The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-24
PROCESSION OF EQUINOXES

This slow change of the equator of the heavens, which has been referred to in speaking of Corvus, produces as the ages go on great change in the apparent po- siton of. the consultations in the sky, but 1t does not change the form or ap- pearance ot these consultations them- selves. It is, in fact, merely the equator which is slowly moving. The intersection ~, Figure D of this circle with the ap- parent path of the sun among the stars IS slowly moving westward, completing the circuit of the heavens in 9, 800 years Thus, in COCO years it will have reached Gemini; this constellation will then lie on both sides of the equator and will rise in the east and set in the west never rising higher in our sky than Orion does at present. The latter constellation will then be far below the equator. To ob- servers north of 50 degrees north latitude the Dog Star. Sirius, will not be seen at all Six thousand years later the latter star will be wholly invisible throughout the United States and the former star group. which is now so conspicuous in our evening heavens. will just rise for a short time in the extreme south. and from northern attitudes will be wholly invisible.
 In the same way 6OO0 years ago the Southern Cross was visible throughout this country and even throughout Eng
 
 now visible were then wholly invisible This describes why the constellation in certain parts of the sky were not named 4 or described by the ancients; they were at that time so near the South Pole of the heavens that they were not visible from the northern latitudes When the great Pyramid of Cheops was built. AL pha Draconis was our Pole Star, ,and the central passage of the pyramid Gas we'll as those in several others) was di- rected to this star.
 Now our North Star is the rather faint Paloris. which has the advantage. how ever, of being very near the Pole. In 12,- 900 years our North Star will be the magnificent blue Vega, and to one accus- toned to the nightly view of the sky the spectacle of the heavens apparently turn ing about this star as a center would at first seem very peculiar: he would soon recognize. however. that it is only the direction in space of the axis about which the earth is rotating that is changed. The general appearance of the heavens would be unaltered by preces- sion. but what interesting other changes may be brought about in the course of l2,000 years We cannot at all tell.
 THE PLANETS IN MARCH
 Mercury enters the evening heavens on March 12. but 1t will hardly emerge sufficiently from the suns rays during the present month to be well observed. It will net reach its greatest elonSation until April g.
 Venus is now steadily withdrawing from the suns rays into the morning sky. On March Is it will attain its greatest bril- liancy and will then appear exactly as bright as 1t did on last January g. when it shown so brilliantly in the evening heavens. By the end of the month it rises in the southeast fully two hours Ha rtoa 1Uf vx{l1 ott ;v,I til April 21.
 Mars is in excellent position for observ- ation being in opposition with the sun and hence due south at midnight on March IS. though it does not reach it's least distance from the earth until three days later. Then 1t will be q e-5 millions