UC-NRLF E7S LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. Accession 90215 Cla"- POOLE BROS' CELESTIAL HANDBOOK COMPANION TO THEIR CELESTIAL PLANISPHERE. COMPILED AND EDITED BY JULES A. COLAS. ILLUSTRATED CHICAGO: I Soft. V Astron. Dwpt. COPTBIGHTED 1891. BY POOLE BROS , CHICAGO. CONTENTS. PAGE Introductory v Constellations North of the Zodiac 1 Zodiacal Constellations 42 Constellations South of the Zodiac 67 Old and New Constellations in Chronological Order 92 Names of the Principal Stars 95 The Principal Binary Stars % The Finest Double Stars ' 97 Stars for which a Parallax has been found 98 Stars of Greatest Proper Motion 98 Shooting Stars Star-showers 99 Comets 101 The Planets 102 Index of Illustrations 105 General Index... I07toli0 Plate I. The Southern Constellations - 66 Plate II. The Constellations End of the Book 90215 OF THE UNIVERSITY INTRODUCTORY. We can not do better in introducing our Handbook than to quote from Richard A. Proctor's " Half Hours with the Stars" the following lines: " It is very easy to gain a knowledge of the stars, if the learner sets to work in the proper manner, but he commonly meets with a difficulty at the outset of this task. He provides him- self with a set of the ordinary star-maps and then finds himself at a loss how to make use of them. Such maps tell him nothing of the position of the constellations on the j/fey. If he hap- pen to recognize a constellation, then, indeed, his maps, if properly constructed, will tell him the names of the stars forming the constellation, and, also, he may be able to recognize a few of the neighboring constellations. But when he has done this he may meet with a new difficulty, even as respects this very constellation. For if he look for it again some months later, he will neither find it in its former place nor will it present the same aspect, if, indeed, it happen to be above the horizon at all." The object of our planisphere is to show the aspect of the heavens as it really is at any moment by setting it properly in position for the time of observation, and no matter how large a constellation is it can be found very easily by simply turning the movable part a little one way or the other ; its great advantage over the ordinary star-maps is the facility afforded to the student to find the position and the character of the constellation that he is looking for, at any time, and to save the trouble of trying to find one which may not be above the horizon at the moment. It contains nearly all the stars visible to the naked eye from our latitude; also the principal curiosities accessible to common telescopes. The immense distance which separates the stars from our solar system leaves no room to doubt that they are. .?#.? like our own. Seen from Sirius, the earth, the moon and the sun will appear as a spot only, and the thickness of a hair will eclipse them entirely. The earth's motion around the sun brings us 184,000,000 miles nearer to certain stars than they are six months after, but this distance, which seems so great, does not increase the apparent magni- tude of any of them. The planets such as Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, etc., when seen through the telescope, present a certain diameter, and on their surface some details can be seen they appear so much larger and nearer to us according to the power of the instruments. This is not the case with the stars; they are so far from us that the most powerful instruments fail to produce an apparent diameter; they only appear more brilliant, but not larger; on the contrary, the stronger the instrument the smaller the apparent diameter; consequently it must be well understood that what is called the magnitude of a star is not ifr ran,- but its brightness; a star invisible to the naked eye may be very near to us; 1830 Groombridge ', for example (see Ursa Major notes), and a bright star like Rigel, in the Constellation Orion, which offers no parallax, must be very far from us. The most conspicuous are called stars of the first magnitude ; the next in brilliancy are stars of the second magnitude ; the next, of the third magnitude, etc. INTRODUCTORY. ..T.he.tars -comprised between the first and the sixth magnitude are visible to the naked eye on a clear night ; but a telescope of large power reveals the stars down to the twentieth magnitude. From one magnitude to another there is quite a difference in brightness,, and the astronomers have divided them into tenths; consequently a star of 2.9 magnitude is very near like a star of the third magnitude; but from one class to another there is the same difference in brightness. The following table is taken from Mr. G. Hermite's article on the "Deter- mination of the Number of Stars of Our Universe:" Magnitudes. Total number of stars of each magnitude. Number of stars of each magnitude necessary to equal one star of first magnitude. Number of stars of first mag- nitude necessary to produce the same amount of light as total number of stars of corresponding magnitude. 