The Washington times., 1924-12-10
DECEMBER BEST
FOR STAR
GAZING
Mira Comes into View for
Time, and Other ccnsteI-
Iaticns Are Bright
~ Internatlonal News service.

| "
AS IL to celebrate, too. the
heavens are at their hest for the
Christmas season, for IIecember is
the banner month in which to study
the star Mira, the first variable
star ever discovered (back IN 1886,
which comes into view in December
Tor a short time, says a bulletin by
the American Nature Association.
Pollux, one Of the twenty bright
est stars, can be seen this month.
Jupiter comes into conjunction with
the sun on December % and will
then pass to the eastern morning
sky Venus and Saturn are visible
in the east before sunrise.
Mira is found In Cetus, known as
Omicron Ceti, and Is a long!period,
variable star. 1t suddenly comes
into view in December and is q
star OF the second or third magni.
tude when at its brightest.
Bit Of Mythology.
Across the meridian, in the
south, Is the huge constellation,
Cetus - the Whale - the monster
sent to ravage the shores OF
Ethiopia to satisfy the grudse OF
the enraged sea nymphs, who had
been offended by Queen Cas-
siopeia: In the far north is the
queen herself and Cephcus, King Of
Ethiopia. Andromeda, their llaugh-
ter, who was chained 70 the rocks
as a sacrifice and to save the
kingdom, lies to the south and
southwest OF these groups and high
in the heavens.
Nearby is Pegasus, the winged
horse that brought Perseus to the
rescue, stirring up the dust that
forms the Milky Way in his haste.
Perseus is found next to Androm-
eda, On the east. There are five
stars OF the first magnitude
Capeila, Aldebaran, Pallux, Betel-
geuse and Rigel-now in view in
the eastern part Of the heavens, and
still greater number of stars Of
the second magnitude.
Alderbaran and the PIeiadcs.
One Of the consultations visible
Is Taurus, the Bull. which is easily
located by means Of its two well
known clusters, the Pleiades, which
contain seven stars that can be seen
without the aid OF q telescope, IL one
has good eyeeight; and the Hyades.
which outline the forehead of the
Bull in the form Of a V.
Alderbaran, the deep-reddish star
in the group, is the Bulls fiery
eyes and his long horns are tipped
by two bright stars, one Of the
second magnitude, the, other of the
third. south of Auriga and north of
Orion. On the southern branch of
the v Is the interesting star. Theta.
which can be seen to be a double
star without the aid of a telescope.
The Giant BeteIgeuse.
Gemlni Is easily located by means
or lts twin stars, Castor and PoIlux,
which are but q short distance
apart and now well over in the
neEEheast. Pollux, the brighter of
the two, IL rated as one of the
twenty brightest stars In the
heavens. Orion ID known by its
Belt, which is made up Of three
stars, Of the second magnitude, in a
straight line, equally spaced. ami
by the ,Quadrilateral Of stars that
outline the body, with the red Betel-
geuse at the northeastern corner
and the brilliant, diamond.like Rigel
diagonally opposite, in the south.
western corner.
The constellation Of Bridanus, or,
as 1t is called, Fluvius Eridanus
| which means River Eridanus,
fills the greater part of the south.
eastern heavens. It extends far
below the horizon into the southern
hemisphere, where its brilliant first,
magnitude star, Achernar, meaning
end of the river, marks the end
of it's course.