The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-06-02

ing an occrlatlon OF these stars by the
MOON As the moon SWEET over the pair,
the small star, was uncovered first and
remained visible for an Instant before
the large star appeared This phcnome-
non has been seen since; the green color
of tho companion In contrast with the
silvcry Wilderness OF the moor Is very
striking.
The stars at q and II are both doubles.
Half way between Q and p there Is n
cluster OF stars which Hcrschel described
as the richest and most condensed clus-
ter In the heavens. 1t Is visible in
small telescope, but n large glass is no
cessary to fully show Its beatty. Fortye
four years ago a new star blazod out IN
this cluster.
rho beautiful cluster Of tho Bec-hivo Is
In Cancer at r, Fig. /. and with a good
opera glass tho observer may detect
far more difficult little cluster ut j. But
tho most beautiful OF all the clusters now
visible IN the ono shown at $, Fig. J. IN
the constellation Hercules. On q dark
night this IS visible to the naked eye. In
small telescope 1t appears to be q 1T
tie cloud, but under high magnifying
power 1t Is seen to bc made up Of thou
sands OF stars packed ,<tscly together.
What inconccivably vast causes have
been ut work to group these thousands OF
stars into such compact masses wo can
only conjecture. The particles OF q drop
OF wafer ire not more surely In mutual
dependence than tho parts Of these clus-
tcrs. Many OF the groups have radint-
ing streams Of stars extending out IN
every direction from the condensed ccn-k
ter; It has therefore been conjectured
that the material OF tho clusters Is slowly
streaming away from or toward tho
center.
Each of the star clusters is Of incon-
ccivably great extent. 1t Is only when
star 10 comparatively. near to us that we
can measure Its distance, ind none OF the
clusters, so far as Is known, como within
the limiting distance. II We suppose That
tho cluster Of Hercules is only sixty
eight years away, VIC And that the dis
tancc through this cluster Is one and
one-hn million million miles. Sight oc-
cupies but eight minutes In travcrsing
the ninety-threo million miles which sop
nrtlte our earth from tho sun, but 1t
woulr require ninety-scven days to pass
through this enormous group.
Were the stars OF tho cluster uniform
Iy distributed throughout Its extent. they
would DO seven hundred times as distant
from ono another as the earth is from
tho sun. Tho little stars which seem to
be SO packed together rs almost to touch
one another when viewed IN the telc-
scope are therefore. in reality very re-
mote from one another. So far are they
apart that tho general light throughout
the cluster cannot greatly exceed the
giant illumination OF q starlight night
on the earth It may be OF Interest TO
add that our sun as viewed from tho
group would be just too giant to be
seen except through q telescope. It Is
probable thnt the cluster Is in reality
far more distant than wo have sup
posed It to be. and that OF It's parts
are. therefore, on q correspondence va 81
or scale.
THE PLANETS.
Jupiter may be seen for short timo
after sunset in the northwest, but it has
now practically disappeared from the
evening sky.
Venus will throughout tho month be
the brightest star in the heavens. In its
eastward motion 1t will move entirely
across the consultations Gemini and
Cancer, passing above the tPraesepe on
June oath. AS 1t mounts higher in the
sky it will set continually at a later and
| later hour and increase very greatly in
brightness Throughout tho entire month
1t viii, therefore, be q Very satisfactory
! object for observation with the telescope.