The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-05-05

risen, while, on the contrary, the very long and winding Water Snake is now entirely above the ground, extending across the whole southern heavens from Scorpio to the Lesser Dog. Above the Zodiac and bordering it on the north is the train of beautiful consultations from Lyra to Auriga which will well re- pay study, especially the western part of it, in which there are several fainter and less generally known star groups
 THE MAY STARS
 The constellation of the Balance, which closely follows Virgo, is at once recog- nized by the two bright stars at F and n although there are 53 stars visible without telescopic aid which are included within the borders of this constellation. The four stars D. E, + and H. which form q quadrilateral in Libra, are all of interest The stars D and E are seen to be double even in a pair of ope, 4 glasses, while that at H also is a double, showing a fine contrast of color, but the companion is of the ninth magnitude this can only be seen with small tele- scope.
 The star at F is the only naked es'c star in the heavens which has d decid- edly greensh color. It is thought that this star has varied in brightness. since 2000 years ago it was described as the brightest star of all in the combined con stellation of the Scorpion and the Balance dhe Balance was formerly part of the constellation of the Scorpion). while now Antares. the brightest star of Scor- lpio, is nearly five times as bright as the star at F. Later the two stars were described as being of equal bright l ness. No change in brightness has been observed. however since accurate measures have become possible
 The star at K is a well-known vari- able. Two-thirds of its light is cut off every s2 hours by the passage of a dark companion between us and it. the com panion revolving about the principal star in this time. It is thus exactly similar to the more striking eclipsing variable Algol, at l., Figure l. If straight line be imagined drawn from the star at II to that at l. and extended a distance about equal to its own length it will end in a striking, compact cluster of faint stars, very much condensed toward the center. About So of these faint stars are yariables of a certain kind from which we may obtain the approximate distance away of this and similar clus- ters A short distance above and 10 the east of this cluster there IS an in teresting double star but neither of these objects Is we'll seen except in a telescope of at least three inches aperture.
 The reader should not fall to examine the beautiful little group of Coma Berenices. now exactly on the meridian high in the south On moonless nights such as we shall have during the first 12 days of the month, the sky may here be seen With an opera glass to be GOV cred with a most delicate. 1lmly net work of stars which, as has heaa pointed out if removed few thousand light years farther away would appear to us as a faint star cluster or even as T nebula. Though so faint many of the separate stars of this constellation were given names 20o0 years ago. It was then called Ariadnes Hair tAriadne's Crown being our Coronal, but from 234 E. C. it was known as Berenice's Hair, Berenice being the sister of one of the rulers of Egypt.
 There are many interesting double stars here and several star clusters and ne- bulas which can be found by the help Of a star atlas. This small but dense1y filled region Of the sky will well repay exploration with a small telescope Hav- ing become somewhat familiar with the larger conscientious and the brighter obpects of the sky, the reader will find it much better to thoroughly explore a small region, such as this, than to .urn over the heavens from one object to an- other He thus makes the small part of the heavens. as it were. his own. and he tations of his instrument Many most beautiful objects may not be seen until after many evenings trial. for he will