The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1913-02-06
MID-WlNTER,s SKY PAGEANT.
est. Louis Globe Democracy

This is the time of the year when
the celestial panorama is at its best
In January the earth is at its nearest
point to the sun, The full moon Is
now at its highest, making its nearest
approach to the zenith, and, conse-
quently. is at its brightest stage. The
most striking star groups are now at
the point most favorable for observa-
ton. 1t chances, too, that at this time
this year two Of the brightest planets
are in the center Of the field of vision.
These are Venue and Saturn.
In the evening twilight Venus may
be seen a little west of the southerly
point and high above the horizon 1t
can not be mistaken for any other orb.
Shining with a brilliant white light, it
Is the brightest Of all the luminaries
except the moon. 1t grows brighter
and brighter each night now for sew
eral weeks longer and to those who
have an unobstructed view to the
southwest it will be visible for more
than two hours. High in the east Sat
urn may be seen just after sunset, and
1t will be in the field of view through
the whole night. It is in the constel-
lation of the Bull, has several bright
stars in its Immediately neighborhood,
but its still. dark yellow light distin-
cuisines it from the twinklers. great
/ and small, of its vicinity.
| Early In the night. north of Venue
and well down toward the western
horizon, may be seen the Great Square
of Pegasus Swinging rapidly from
the east toward the southerly point.
the brilliant red star Aldebaran, of the
Bull, will be in view a short distance
east of Saturn, while north of Sat
urn Is the cluster of small stars known
as the Pleiades. Following close to
the Bull in it's movement westward
the constellation of Orion, the most
striking of all the star groups except
the Great Bear, will attract attention.
Orion will be due south and half way
between horizon and zenith, about
three hours after sunset Orions
hunting dogs will follow closely in his
train, the smaller one, Procyon, being
higher above the horizon than his lar
ger mate, Sirius which is by far the
brightest of all the fixed stars" Blaz-
ing with an intense white light, Sirius
CLEANS and flashes make it, when
once seen, cling to the memory. The
bright star in Orion's shoulder Is Be-
telguese, while the first magnitude orb
in his heel is Rigel. From northwest
to southeast the faint scarf of the
Milky Way is flung across the firma-
ment. passing through the Swan,
Cepheus. the Lady in Her Chair. Per
seus, the Charioteer, the Twins and
other consultations. The brilliant,
yellow-hued star in the Charioteer is
Capella. A little east of north, with
two of its stars forever pointing to-
ward Polaris, and with some of it's
stars always above the horizon in our
in its swings round the pole,
is the Great Bear Some Of our read
ers may recall these lines to this con-
stellation by the poet preacher Henry
Ware. published in the school books
Of four or FIVE decades ago:
With what a stately and majestic step
That glorious constellation of the
North
Treads It's eternal circle. going forth
Its princely way amongst the star In
slow
And silent brightness! Mighty one.
all hail!
The other tribes forsake their mid
night track
And rest their weary orbs beneath the /.
wave,
But thou dost never close thy burning
eye.
Nor stay thy steadfast step. But on,
still on,
While systems change. and suns retire,
and worlds
sumber and wake, thy ceaseless
march proceeds.
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