1 20 1 20 2 59 2.56 23.046 3 182 6.55 27.771 4 530 16.78 31.59 5 1,600 42.95 37.243 6 4,800 109.96 43.65 7 13,000 281.68 46.15 8 40,000 721.09 55.47 9 100,000 1,846.99 54.17 10 400,000 4,726.75 84.64 11 1,000,000 12,098.9 82.65 12 3,000,000 30,870.6 97.18 13 10,000,000 79,028.8 126.53 14 30,000,000 202,314 148.28 15 *90,876,411 517,923 *175.4 16 272,629,233 1,323,513 205.9 17 817,887,699 3,388,175 241.3 18 2,453,663,097 8,673,738 282.8 19 - 7,360,989,291 22,204,745 331.5 20 22,082,967,873 56,844,147 388.8 * The figures from the first to the fourteenth magnitude are given from direct observations ; from the fifteenth to the twentieth magnitude the figures have been calculated. The first column represents the magnitudes; the second column, the num- ber of stars of each magnitude; the third column, the number of stars of each magnitude necessary to produce the same luminous intensity that one star of the first magnitude does; the fourth column, the number of stars of the first magnitude necessary to produce the same amount of light as the total number of stars of the corresponding magnitudes; for instance, the 1,600 stars of the fifth magnitude produce the same light as about 37 of the first magnitude, and 22,082,967,873 of the twentieth magnitude produce about the same light as 389 of the first magnitude. It requires about 43 stars of the fifth magnitude to produce the same light as one star of the first magnitude, and of the twentieth magnitude it requires 56,845,000 stars to produce the same result. According to W. Herschel the full moon gives the same light as 27,408 stars of the first magnitude, and the total amount of light produced by all the stars is equal to only one-tenth of the light produced by the full moon, or equal to the light of 2740.8 stars of the first magnitude. By progressive calculations Mr. G. Hermite came to the conclusion that the total number of stars of our universe is equal to 66,000,000,000 (66 billions). (Revue d'Ast., 1886; pages 406-412.) INTRODUCTORY. vli In comparing the photometrical measures of John Herschel, Langier, Secchi, Seidel and Trepied, the twenty stars of the first magnitude came in the following order: STARS. INTENSITY OF LIGHT. MAGNI- TUDES. STARS. INTENSITY OF LIGHT. MAGNI- TUDES. Sirius 400 25 Aldebaran 46 1.6 200 5 Antares 45 1 6 a (Alpha) Centauri Arcturus Vejra 100 75 72 1.0 1.2 1.2 /3 (Beta) Centauri a (Alpha) Crux Altair 45 44 43 .6 .7 .7 Rigel 68 1 3 Spica. . 41 .8 Capella 63 1.3 Fomalliaut 41 .8 Procvon Betelgeuse ... . 58 50 1.4 1.5 /3 (Beta) Crux Regulus 40 40 .8 .9 48 1 6 Pollux 38 1 9 This plainly shows that the light coming from Sirius is four times stronger than the light of a (alpha] Centauri, and ten times stronger than the light of Regulus. Father Secchi divided the stars at first into three classes ; later, however, into four, according to the nature of their spectra. FIRST CLASS WHITE STARS. The white stars offer a continuous spectrum (Fig. I), in which appear several fine black lines. The great extension of the blue and violet portions of the spectrum indicates a high temperature ; the lines produced by the vapors of iron, magnesium, sodium, etc., are very faint and hard to distinguish. On the contrary, the four lines of hydrogen are very prominent: they are the lines C, in the red; F, in the greenish-blue; G', in the blue, and h, in the violet. The white stars form about 60 per cent of the total number of stars, among them Sirius, Vega, Rigel, Altair, Regulus, 75 Pegasi, etc. SECOND CLASS YELLOW STARS. The spectra of the yellow stars (Fig. II) are characterized by a great number of black lines well defined, and corresponding to the vapors of our different metals. The lines of iron, magnesium, cobalt, chrome, sodium, etc., are identified without doubt; the blue and violet portions are not so intense as in the white stars, and this accounts for their yellow coloration. The lines of hydrogen exist also, but less defined. The yellow stars form about 35 per cent of the total number of the stars. Our Sun, Aldebaran, Capella, Arcturus, a (alpha) Bootis, 70 Ophiuchi, etc., belong to this class. These stars have most likely commenced to cool off. THIRD CLASS REDDISH STARS. In the spectra