South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-11-03
THE HEAVENS IN NOVEMBER
BY University ervatory

Though the entire SKY is fairly
we'll sprinkled with stellar beauty,
there Is a certain patch Of the
heavens which seems TO be just
bit more favored than the rest, and
this is Just rising over the horizon
AT the time OF cur map. Broadly
speaking. this part comprises the
neighboriug consultations, Taurus,
Auriga. Gemini. orion. CAMS Major
and CAMS Minor. the latter two not
vet appearing on the map. Within
these groups are included no less
than seven first-magnitude stars out
of the 20 which the entire heavens
hold and out OF the Is which are
visible from these ATTITUDES. Several
of the other rnarvels OF the sky are
included IN these groups, but we
shall confine ourselves this month 70
the two groups orion and Gemini,
which are newcomers on the map
Ge1mini-
Gemini, the Heavenly Twins, con-
tains the two stars, Castor and Pol
lux, which give the name 10 the
consultations besides several OF less
alone is OF the first magnitude, Cas-
Tor is very nearly as bright, and the
two certainly seem to merit their
name OF twins. for they are only
IS degrees apart and are easily
recognized because OF this proxi-
nifty. Castor IS the one which Is
nearer TO the north pole.
Some 500 years age an astronomer
made a list OF stars, and TO him It
appeared that Castor was the
brighter OF the two. and therefore,
ne named Il Alpha Geminorum, cali
ing PoIlux Beta GominOrum. This
certainly indicates that a change
has taken place in the relative
brightness OF the two stars, for Cas-
tor must have Oeen at least as
bright as his twin. We cannot pre-
sumo that the astronomer In Ques-
tion made "A serious blunder; the
older astronomers were just as keen
and able as those Of today. the diff
ference lying entirely In the instru-
nents az their disposal.
As a matter OF fact. Castor is
really by far the more interesting
star OF the two. In a small tele-
scope Il viii be seen as a double;
but the spectroscope further shows
that each one OF these COmpOnents
II really in itself a double; so that
Castor IS a system OF four stars re-
volving in pairs about their COM
mon center OF gravity.
orion. the Great Hunter.
This group OF orion is without
doubt the most beautiful and most
famous constellation in the entire
heavens. and its appearance is such
as to make Il exceedingly easy 20
FIX IN mind Look toward the east
ern horizon. and YOU will see. al
most perpendicular 70 the horizon,
three fairly bright stars lying on a
straight zine with the middle one
exactly half way between the outer
two As the sky turns westward the
three stars viii take up a position
such that the imaginary line join
ing them viii be horizontal. This
trio constitutes the belt OF Orion
To the northward OF the belt IS
the reddish Betelgeuze cor Betel-
geux) and TO the south the brilliant
white star Rigel Several second
magnitude stars. in addition 20 those
OF the belt. and a number of lesser
ones completes the group Betel-
geuze marks the Hunters right
shoulder and Rigel his left foot 4
fainter lire OF stars running on
from the belt in the general direc
lion OF Rigel. marks the jewelec
scabbard Of Orion's sword.
The Nebula i'm Orion.
Under good conditions OF 'visi
hiity." even without a telescope.
careful observer would immediatel,
notice that one OF the jewels of IN,
scabbard differs greatly from othe
stars; IL has a hay appearance. IL
a telescope one would immediatel,
recognize IN this hazy star. one o
the most beautiful telescope Oh