The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-27
ARCTURUS AND VEGA.


To THE EDITOR OF TUT SuN---Sir How
Inspiring how cheerful how beautiful II
is, this transition from April TO MAY,
from winter-spring to sprinR-summcr
How more and more the lawns become
verdant and rcstful to behold, and the
buds on some Of the trees begin to APP
rear and open. How nature commences
to prepare for summer. and bird and
brook are daily In more evidence. How
the winds are changing from their for
mer uncomfortable chillness to mod
crate mildness and how overcoats are
beginning to disappear and the open cars
to reappear,
And overhead also there II n change
going on Not only because King Sol
smiles more mildly upon us and Queen
Luna shines less coldly, but also be-
cause the stars are changing. some sink
ing from sight TO the westward, others
rising fresh and fiery out OF the east
ward. For King Sirius and the other
sky gems of the winter season are set
ting, and in few weeks oven Queen
Capella. which crowned winters "glo-
rious galaxy" will be well down toward
the horizon. But although King Sirius.
Queen Capella and the other sky gems
of winter disappear for a few months
from the evening heavens their places
will be taken by other sparkling dia-
monds of our armament, and although
we shall miss them these newcomers are
very interesting to us. will be gladly
welcomed by us.
But bright Regulus. still rather high
at the bottom of his sickle" In the con-
stelation of Leo, has been with us a
long time now. in and after the winter
season Bright Regulus belongs, indeed,
to three seasons of stars. winter. spring
and summer. At some distance firma-
mentally from him and his sickle" east
wardly We see again the great sun Arc
turus at the bottom of his constellation
Bodies. How freshly. how fiery he
CLOVIS and glitters after his evening ab-
sence of many months What n gigan-
tic sun of night he is and how tiny our
own really vast sun would appear were
II placed beside him. Close to his con-
stellation, fundamentally. to tho east we
may discern tho small circular star out
line OF Corona or the Northern Crown.
which will a few weeks later be more
easily discovered Rack OF Corona II
tho constellation OF Hercules. too dim TO
be found at present. while northeast
ward of Hercules during tho later hours
of evening we shall SEQ the brilliant blue
fire OF beautiful Queen Vega.
hut there are certain SONS and con-
stellat'ons that are always with us, FIR
mamentally. The Clipper" OF Crsa Major
IL among this number, ms also tho CHAR
OF Cassiopeia." PolarIs, the North Star,
at the end of the tail of the Lesser Rear,
wrinkles the same as ever. and the wind
Ing stars OF Draco whose Jaws" yawn
threatenlngly above Hercules, look Just
as familiar and natural as in the years
long past. Between the Jaws" of Draco
and the CHAIR" OF Cassiopela we see the
unconspicuous constellation OF Cepheus
whose ornamental reghhor IL the large
symmetrical Northern Cross OF Cygnus
Remote and dim we discern the irregular
outlines Of the milky way and ponder
upon It's distance and ito relation to the
creation OF our local universe
April is almost over May II almost
here; the buds have come. the flowers
Will soon blossom in country and In CITY.
Around us many changes are going on
terrestrally from April's showers to
Mays flowers. celestially from the reign
OF King Sirius and Queen Capella to the
reign OF King Arcturus and Queen Vega
CHARLES NrvrRs HOLMES.
BOSTON. Mass. April 26.