of this class, the blue and violet portions are very feeble; the lines of hydrogen are generally absent, and it presents, near the ordinary lines, some lines of absorption that give to the spectrum a fluted appearance (Fig. III). These bands or flutings always shade from the blue towards the red. These reddish stars form about 5 per cent of the total number of stars; among them are a (alpha) Herculis, Antares, Betelgeuse, R. Leonis, U. Virginis, etc. These stars are most likely still further advanced in the cooling process. There are also some telescopic stars of a very dark red ; they are most likely suns in an advanced state of oxidation. FOURTH CLASS. This includes a small number of stars having also a fluted spectrum, but with the sharp edges of the bands turned towards the red. Most stars of this class show bright lines, e. g. 152 Schjellentp. viii INTRODUCTORY. [fc INTRODUCTORY. ix When you look through a telescope and see a star near another, it is not a proof that it is a double star ; it may be an optical illusion, and the two stars are sometimes at a great distance from each other and do not form a physical system. It is only by several years of patient and careful observations that they are rec- ognized as having the same motion or as revolving around each other ; there- fore it is only those which sometimes show two, three, four or more stars in close proximity to each other that we call double stars, triple stars, quadruple stars t etc. Of this class of stars those revolving around each other in regular orbits are known as binary stars, trinary stars, etc. Let Figure IV represent a triple star as seen with a tele- scope. A, B and C are called the components, B and C are the companions of A. A great number of stars are subject to periodical changes of brilliancy and are called variable stars. The temporary or irregular stars are those that have occasionally burst forth in Fig. IV. the heavens with a brilliancy far surpassing the stars of first magnitude, in some instances remaining thus for a short period and then gradually fading away. The fixed stars are not all of them stationary; in fact, very few, if any, are fixed. In comparing their location at different times it was found that a great number of them have a proper motion in the heavens; we have noted only those which offer the greatest motion. In many places in the heavens there appear some faint luminous spots shin- ing with a generally white, pale light; they are called nebulce ; some can be dis- tinguished with the naked eye, but most of them require the aid of the telescope. The clusters are nebulce which are easily resolved into stars. The nebulce proper offer no appearance of stars, and are supposed to be masses of nebulous matter; in some of them gases have been found through the spectroscope and their nature determined. The planetary nebulce are those offering an appearance similar to the planets; they are round, of equal light, and their outline is perfectly defined; some of them have been resolved into stars, but it requires telescopes of great power. The stellar nebulce are much condensed at the center, and offer the appear- ance of a star seen through the surrounding nebulous mass. The nebulous stars are stars distinctly seen to be such, surrounded by their nebulous atmospheres; they are very likely stellar nebulae in a more advanced state of progressive condensation. If two straight lines AB, AC (Fig. V) meet each other at A, they form what is called an angle, and the distances be- tween AB and AC at any two points are proportionate to the distance of these f two points from the intersection A. An angle does not change with the distance; one degree on a sheet of paper or one degree on the sky is always one degree; in a circumference of one inch in diameter, or one mile in diameter, or one million of miles or ten mil- lions of miles in diameter, a certain angle drawn from the center always intersects the same proportion of the circumference. INTRODUCTORY. 57 114 570 3,438 6,875 10,313 One degree is the sfa part of a circumference, and is marked 1 One minute is the eV part of a degree, and is marked 1' One second is the eV part of a minute, and is marked l" 3 45' 31" means 3 degrees, 45 minutes and 31 seconds. An angle of l degree corresponds to a distance of ..................... " y z degree, or 30 minutes, corresponds to a distance of. .. " iV degree, or 6 minutes, corresponds to a distance of ..... " l minute corresponds to a distance of .................... " y z minute, or 30 seconds, corresponds to a distance of . .. " 20 seconds corresponds to a distance of .................. " 10 seconds corresponds to a distance of .................. " 1 second corresponds to a distance of ................... 