The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-10-01
By DR, CLEMENT s. BRAININ Of the Columbia University
 Observatory Staff

WHICH B mhTked Hb ltS CorneFS py teh brilliant stars, Vega in Lyra, Altar in Aquila, and Deneb in Cy- gnuA Immediately following this configuration come the constella- , tions which are named after the characters of the old mythological tale of Perseus and the Medusa. Pegasus, the Winged Horse, lies just to the southeast of Deneb and Cygnus and is easily recognized by the Great Square which now stands on one of It's corners over the south- eastern horizon. Alpha PagaSi, also known AS Markab, Is the southwes- cru corner: Beta PagaSi, called scheat marks the northwestern corner of the square. The north- eaAtern corner, strange to say, Is marked by . star which does not belong in the Pegasp group ct All but Is really AlpheratS or Alpha Andromedae. The latter group lies eastward of Pegasus and It's diStin- gushing aspect is c, slightly curved line of stars stretching toward the norteast. There are three bright stars In addition to Alpheratz; ln order of position, they arc Delta, Beta and Gamma.
 Gamma Andronedae Is c double star easily observed in . small tele- scope and is particularly remarkable because of tho pretty color contrast between the two coinponeflt8. The brighter component Is of orange hue wfile the smaller is distinctly blue itt and their close proximity brings out this color difference very sharply. Tho old name of Gamma b Alfnach. To the north Of Beta ASadromedae lies on indistinct patch Of light which is easily visible to the naked eye on c good, clear night Although tho ancient astronomers hGd observed this long ago, 1t was left for modern astronomy to ider. tify thiS aS c tremendous spiral nebula, the Great Nebula in An. dromeda. nf c small telescope it IS an interesting sight but 1t takes Q !, powerful instrument and the aid of the photographic plate to bring out It's true spiral structure. 1t b un- doubtedly the closest Co us Of all the many spiral nebulas in space.
 The line of Andromeda stars leads to the constellation oi PerseuS, the ieso who saved the life of the madden Antromeda when tho latter was left chained to \ rock at the SeaShore as sacrifice to tho deVours ii,e monster, CetuR the Whale. The constellation representing Cetus lies over tho southeaSteril horizon be- yond the Sodiacal group Of Pisces. tracing out the line of Androtneda star leads directly to Alpha Perssi or Algenib. c second magnitude star equal in brightneSS to the brighter stars In Andfomeda. Beta Persei or Algol, the Demon Star, represents [ the head of Medusa which Perseus severed from that unfortunate demons body and used to turn Cetiis into q stone, thus saving An- ,dromeda from her fate. Algol lies further from the North Star than Alpha porsei. ft is tho best known variable star in the heavens and ltS variations are easily followed with the unaided eye by comparing US brightness with that of tho neigh. boring stars during . cycle or change. The entire phenomenon takes about ten hours and is re- peated with clocklike precision The minimum of brightness fecurs approximately every sixty-nine hours or nearly three days. In the course of about five hours, the star loses approximately two' thirds of its usual light, dropping from c magnitude of 2.S to one oi 3.S. The observable iiirlifna for this month occur ct the following times; AkA .. m. on the 18th; i:40 6. n. off tho 18th; i0:30 ?. m. on the i7th; T:2O p. m. on the 20th. The other six ininima of the month are not favorable because they occur during , daylight. The above times are in eastern standard time. The varia' ton in the brightness Of Algol y due to c partial eclipse of the { brighter component of this double star by its almost dark companion. { Tn tho field occupied by PersetN there gre aiso . number Of fine stars iCiliStereS that c feid.elasS or small telescope will readily disclose Among thes is Messier S4 lying be- tween Alpha PerSei and Gamma z Andromedae. 4 careful study of this region viii Do amply repaid ny the observation of number Of ir' 5fArAatinR obiActa. Two more ctafs actors of the Perseus myth are rep" rensted in the sky: Cepheus the King, and Casslopeia, the queen mother Of AndroFneda, whose goss eipy tongue we hays to thank for ,ffis proety fairy tAle. The king played only c minor role in the story and iias rather c minor part in the heavens, ct feast, as fer as the naked eye is concerned. Cassi0pesia, known also as the Lady in the ChaiE" lies to tho north Of perseus and Andfcmada; it is afl easily rec. oafIised group Eecause 1t iS shaped iike q distinct w" or "M", de- pending oil time and season. Al tho present time in the evening Y ls more lige an MI. Cassiopeia and tho Great Dipper lie on opposite sides of the pole Star and ct about the same distance from the latter. The Dipper now is low over the northern horizon 90 that Cassicpeia is high Up above the pole. Cephetis is ii the area between Cassiopeia' pOlaris, and Deneb.
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