The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-04-01
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a "helium" star, as the lines of this gaseous element are very prominent in its spectrum. Insofar as the first magnitude stars are concerned 1t is only of Ipdeium eparent brightness for It's brightness is such that 1t stands as fourteenth or fifteenth on the list. In reality, however, 1t is Q much greater star than most of those that preeede 1t for It's distance is extremely great. The best data at present available makes Its distance to b over two hundred light-years It is really over hundred times as great 0 radiator Of heat and light as Sirius which, because of its rela- tive proximity, appears from the earth to be ten times as bright as Spica. The distance of Sirius Is only about nine light-years.
 Above the eastern horizon and higher Up than Spica, is another first-magnitude star, Areturus, lying in the constellation Of Bootes. Arc- turus Is of yellowish hue, more pro- rounced in color than the sun. Its distance from us is about thirty eight light-years and It's actual luminosity is about twenty-five times that of the sun. Arcturus is easily found by extending the curve of the handle Of the Great Dipper in the direction opposite that of the bowl. At maptime the Dipper will be found with It's bowl not far from the zenith, stretching toward the northeastern horizon. The con- stellation of Bootes begins where the handle ends.
 Within the great curve of the Dipper's handle lies group Of stars that were once also considered q part of the Great Bear of which the Dipper is the most prominent conhguration. Later these were separated from the Great Bear and considered as as Independent con- stellation with the name of Canes VenatIcl, the Hunting Dogs which pursue the Bear. The brightest star Of the Hunting Dogs is sometimes called Cor Carroll, the heart Of King Charles of England. Needless to say this name Is not generally used. It Is, however, Q particularly note- worthy star aS even Q small tele- scope will show 1t as Q beautiful colored double star, one of the finest in the heavens. One of the com ponents is of 0 golden hue, the other distinctly blush. Here we have Q physical system of two stars or suns, moving about one anodther or, more accurately put, about their common center of gravity, In regu- lar periodic orbits. The distance Of this binary sun from Us is about one hundred and thirty light-years and It's brilliance, despite It's great distance, betokens Q very high lu- minosity. Lik Spica, 1t is @ greater radiator of light than Sirius. Un- fortunately the most interesting ob- ject in Canes Venatici is not visible to the unaided eye or even in a small telescope: we refer to the fine double spiral nebula in which two such spiral nebulas appear almost in contact and seem to rotate in op- poStte directions.
 The Planets
 Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are evening stars but he later is rapidly approahcing the sun and will be- come invisible after the middle oi the month. Next month 1t passes through c conjunction with the sun Mars is losing in brilllancy though 1t is still easily observed as @ red. dish luminary of a stellar magni. tude 1.6. Its position is in Taurus slightly higher in the sky thar Aldebaran. Jupiter is the brightest object in the evening sky. It liei close to Mars but is very much brighter, for It's stellar magnitude is "minus 1.6," or two full magni. lures brighter than Mars. This means, in less technical language that 1t is about six and @ quarter times aS bright as the latter. The morning sky is graced by the planet Venus whose magnitude is about minus l." so that 1t in turn L much brighter than Jupiter. On the 11th, the moon will pass close tc Venus as seen from these northern latitudes. In fact, from the tropical IakgAsNAaa Ataa RAta aVa aS,a asaAsa Sagin Aa