206,265 " 0"9 corresponds to a distance of ........................... 229,183 0"8 " ........................... 257,830 0"7 " ........................... 294,664 0"6 " ........................... 343,750 0"5 " ........................... 412,530 0"4 " .......................... 515,660 0"3 " ........................... 687,500 " 0"2 " ........................... 1,031,320 0"! ........................... 2,062,650 " 0"0 " immeasurable. The above table indicates the distances corresponding to certain angles, and when we know the angle, we know the distance corresponding to it. We can not insist too strongly on the importance of a clear understanding of what an angle is, for the very reason that it is the base of all astronomical observations. One degree is one inch seen at the distance of 57 inches. One minute is one inch seen at the distance of 3,438 inches. One second is one inch seen at the distance of 206,265 inches. If we were using one foot or one mile or any other measure instead of an inch the same rule would apply. In the case of the stars the standard measure is one-half the diameter of the earth's orbit, or 92,000,000 miles. The parallax of a star is the greatest angle that can be subtended by the radius or half the diameter of the earth's orbit as seen from the star in question. In Figure VI let S be the sun, ES the radius of the earth's orbit, and A the position of a star, the angle EAS is the parallax. As the mean radius of the earth's orbit is equal to 92,000,000 miles, when we know the parallax of a star, it is very easy to find its distance; if a star has a parallax of o"5, for example, in referring to the table above it shows that the distance of this star from us is 412,530 times 92,000,000 miles, or 37 trillions 952 billions 760 millions of miles.* Fig. VI. NOTE. The distance of a star is obtained by this formula: 206,265 R. R is the radius of the earth's orbit and P the parallax of the star. The number of years necessary for the light to come from a star to us is given by this formula: 3.262 P 3.262 is the number of years corresponding to a parallax of one second, and P is the parallax of the star. INTRODUCTORY. xi Let Fig. VII represent a celestial sphere and S a star; the declination is the distance, SB, from the star to the equator measured on the great circle, PBP' ; it is north declination or south declination according to the position of the star in regard to the equator. If the distance SB = 19 45', declination +19 45' indicates that the star is 19 degrees 45 minutes north of the equator; declina- tion 19 45' indicates that the star is 19 degrees 45 minutes south of the equator. The right ascension of a star is the distance, OB (measured on the equator), between the vernal equinox, O, and the declination circle, PBP'; it is sometimes expressed in degrees, but generally in time; the right ascension is always measured toward the EAST according to the apparent motion of the sun among the constellations ; if B is at 2 hours and 1 5 minutes from O, the position of the star S is exactly determined, and is marked thus: R. A.=2h. 15111.; Decl.=+i9 45'- The sun does not cross the equator at the same point every year. Hipparchus, 127 years B. C., in observing Spica and Regulus and in com- paring the positions of these stars with the positions given by the Babylonian astronomers 2,120 years B. C., noticed a difference of 28 degrees for 2,000 years; the equinoctial point shifts 50 "3 along the equator every year, and all the stars move from west to east, describing a complete circle in a period of 25,765 years. This motion is known as the precession of the equinoxes. Two thousand years ago the sun was in the constellation Aries ^~- --,. at the time of the vernal equinox; now, on the / N 2ist of March, it is in the constellation Pisces. The right ascension of a star, or the distance of a star to the meridian of the vernal equinox, is augmented a little more than three seconds in time every year by the precession. The spinning of a top gives a very fair repre- sentation of the precession of the equinoxes. The axis of the top, Fig. VIII, describes a cone, ABC, and the point B, which represents the celestial pole, describes a complete circle in 25,765 years; that is why the celestial pole changes every year; why a (alpha], in the constellation Ursa Minor, is now the pole star and will be nearest to the pole in the year 2105. In Fig. IX the plain line represents the classical circle described by the