The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-30
MAY STARS

which they are named.
 MAY STARS
 At the beginning of the month the planet Mars is just without the blade of the sickle, but as the days go by this deeply reddish planet may easily be seen to be quite rapidly moving eastward, so that by May 20 it apparently forms an additional star to even more clearly mark out the handle, and on May 24 it will pass north of the bright star Regulus, at B. The two bright objects will then form an interesting figure as they are seen shining together in the field of 8 small telescope.
 Having become familiar with the im- portant Leo, the observer should next turn farther eastward and trace the out lines of the very Interesting summer group, Virgo, which extends from Leo almost all the way to the Scorpion; this last group is the brightest and most striking of all the summer consultations.
 The groups Leo and Virgo are both >of immense antiquity. Some astronomers believe that they were thus named at least 15,00O years ago when the vernal equinox was at V, Fig. 1, and when as the sun passed through this region the Egyptian harvest occurred Possibly the well known Sphinx, which represents the Virgins head on the Lions body, com memorates the life-giving, annual inun- dation of the Nile, which occurs while the sun is passing through, first, the Lion, and afterward Virgo.
 Virgo has been represented from the earliest times as a maiden bearing in her left hand spike of wheat (marked by the blue Spica, at c, Fig. D, while on some of the very earliest zodiacs which have been preserved she holds in her right hand a distaff, formed of the beau ffI11 fi1r11u nIn nf etc af n +, to us in these later days as the separate constellation of the Maiden's Hair
 The sun passes through Leo during August and early September, and thus both groups, the Sickle and the wheat bearing maiden. are very intimately as- sociated with our harvest days. But Virgo alone is the reigning group of the late summer days:
 Virgin, august! come in thy regal state With soft majestic grace and brow
 serene,
 Though the fierce Lion's reign is over
 past,
 The summers heat is all thine own as
 yet,
 And all untouched thy robe of living By the rude fingers of the northern
 blast"
 The legends connected with our many star figures are usually interesting and often very beautiful. They also help us to realize how for so very many centu- ries men have looked upon and thought about the same beautiful consultations which shine in our heavens today Thus in early Greek mythology Virgo was also maiden who hanged herself in grief at the death of her father, and who was placed in the sky with Bootes and Procyon as attendants The figure is the oldest purely allegorical represen- tation of innocence and virtue.
 And when the observer has traced out the very long and winding Water Snake (now in it's best position for observation of the entire year) and the two little consultations of the Cup and the Crow above it. he is reminded of the legend of how the black bird was sent for cup of water by Phoebus Apollo and returned after a long time with only a water snake in his mouth and attempted to deceive the god by false excuses. He was, therefore, condemned to remain al- ways in the sky with snake and an empty cup nearby as evidences of his guilt Hydra, however, in far earlier times symbolized the winding course of the moon, and on the Euphrates, 5000 years ago, it was identified with the source of the Fountains of the Great Deep.
 LEARNING CONSULTATIONS
 Above Leo and Virgo the reader will have but very little difficulty in tracing out the Great Bear, which now rides in the hightest point of the heavens. The head and shoulders are at F. three of the paws are at F.. and the long tail ex- tends to O. Below this are the well marked groups of Corona. Bootes and Herculis.
 To trace out and become entirely fla miliar with these few consultations will take the observer but a short while on any pleasant, moonless, May evening. And having done this, he will have learned nearly half the area of the visible spring sky To become familiar with all the brighter stars Is, in fact. far less