Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-28

the stars. but were purely NEUROLOGICAL.
The original Castor and Pollux, the BROTH
ers of that Helen whose fatal beauty led to
the siege of Troy-the Dark one and the
Bright one as their names signify-were
simply personifications OF Night and Day.
Hence the story that they shared between
them the gift Of Immortality. one of them
being above ground living, while the other
was dead in the lower world-a story quite
In harmony with the old NEUROLOGICAL con-
ception Of Night and Day, but which has no
point whatever when told of these two
stars. There has been at some time In the
past mixing-up OF two distinct sets Of
twins very evidently-an astronomical and
a NEUROLOGICAL.
Cancer.
Cancer, the Crab, which comes next, as
We proceed eastward. Is so poor in stars
visible to the naked eye, its brightest be-
ing scarcely up to the third magnitude.
that 1t can best be located from its posi-
ton between Gemini and Leo. We might
pass this constellation without further no.
tice were it not for the fact that 1t con-
tains one Of the prettiest telescope star
clusters in the heayens-Praesepe. the Bee
hive, or the Manager, for the name admits
OF either Interpretation. situated at point
to Regulus. A triangle of fourth magni-
tude stars will be found here. each side OF
which is about five degrees In length-the
distance apart OF Castor and Pollux, and
Praesepe is near the center of this triangle.
To the naked eye 1t appears as neck or
nebulous light. A field glass or even a good
opera glass will show 1t distinctly as a star
cluster. though to see II in its full beauty
requires telescope Of some size. The two
more easterly stars in the triange referred
ancientIy as the Aselli, or Asses, obviously
because Of their position on each side Of the
Manager.
Leo and Virgo
Still proceeding eastward, we next strike
the Sickle. The Sickle forms the head and
shoulders Of Leo, the Lion. In its handle
is the bright star Regulus, sometimes call
ed Cor Leonis. the Lions Heart. The hind
quarters Of the lion are marked by a rec
tangular figure Of about the size OF the
bowl of the Dipper, formed by four stars,
of which one is of the second magnitude.
one of the third and two Of the fourth.
The brightest of them. Deneboia-a name
contracted from Denab al Asad, Tan of the
Lion-is in the brush of the Lions tail, as
the animal is depicted on a chart His
hind legs extend downward across the ce-
lestial equator. into the southern heni-
sphere; his forelegs extend forward, the
Lion being represented in the act or SPRING
ing on his prey. The constellation virgo,
which follows Leo. is still ociocH r..
brightest star. Spica, the Wheat-ear. has
lust risen, but is too low to be visible
The Equinoxes.
It was noted above that Aries Is the nrst
of the zodiacal considerations. Formerly
the sun, upon passing the vernal equinox,
or, in other words, upon crossing the celes.
tial equator from south to north, entered
this constellation. The two points at which
the sun crosses the eQuator-the two eQui-
noxes-are not fixed. however. but are
sliding along the ecliptic or suns path, IA
a direction from east to west: at rare
which in the last two Thousand years has
carried them about one-twelfth tof the way
around the heavens, or just the length OF
one ''sign." These signs still continue TO Do
reckoned from the equinox. and as conse-
uuence they have ceased to coincide In po-
sition with the consultations which bear
the same name. Thus on the 2lst OF this
time, the sun will pass the vernal equinox,
and, according to the almanac. will enter
"Aries." This means the 'sign," not the
constellation Aries. The sun VIII reaIly
precedes Aries, and will not reach this lat
ter constellation until about April 20: It
will then enter the sign Taurus, ana so
on along the whole line. The sun now en-
tiers each sign full month before 1t enters
the constellation of the same name.
The Planets.
Mercury will be an evening star through
out the month, but will be too near the sun
to be visible. Its inferior conjunction with
the sun-its passage between and the
sun-will occur April 2. After that date 1t
will be morning star.
Venus is now an evening star, visible for
a short time in the early evening low in
the west. Mars is an evening star. in
Virgo. near the star Spica, rising on the 1st
of the month al about 8 pm. 1t is now
etrograding-apparently moving westward
among the stars-quite rapidly. It's con-
junction with the sun. when II will cross
the meridian at midnight and will be at
its nearest to US. and consequently at its
brightest, will occur on the 10th OF the
month.
Jupiter and Saturn are both morning
stars, but are still too near the sun to be
objects Of interest