celestial pole by the effects of the precession; but as the solar system is going toward the constellation of Hercules, M. Flammarion has indicated a dotted spire which represents the probable position of the celestial pole, due to this motion, for a period of 28,000 years. (Revue d'Ast., 1886; page 401.) A Fig. VIII. xii INTRODUCTORY. In looking at this diagram it will be seen that (alpha), in constellation Draco, was polar star 2,700 years B. C.; * (iota), of the same constellation, was polar star 4,500 years B. C.; y (gamma}, in Cepheus, will be polar star in about 2,600 years from now; a (alpha), of the same constellation, will be the pole star in 7500 A. D.; it will be 8 (delta), in constellation Cygnus, in 11300 A. D.; and the nice star Vega was polar star 12,200 years B. C. and will be in 13,000 years from now. Fig. IX. Diagram showing the position of the Celestial Pole for-6,000 years B. C. and 28,000 years A. D. The pole of ecliptic is in the constellation Draco. In our notes of each constellation will be found a short explanation of all curiosities, which will be of great interest to beginners; also how to find them when they do not appear on our planisphere. We have noted the principal double stars with the distance and magnitude of their components ; also the triple, quadruple and multiple stars in the same way. INTRODUCTORY. xiii The time of revolution of binaries is also given from the latest authorities; the parallaxes of the nearest stars and their distances to the earth have also received particular attention; the names of observers and the dates of obser- vation have been given whenever accessible. The temporary stars have also been described in the constellations in which they appeared, and their changes of magnitude and their position given as far as possible. Our catalogue for each constellation is the same as the general catalogue of C. Flammarion, " Les Etoiles;" it contains all the stars visible to the naked eye ; the stars of the sixth magnitude having a Greek or Latin letter; the principal variables; the stars whose distances have been found, and those remarkable for their colors; the principal double, triple, quadruple, etc., stars; also the principal clusters and nebulae. For the double stars Mr. Burnham's catalogues were consulted. Bayer's Greek letters have been given the preference; next, Flamsteed's letters, thus: Fl. 5; also Piazzi's Horal numbers, thus: P. XIV, 260; some stars of the British Association Catalogue also appear, thus: B. A. C. 1800; when other catalogues have been used the names of the authors appear. Hev. is for Hevelius; Radcl. for Radcliffe; 2 for Struve; 02 for Otto Struve; Lai. for Lalande; Lac. for Lacaille. Dbl. double; bin. binary; trip, triple; trin. trinary; qdl. quadruple, etc. V after the magnitude indicates the maximum of magnitude of a variable; M. before a nebula refers to Messier's catalogue; H. IV, 8, means Herschel's nebula number 8, volume IV; neb. nebula; cl. cluster. The colors of the stars are denoted thus: Orange, org.; yellow, yel., etc. When we say for example, e (theta) Virginis is triple; magnitudes 4.5-9 and 10; distances, 7" and 65", it means that the star e (theta} seen through the telescope consists of three stars; the first one of the 4.5 magnitude; the second of the Qth magnitude, and the third of the loth magnitude; and that the star of the 9th magnitude is at a distance corresponding to seven seconds from the star of the 4.5 magnitude; and the star of the loth magnitude is at a distance corre- sponding to one minute and five seconds from the star of the 4.5 magnitude. The diagrams of the double or multiple stars are all made to the regular scale of one-fiftieth of an inch for one second, when a particular scale does not appear, and are drawn as they appear through a refracting telescope, which inverts the object. The boundaries of the constellations are somewhat arbitrary; they are simply indicated to easily find the stars of the catalogue referring to each constellation. R. A. Proctor said that if the constellations were entirely removed from the celestial atlases very little inconvenience would follow; here we quote his own words: "Astronomy as an exact science would, in my opinion, gain greatly by the removal of the constellations, though I must admit that so far as popular astronomy is concerned I should be sorry to see the foolish old figures removed." We entirely agree with the eminent astronomer, but in the interest of our readers we reproduce at the end of our Handbook a planisphere showing all the historical, mythological and old and new constellations, more