Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-11-05

n brilliant array of consultations is ris-
ing, to be followed by still more bril-
liant groups as the season advances.
There are also a few bright stars in all
parts OF the sky shining as individuals
apart from any particular groups.
| During the early part of the month the
| moonlight will put out all but the
brightest stars, SO that it is a good
| chance to notice them. Between and
| s r. NJ. there are nine bright stars
which stand out with especial promi-
! hence. First is the planet Jupiter in
the south, and then the planet Saturn
| in the southwest and the planet Mars
very low in the southwest, which must
| be distinguished from the fixed stars
among which they are moving. Bright
| er than Saturn and Mars are several
| fixed stars which may be recognized
Vega is the brightest star in the west
| 1t is high in the sky below the zenith.
| Altair is in the west lower than Vega
and farther south. 1t is the central
star of three near together in line
which mark the constellation Aquila
Higher than Vega, stretching along the
Milky Way, is the northern cross, the
characteristic figure of Cyngus. The
highest star of the cross is the bright
est ard is named Deneb. Turning to
! the south, directly under Jupiter, is a
bright star struggling to be seen in the
haze and glare of the southern sky. 1t
| is Fomalhaut, a brilliant star which
would be better known in northern lati-
tudes were it higher in the sky. In the
northeast the brightest star is Capella.
| 1t is of the same brightness as Vega
and is as far from the pole star on one
side as Vega on the other In the east,
| rising after the Pleiades, is the red star
Aldebaran, which is in the V-shaped
group known as the Hyades. The Plei-
AIDES and Hyades are the leading fea-
lures of the constellation Taurus. The
belt of Orion rises soon after the
1yades, fianked on the north by the red
star Rigel. At the same time Castor
ana PolluX rise farther north and by
| midnight Procyon and Sirius will be
visible. These bright stars should be
easily found. When once found it
| should be noticed what configuration
is formed by their neighbors, SO that
the stars may always be recognized
when seen in other parts of the sky
The star groups which are now in the
| eastern half of the sky in the evening
are those named first in the list of con-
stellations arranged according to posi-
ton. 1t has been agreed to begin the
list with the groups which are east of
the line drawn from the pole to the
point in the sky where the sun is when
hc crosses the equator in March. This
line is marked by the pole star and the
two stars which make the eastern side
of the Square of Pegasus. At this time
of year the Square of Pegasus is be-
tween the south horizon and the zenith
in the early evening. In the east are
therefore found the Zodiacal groups
Pisces. Aries and Taurus; south of them
are Cetus and Eridanus, north of them
Andromeda, Perseus, Auriga and
Cassiopeia. In the west are the groups
which are last in the list the Zodiacal
groups capricolnus and Aquarius while
north of them are Aquila, Delphinus
Pegasus, Hercules, Lyra, Cyngus,
Draco, Ul'sa Ma; or and Ursa Minor
The shortening of the days of autumn
is not as great in November as in Sep
TENDER and October, but it is especially
noticeable in the afternoons, which
nearly reach their shortest duration of
the years. On the 30th the sun sets at
All p. M, and the length of the day is
. hours 26 minutes. The length of the
evenings should encourage interest in
studies of the sky.-WinsloW Upton in
Providence Journal