
eRsterly direction. The star in the
northeastern corner Ia A lpha, or A lphe-
ratz, though it is sometimes lettered
Delta pe2asi. The Great Square. with
its AndroIneda handle has q oartnin
resemblance to the Great DIpper in
Ursa Major, only on a larger scale.
l1lb ududidI WIN n
contains Beta, or Mefach, aud Gamma,
or A lmasch. Extending the nearly
( straight line Of these three stars the
line will pass through Alpha Persei,
but IL we bend 1t at Gamma 10 mar
| ner similar TO the handle of the Great
DippGr we notice the star Beta Peisei,
OF Algol, of which we have spoken
above. Algol. A lmaseh, Merach and
the Great Square present picture not
unlike the Great Dipper. A line drawn
northwesterly fiom Beta, nearly at
right angles to the line connecting
beta and Gamma, will pass through
Mu at distance OF 8 degrees, and pro-
duced another degrees will strike the
"great neubla, !" which is visible to
the unassisted eye like little cloud of
light and of all nebul@ the brightest
Due south of Andromeda is the con
stelIation Pisoea, or the Fishes, which
the sun enters 10 spring, and which
corresponds TO the sign Of Aries, and
consequently the first of the constel
1 lations OF the Zodiac. This constel-
lation is wholly devoid eof conspicuous
1 stars and is notable only for containing
at present the pernal Equinox, which
1 is situated near the southern boundary
OF the constellation, 10 peculiarly
starless region. The northern Fish is
connected with the southern Fish by O
long ribbon. at tine middle of which
is Alpha Piscium or El Risoha, tine
southern Fish may he recognized by q
pentagon Of five small stars lying below
the hack OF Pegasus. On the other side
Of the Pole star from Ursa Major il
the remarkable ciroumpolar constel.
lation ,Cassiopeia, SO easily recognizable
by Ave stars that resemble tbe letter
W. Beta, or Csph, marks the upper
extremity Of the last stroke Of the
letter, and Alpha, or SchedIr, til.
i lower. A line drawn from Schedii
through Caph and extended 20 degrees
will pass near Alpha Cephi. Alpha
and the other stars of the constellation
Cepheus form somewhat distorted x,
by which it can he easily recognized.
While Cygnus and Aquila are half way
between the meridian and the western
horizon, and Vega quite close to it.
Perseus and Aries are near the meridian.
The beautiful star Capella, Aldeharar
aud the Pleiades and the magnificent
Orion are RAPIDLY approaching the
meridian, heralding the coming Of the
winter season, s,