as a curiosity than for utility. CONSTELLATIONS NORTH OF THE ZODIAC. URSA MINOR. This constellation, now called "The Little Bear," was known as the "Phoenice" because it was the guide of the Phoenicians during their excursions and travels in the Mediterranean Sea; they used to call it Cynosura or Dog's Tail. It is commonly called " The Little Dipper." It is supposed to have been introduced by Thales, in the 7th century B. C. ; it is mentioned by Eudoxus and Aratus. a (Alpha) is the Polar Star; /8 (beta) and y (gamma) are 'called "The Guardians." The stars of this constellation never set, consequently they can be seen from our latitude every day of the year. PE8IGNA- TION. a dbl. ft dbl. y 8 dbl. dbl. MAGNI- TUDE. 2.0 2.2 red 3.0 4.3 4.5 4.5 5.0 5.7 red POSITION R. A. 18 80 DECL. TION. MAGNI- TUDE. h. m. / 1.15 +88.40 Fl. 5 4.8 red 14.51 74.39 Fl. 2 5.0 yel. 15.21 72.16 Fl. 4 5.4 org. 18.11 86.37 Fl. 11 5.8 1C. 58 82.14 P. XIV, 260 5.2 red 15.48 78.10 P. XIII, 109 5.6 16.21 76. 2 5058, B.A.C. 5.6 15.35 77.45 18 it dbl. 6.5 K. A. h. m. 14.29 0.52 14.11 15.19 14.56 13.24 15.14 15.36 1 DECL. O / +76.15 85.37 78. 6 72. 14 66.25 73. 2 67.54 80.51 NOTES. a (Alplia) Polaris Double ; magnitudes 2.9 and 9.5; distance, 18".6; yellow and blue ; some- what difficult pair; it is now at 1 20 7 from the pole; will be, by the effect of precession of the equinoxes, nearest to the pole in A. D. 2105 (see Fig. IX, page xii). The parallax of this interesting star has been obtained many times from Lindman, in 1841, to Pritchard, in 1888, and the average adopted gives it as 0".089 (Revue d'Ast., Dec., 1889). AUTHORS. PARALLAX. Lindman, 1841 0".1440".056 Peters, 1853 0".0750".036 Peters, 1853 0'M720 // .027 Peters, 1853 0".1470".030 AUTHORS. PARALLAX. Peters, 1853 0".0670".0t2 Lindhagen, 1853 0".0250".0l8 L. de Ball 0".015 Pritchard, 1888 0".0750".015 This parallax represents 2,318,000 times the distance of the earth from the sun or 210 trillions of miles ; the light traveling with a velocity of 187,500 miles per second would take no less than 36 years to reach us; a fast train going at the rate of 60 miles per hour would have to run without stopping for more than 479 millions of years. 8 Fig. 1. Double Star a Fig. 2. Double Star ir it (Pi) Double; magnitudes 6.5 and 7.5; distance, 30"; yellow and blue; very easy pair. Y (Gamma) A person with good eyesight can see the star 11 at 57' (minutes) from y (gamma). 5 Double; magnitudes 4.8 and 11; distance, 45"; the little one is difficult to be seen. Anonyma Double ; magnitudes 7.5 and 9; distance, 2"; it is the nearest to the pole. R. (Cephei)- Variable; named a* 23 Cephei by Hevelius; it varies from the 5th to the lOtb magnitude in 365 days (see between a (alpha) and 8 (delta).) URSA MINOR DRACO. /3 (Beta)Kochab Double ; magnitudes 3 and 11 ; distance,165". (Zetd) Doubte; magnitudes 4 and 11 ; distance, 310". e (Epsilori) Double; magnitudes 4 and 12 ; distance, 41". The companions are small and require instruments of good power to separate them. DRACO. This constellation appeared already during the time of Eudoxus, of Cnidus, 4th cen- tury B. C., and represents the Dragon, which was the guardian of the golden apples of the garden of the Hesperides; according to others it was the monster killed by Cadmus. It has been introduced between the two Bears most likely to fill tlue sp.ace left between them ; it is circum polar, consequently visible all the year round. DESIGNA- TION. dbl. dbl. c dbl. <; r, dbl. e dbl. i dbl. A dbl. M. bin. v dbl. o dbl. IT P , trip. 5.0 16.22 61.47 46 c, dbl. 5.3 16. 58 53 45 d 5.0 15.22 59.23 646 6.0 12.28 70.27 27 / 5.4 11.24 70. ISflf 5.3 17. 3 54.38 19 h 5.3 17.30 55.15 10 i, dbl. 5.0 org. 17.51 56.53 40 dbl. 5.4 18.49 59.14 17 dbl. 5.8 19.20 65.29 P. IX, 37 4.3 20. 2 67.31 P. X, 78 5.0 org. 19.33 69.27 R 6.V. 19.18 73. 8 * 6.5 red 18.56 71. 8 17415 CEltzen 8.0 18.23 71.16 H. IV, 37 neb. POSITION B. A. 180 DECL. h. m. ' 18.23 +72.41 17.44 72.13 17.38 G8.48 16.28 69. 2 18.22 58.44 18.40 55.25 18.30 56.57 20. 1 64.23 17.32 68.13 16.40 64.49 16.55 65.16 13.48 65.19 18.12 79.59 16.33 53. 8 9.11 81.52 10.22 76.20 16.32 67. 19.26 76.20 17.37 68.28 17.58 66.38 NOTES. o (alpha) Thuban, (beta) Alwaid and y (gamma) The three first stars are named: Etanin. v (Nu) Double ; magnitudes 4.7 and 4.7; distance, 62"; very easy pair; an opera glass will separate them. Mr. Belopolsky, in 1888, found a parallax =0"320"076, and another =0"280"088. o (Omfcron) Double ; magnitudes 4.7 and 8.5; distance, 32" ; gold-yellow and lilac ; nice pair; beautiful contrast. 