Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-01-04
THE JANUARY SKIES.
The Consultations and the Planets
The Moons Phases.


than half way from the horizon to the
zenith, and just east Of the meridian.
Whoever wishes to become acquainted
with the finest display that the heavens
afford. will do well to gin by fixing
clearly in mind the outlines Of Orion
II serves as q. point of reference for the
other consultations.
The first thing likely to arrest the eye
Is beautiful row of three second
magnitude stars. nearly three degrees
long. making the bait of the giant
inquire which the ancients imagined
mere among the stars. The row slopes
downward IL the left. Above it. in d
direction at right angles to the line Of
the belt. and about nine degrees away
CLEANS a splendid Grst-ina gnitule star
of n slightly reddish color. Beteigeuea.
or Alpha Orionis. wnile on the lower
side Of the belt. and at a similar dis
lance. Is another first Magnitude star.
Of piercing whiteneas. Rigel, or BETA
orinnis- Betclgeuse is IN the giants
right shoulder. and Rigel shines OH his
uplifted foot. as Albr,cht Durer drew
the figure for Flamstceds Celestial
Atlas.
Another second-n1a enitu.c star seven
or eight degrees west OF Betelgeuse
marks the left shoulder. J. is named
Bella trix. o. The Amazon star. A few
degrees above q line era vi. from Bella
trix to Bet"lgeuse is little group of
stars indicating the head.
Below the belt. hanging straight
down, nearly in a line with the head APP
r"a's another short row Of small STAR.
the middle on" Of which has haZy
look. This is the sWnr l. amt a telescope
'iiarsts the hay star into lii" grand
Orion Ncbula. About f.c or six de-
E"nes 60 the left of ana below the point
Of the sword is . long thi, o. magnitude
star. Saiph. in the light knee. Betel-
%"u%e, Eeiiatri*. Itigal md Saiph mark
the corners of large tr:pt Ziunl, in the
middle of which shitI,.s the belt and
having once recognized ti,is conSpicu-
Gus figure. the observer will ever after
know Orion.
New. continu" with the eye the line
Of III" l'"lt downward and eastward
ana at Il distance somewhat more than
twenty degrees y"I Will encounter
Sirius, by far the bri4h' est star in the
heavens. When near the horizon it is
abi.iZr with rrienati" c"lore. but as i;
rises higher tn" coIprs disappear ex-
ceIt for stray flashes l'ke the rays from
n I'm" diamond. and IL settles down to
q ""!'' whit" core of luminous s,lrndur.
Professor NJ Wcomb estimates the
actual luminosity Of Sirius as thirty
times that Of the sun, hat its SpcCtro-
SCOPE constitution is different. and it
is probably At an earlier stage # d.
vclnI The striking figure. "urmed
by smaller stars southeast Of Sirius
marks the body Of Clni>; Maio S;riu.;
flaming in the mouth g th, Imaginary
dog.
Directly under Oripl's feet is the in
cnn@pi' nous nSirllatinn of Icn,IS. the.
Here. West Of l..pus. wandering
broadly over the sky. appears the long
doulh'-curve of Eridanua. tho River
TO. the line of its current being fairly
well Indicated by streams Of small
stars. Far over in IN" southwest. be-
yond the borders of t,ritanus. is Cetui.
TN" Whale. not very conspicuous at this
season.
Returning To Orion and looking above
MIN and westward. we see almost
overhead. Taurus. tn Ball whose
charge the giant * figured as with
standing. with urlftcd club in his: right
hand. OYER Betelgru>a. ana with shield
Of liens skin spread over his left arm.
aud Indicated by sprink!ing of faint
stars west of Bellatr'i. The horns
of Taurus project over Crirn's head.
and each is tipped "i,h . fairly bright
star in the Milky Way. which passes
above Orion from southeast toward
northwest.
The head of Taurus is brilliantly marked
ny tn" E-shaprd figure called the HyadeS
, TmoS" brightest star Of The tirs; magni-
thd'. IL the celebrated Aldcbaran This
:, Hoe hI,a Al
lru%r, ~ actual luminosity it abou;
"una!$ Sirius. bat being n ,'ch farther
away appears less brilliant 10 us. 1t may
be remarked here that Risel. according
H. Newcomh estimate. is immensely
the sun in light ten thousand times But
Us distance il too great to he measured
with otl preScit means.
West OF the IlyadeS appears the SPAR
King cluster Of the Ile;;t.!rs. in the Bulls
Shou:drr- Here The iisnr" Of Taurus is
COM Aries marked by a pair of stars
four or five degrees apart. beyond Aries
Pisces extends !" the western horizon.
bic Just now by the presence of III" planet
Jupiter. and by the advance Of Venus
from the >,inward side.
Away overhead north of Orion and Tau
rus. ano her brilliant first ma nituie star
tap"ia III the constellation Auriga. at
tra'rs or eyes. Fast of Auriga the star.
Castor and Polux. in Gemin are seen
Snrnlng about hvr degrees apart. Castor
is the more northern and fainter one
E"low them is seen tho briilian; lone star
rrnc>on i'll CAMS Minor.
Following the MILKY Way northwest
ward from r'n"lla We see first the bend
ing row of Pcrscus. with Algol hanging
below: then the Wshaped figure of Cas-
sop"a: AMI south of taSSopea the row
OF second M. : attitude stars in Andromeda
terminating in the northwest with tn"
great Square of Pegasus The Great Dip
per is rising. bowl upward. in the
northwest. while sou,h of 1t is the Sickle
of Leo.
Jupiter and Venus play the principal
part, in the planetary display for Janu-
AIRY. and both are Very brilliant. Saturn
is also evening star. but. having been
il conjunction with Venus late in Decem-
Der. il is now drawing close to the sin
and will disappear in his rays carly in
February.
10 see Jupiter and Venus il will I've host
to choose an earlier hour tran that select
ed for til" conSt 'ilationS-Say between
seven and eight o'clock. Between six and
seven would be even better
Jupiter remains in Pisces. moving very
slowly eastward. but Venus which on the
LIST Of January. is in Capricornus. rapidly
swings away froin the SIM. advancing hy
the 18th to the centre Of AuuariuS. and en-
tering Pisces before the close of the
month. She seems to nc Fastening to