The Washington times., 1903-03-31

some Of the popular names of constel-
la,ionz aid very much IN recognizing
them in the sky /, requires a vivid i'm
agination to see a bear in both the Big
ard the Little B5pper, or the Ursae, as
they are scientifically known, L is
equally hard to imagine a dog in either
CAMS. and thus It IS in regard TO a con
stelIatton thar at about g o'clock GA
April evenings viii be on our meridian
Everybody AZ once recognizes in the
confederation OF its stars a sickle, though
its scientific name is Leo. or the Lion
Learned astronomers have declared
that the considerations seem to have
been almost purposeIy named and de
Iineated % cause as much confusion and
Inconvenience as possible. fnnumerable
snakes Irvine through long and comfort
ed areas of the heavens where no mem
ory can follow them Bears, lions, and
fishes small and large, Northern and
Southern. confuse all nomenclature
Stellar System Perverse.
better system OF consultations
might have been q material help as an
artificial memory. it has been suggest
ed. but, judging from the appearance of
the strange animals that fourished in
prehistoric times, it is barely possible
that the animals that We are at present
familiar with may have had an alto
gctfer different shape, and one Jhat
more nearly approached the then ar
ranEement OF the stars than IS the case
at present.
Leo is fine constellation and IS sit
mated almost exactly in the ecliptic. The
end of the handle of the Sickle is
marked by Alpha Leonis. or Regulus,
sometimes also called Cor LeOHis. which
is Teckoned by most photographers as a
first magnitude star. About twenty five
degrees east of it is the bright second
magnitude star. Beta Leonis. or Dene-
bolo, which comes 20 the meridian one
hour and forty minutes after Regulus.
Stars Below Regulus.
Below Regulus is bright red star of
the second magnitude. called Cor Hy-
drae. the Heart Of Hydra. also Alphard
the principal star in the constellation
Hydra. with its riders. crater. OF the
cup and Corvus or the Raven. Il Is a
very large contellation. extending over
vast space in the heavens. Crater is
a little contellation. and Corvus. lying
Just east of it. a still smaller but more
conspicuous one since il contains two
second magnitude and four third and
fourth magnitude stars
yon and Sirius. are bending toward the
west. CapelIa and the conteIation Orion
rapidly approaching the horizon. soon 20
disappear from the nocturnal heavens
they have fer months adorned by their
incompatible beauty. The splendid star
Arcturus is climbing up in the east, and
down in the east we see the beautiful
summer constellation Scorpion rising
above the horizon, heralding in the
coming season Of summer
The April Sun.
The sun in April brings with its warm
rays a ripeufng and bursting of buds.
and seems to shine with such renewed
Tuster after the showers for which the
month IS noted that we must ever re-
gard II as being OF the utmost import
ance TO US in all practical matters. Then,
100, its increasing warmth and the
Iengthening daylight tell US of pleasant
weather ard delightful days almost
within hail
From a day twelve hours and forty
minutes in length on the first Of the
month we increase 10 one thirteen hours
and hfty-nine minutes long at its close
This makes difference of almost FIVE
hours from the short days in December
a blessing that ne are quite prepared TO
appreciate. so much greater Is our com
fort. After the long winters waiting L
is relief to have the eyelids of the
morning unsealed al an early hour. and
TO have increasing day poured upon US.
And the appealing twilights, when of
toward the dying sun the sky takes a
violet tint, and then a rose. and then a
soft. rich red, SO often turning 10 a
glowing crimson that is necked and
spangIed with a great glory Of flaming
gold. The red and golden gleamings Of
the evening sky are reflected in the
river current. Each succeeding night
We should feel fresh Joy IN behoIding