7 (Gamma) Mr. Auwers, in 1869, obtained for the parallax of this star, 0".0920".070. It has a companion of 13th magnitude, discovered by Mr. Burnham, at Chicago; distance, 21". S S S Fig. 3.-Do\ibleStarv Fig. 4. Double Star o Fig. 5. Double Star ^ DRACO. ^ (Psi) Double ; magnitudes 4.8 and 6.0; distance, 31"; yellow and lilac; easy pair. 40 Double; magnitudes 4.5 and 6.0; distance, 20"; very easy. r) (Ma) Double; magnitudes 5.5 and 10; distance, 4".7; difficult pair. 17 Double; forms a triple with 16; magnitudes 6-6 and 6.5; distances, 4" and 90". (Epsilon) Double ; magnitudes 4.4 and 8 ; distance, 2".9; gold-yellow and azure ; difficult pair, /m (Mu) Binary; magnitudes 5.0 and 5.0; distance, in 1884, 2".46; in 1781 it was 4".35; revolu- tion, calculated by M. Berberich, 648 years (Revue d'Ast., Nov., 1885; page 413). v (Sigma) One of the nearest stars to us; parallax by Brunnow in 1868 and 1870; average, 0".25; 838,000 times the distance from the sun to us, or about 77 trillions of miles ; it takes the light a little over 13 years to reach us (Revue d'Ast. , 1889; page 450). 2 1516 Binary ; magnitudes 7 and 12; distance, 7". Mr. L. de Ball has found for the parallax 0".1040".008, which represents 1,983,318 times the distance of the sun from the earth; the light takes 31 years to reach us (Revue d'Ast., Dec. 1887 ; page 461). It is about 4 N. by E. of A (lambda). 39 Double ; magnitudes 5.0 and 7.7 ; distance, 3".l ; an instrument with good power shows it triple. 2 2398 is also one of the nearest stars to us, the average parallax being 0".33, representing only 55 trillions of miles; the light takes 9 years and 4 months to reach us; it is a double of 8.2 and 9.2 magnitudes, a little west of o (omicron). Out of twenty-three stars which gave the best known parallaxes in 1889, this constellation has three of them, a- (sigma) only being visible to the naked eye, which proves that the brightest stars are not always the nearest. 17,415 (Eltzen is also one of the nearest stars to us; the average parallax being 0"20. H. IV, 37 Nebula, the first one examined with the spectroscope, contains nitrogen and hydrogen; before it was doubtful that nebulse could be in a gaseous state, but the observations by Higgins, in 1861, decided the question; it is near the pole of the ecliptic (see about one-third the distance between w (omega) and 39). Fig. 6. Nebula H. IV, 37. Fig. 7. Nebula H. IV, 37, in Lick Observatory Telescope. Fig. 6 represents this nebula as seen with common telescopes. Fig. 7 represents the same nebula as seen by Messrs. Holden and Schcerberle with the large equatorial of Lick Observatory. Attempts have been made several times to find the distance of this nebula. AUTHORS. PARALLAX. Brunnow, in 1871-72 0".047 0".030 Oudemans 0".0850".028 Bredichin, 1876 0".065 The last parallax being negative, the distance is very uncertain. CEPHEUS. CEPHEUS. Cepheus, king of Ethiopia and one of the Argonauts, was the husband of Cassiopea and father of Andromeda. This constellation is one ot the forty-eight constellations of the ancients and appeared in Eudoxus' astronomical sphere ; it is always visible in our latitude. DESIGNA- TION. adbl. ft dbl. Sdbl. < i} dbl. e i * bin. dbl. dbl. bin. MAGNI- TUDE. 2.6 3.4 3.3 4.V. org. 4.7 3.9 red 3.9 4.4 4.0 4.5 5.8 4.V. red 5.0 5.0 5.4 5.0 p 3BITION DESIGNA- R. A. 1880 DECL. TION. h. m. / 21.16 4-62. 5 P 21.27 70. 2 43Hev. 23.34 76.58 51 Hev. 22.25 57.48 R 22.11 56.27 S 22. 7 57.37 u 20.43 61 22 2 2843 dbl. 20.27 62.35 2 2840 dbl. 22.45 65.34 2 2895 dbl. 20.14 77.21 20 22. 7 58.51 21.40 58.14 22. 59.14 22. 64. 2 23.13 67.27 23. 4 74.44 MAGNI- TUDE. 6.0 4.7 5.5 org. 5.V. 8.V. red 7.0V. 7.0 6.5 6.5 6.0 org. 6.0 red 7.5 red 5.7 org. 5.9 org. 6.0 org. 6.0 org. R. A. h. m. 22.29 0.51 6.44 20.16 21.37 0.52 21.49 21.48 22.11 22. 1 21.30 21.10 21.53 22. 22. 1 22.34 +78.12 85.36 87.14 78. 5 81.14 65.11 55.15 72.45 62.12 58.11 59.37 63. 3 62.31 62.12 56.10 NOTES. a (Alpha) AlderaminM.r. Pritchard, in 1889, found a parallax of this star=0".060".02. 8 (Delta) Double variable; magnitudes 3.7 to 4.9 and 7.0; distance, 41"; orange and blue; nice pair; very easy; it varies in the short period of 5 days, 6 hours and 42 minutes. A nearer faint companion discovered by Mr. Burnham; distance, 19". ft (Beta) Alphirk Double; magnitudes 3, 4 and 8; distance, 14"; white and blue; nice pair; not difficult, y (Gamma) Is also called Ei rai. Fig. 8.-Double Star S Fig. 9.-Double Star ft (Kappa) Binary; magnitudes 4.5 and 8.5; distance, 7".4; delicate pair. (Zi)-Double; magnitudes 5.0 and 7.6; distance, 6".6; nice pair. Near to it there is another double star of the 7th magnitude. 