El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-31
nY GARRETT P. sERvIss.

- RON, CAMS Major. with the mag
nificent Sirius Taurus, with the
- PIeiades and Hyades Auriga
made beautiful by Capella, Gemini,
with its twin, and CAMS Minor with
Procyon occupy the center Of the Feb
. ruary evening sky, and the heavens do
, not elsewhere contain celestial spec
! tacle that can be compared with that
! which they present. At this time of the
/ year the second brightest star in the
I sky, Campus in Argo is visible just
above the Southern horizon for observ-
ers not farther north than Charleston,
! S. c. Campus is a star of extraordi-
nary brilHance and while its magni-
tude to our eyes is less than that of
Sirius its real magnitude is known to
! be immensely greater. In truth there
is reason to think that CanOpus may
have no superior in the whole uni
verse. The best estimates indicate that
it exceeds the sun not less than 10000
times in actual brightness. Its enorm-
GUS distance alone causes it to shine
for US less brightly than Sirius. Among
objects of special interest, which may
be seen with the naked eye and may
be viewed with considerable satisfac-
ton with the aid of an opera or field
glass, are the Beehive Cluster in Can
Ger, the Great Nebula in the Sword of
Orion, and in the very wonderful nebula
In the constellation AndrOmeda-
The first of these objects look to the
naked eye like a bit Of star spangled cob
web floating in the sky. An opera glass
shows readily its component stars. The
first sight Of these stars by Calico
filled him with delight and amazement.
1t was one Of the first conuuests of
his TnIPSp0nn The Dr-f0
IS faint to the naked eye, but a good
opera glass shows what it is, and a
telescope makes it wonder indeed.
us outlying portions appear to involve
the whole constellation of Orion. The
AndrOmeda nebula is Just visible to the
naked eye, but quite plain with an
opera glass. The photographs now
taken of this object are indescribable
They show it composed of vast Whirls
Of light, with apparently inbedded
masses of denser matter. a great crea-
ton seems to be going on there Two
very pulling facts are known about
this nebula-
In the first place its distance Is so
enormous that no measures have been
made Of It. 1t seems to lie outside the
boundary of the visible system of stars
so that some have supposed that it may
De another universe than ours, lust
visible as a luminous in the abvss
OF space. The other singular fact
AAAAAA mas al LdllL bearing
what has just been said, is that, unlike
the Orion nebula. the Andromeda ne
bula is apparently not gaseous in its
constitution. AS far as its spectrum
indicates it is composed of solid con-
St1tuentS, or of something in a semi
solid state, like liquid or gas under
nigh compression This would indi-
cate that it consists of stars, which are
so remote that no telescope can reveal
them Individually Its vast whirls
would then seem to be aggregation
Of stars like those that compose the
Milky Way
If this be. then, another universe
external to ours it would seem to he
constructed on a similar plan An
dromeda sets in the northwest rather
early at this season and the observer
should look for it as soon after sun
down as the darkness becomes great
enough. The position of the nebula
may readily be found by remembering
Ihat 1t is northeast Of the bright star
In the center of the row of three stars
beginning with the northwestern cor
ner of the Square of Pegasus Two
little stars above the one men
TONED, which is Beta or Mirach. DOfD+
the way to the nebula.
Observers who have a telescope Of
not less than three inches 9Dert11re
should not fail to look at the comnsn-
Ion Rigel, which, by its deep blue color
ana Its relatively minute size forms
most charming object.
AS the sun has now been for several
weeks weeks on its return from its farthest
Qeclnation south Of the equator. the
days viii be found to be noticeab IJ-
frightening.
Planetary CONFORMATION.
rep. 8, y m. Venus in Aphelion.
req. D, 1928 p. m. Saturn and moon
IN conjunction Saturn south 6 degrees
Feb. z, $3.50 o. m. Mars and moo, ..
conjunction. Mars south degree Q
Feb. s, $3.50 p. m. Neptune and moon
srees 81 min.
Feb. II, 1 p. m. Venus in superior
conjunction with sun.
Feb. II, p. m. Saturn STATIONARY
Eeb. -, p. m. Mars stationary-
Fep. 10, p. m. Mercury in ascend
Feb. p. s Mercury in Peribelion
feb- y. 8:22 a. m. Jupiter and moon /
srees 56 min.
Feb %, I a. m. Mercury ereo+.-.
Feb. p, 1882 a. m. Uranus and 1oo-
Il conjunction. Uranus north . -
srees SO min. Ue-
FEB "A. Annular eclipse Of sun. In
-lsible at Washington
req. 20, Z:55 a. m. Venus and moo,
min U1SIee
Feb. rs, 4:52 a. m. Mercury and moon
conjunction. Mercury north De-
rec Sc min. Ue
Fe3. Z6, a: m.-Venus greatest Hello
entric Lat S.
Feb. 2S, 1 p. m. Mercury STATIONARY
COMMUNICATIVE two ceIeefiSi
odies have the same longitude tbev
re said to be in conjunction, / g yvbe1 !
ne Is due north or south of the other
ODpositon-When the angular dis
ance between two celestial bodies is
so degrees, measured on a great cir
lie passing through the two bodies
hey are said to be in opposition. At