8 S Fig. 10. Double Star Fig. 11. Double Star CEPHEUS CAMELOPAKDALUS CASSIOPEA. M (Aftt) Variable; magnitude 4 to 6; of garnet color, called by W. Herschel "Garnet Sidus;" it is the star of the darkest red, visible to the naked eye. Mr. Burnham discovered a faint companion ; distance, 19". o (Omicron) Double variable; magnitude 5.4 to 7 and 8; distance, 2".5; yellow and blue; beautiful contrast. U. Varies from 7.5 to 9.2 magnitude in .2 days .11 hours and 50 minutes ; it is one of the shortest in time of variation ; it is N. by W. of y (gamma). R. Varies from 5.0 to 10th magnitude in 365 days; it is between a (alpha) and S (delta) of Ursa Minor. CAMELOPARDALUS. This constellation, also called the Camelopard or Giraffe, was introduced by Hevelius, in 1690; as it was formed about eighty years after Bayer's atlas was published no Greek letters appear. Our catalogue contains the designation of Flam steed and Piazzi catalogues. This constellation, being circumpolar, is visible from our latitude the entire year. DESIGNA- TION. 10 dbl. p. Ill, 111 P. Ill, 51 P. V, 335 P. VI, 201 MAGNI- TUDE. 4.6 4.2 4.3 4.7 4.9 4.9 P. XII, 230 dbl. 5.0 7 dbl. P. Ill, 7 P. Ill, 54 P. Ill, 57 1042 Radcl. idbl. 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.2 5.3 5.4 POSITION DESIGNA- B. A. 1* 80 DBCL. TION. TUDE. h. m. / 4.42 +66. 6 P. Ill, 121 5.5 4.53 60.15 P. IV, 7 5.5 3.32 70.58 P. IV, 269 dbl. 5.0 3.16 59.32 11 dbl. 5.5 6. 1 69.22 42 5.5 6.35 77.15 43 5.6 12.52 84. 4 P. X, 22 5.5 4.47 53.32 R 8.V. org. 3. 6 65.13 * 6.6 red 3.18 58.18 * 6.0 org. 3.18 54.77 * 5.8 org. 3.35 70.30 * 7.0 org. 4.27 53.39 R. A. U J80 DECL. h. m. O / 3.35 +65. 8 4. 5 53.19 4.54 79. 6 4.56 58.50 6.38 6 on 67.42 O .oU 10. 9 by. 83.10 14.27 3.32 62.15 3.38 65. 9 3.47 60.45 4.39 67.57 NOTES. P. IV, 269 Double; magnitudes 5.0 and 8; distance, 19"; star in rapid motion; the distance was 37" in 1825, 20" in 1877, and if they continue at the same rate the components will be at the nearest point, only 9" apart, in 1932 (Flammarion, " Les Etoiles," page 46). B S Fig. 12. Double Star 269. Fig. 13. Double Star 230. P. XII, 230 Double; magnitudes 5.8 and 6.4; distance, 22"; very easy pair. 7 Double; magnitudes 4.0 and 11.5; distance, 26"; the companion is a dark ashy color (gray). 11 Double; magnitudes 5. 6 and 6.2; distance, 181"; bluish and orange; very easy an opera glass will separate them. CASSIOPEA. Cassiopea, or "The Lady in the Chair," is the queen of Ethiopia, wife of Cepheus, who boasted that her beauty was fairer than the Nereids ; those nymphs, to punish the pretentious queen, prayed Neptune to avenge them; the God of the waters sent a sea monster to ravage the shores of her kingdom. From another version it was of her daughter's beauty that the queen boasted. This constellation never sets in our latitude and can be seen every day. CASSIOPEA. DESIGNA- TION. a dbl. ft dbl. y dbl. 6 TJ bin. <. trin. A dbl. dbl. dbl. dbl. dbl. MAGNI- TUDE. 1J. A. IS SO DECL. DESIGNA- TION. MAGNI- TUDE. K.JL. 1830 DECL,. h. m. O / h. m. / 2.2 V. red 0.34 +55.53 X 5.7 1.26 +58.37 2.4 0. 3 58.29 \l/ quad. 4.5 1.17 67.30 2.3 0.49 60. 4 (0 5.8 1.46 68. 9 2.8 1.18 59.37 3.5 1.46 63. 5 48 A bin. 4.7 1.51 70.18 4.0 0.30 53.22 50 4.2 1.52 71.49 4.1 0.42 57.11 P. II, 227 5.0 2.58 73.56 4.4 1. 4 54.31 1 5.3 22.57 56.28 4.5 2.19 66.51 2 3062 bin. 5.0 0. 57.29 4.5 0.26 62.16 P.XXIII,101 mtpS.O 23.25 57.44 5.1 0.25 53.52 4 qdl. 6.0 23.20 61.37 6.0 1. 54.20 2 3033 dbl. 6.5 23.57 65.24 5.6 0.42 50.18 R 6.V. red 23.52 50.43 5.6 35 49.50 S 7.V. red 1.11 71.59 5.2 0.38 47.36 T 7.V. red 0.17 55. 8 5.2 0.37 46.22 * 6.5 red 2.47 63.50 5.3 red 23.48 56.49 * 6.1 org. 2.28 65.14 5.3 23.53 55. 5 ** 7.9 red & blue 23. 55 59.41 5.5 23.41 57.59 3077 Bradley 6.5 23. 7 56.30 5.4 0.48 58.19 H. VI, 30 cl 23.51 56. 3 5.5 1.12 57.36 Temp, of 1572 0.18 63.27 NOTES. Mr. Fritchard, in 1888, obtained a parallax for a (aZp7ia)=0".0710".040; and for ft (beta) a parallax=0".1620".052. a. (alpha) is also called Schedar, and ft (beta) Chaph. y (Qamma) Examined with the spectroscope has a double spectrum, similar to the one of the temporary of 1866 (see Corona Borealis notes). It contains some incandescent hydrogen ; it has been burning for more than 2,000 years and the fire seems to be as fierce as ever. Mr. Pritchard found, in 1888, for the parallax of this star 0".0070".042; too uncertain to calculate its distance. Mr. Burnham discovered a close star at 2" .2 distance in 1888 with the 36-inch telescope of Lick Observatory. fj. (Mu) Has a rapid, proper motion; 4".43 per year ; one degree in 812 years ; apparent diam- eter of the moon in 420 years ; will be near (phi) Persei in 6,000 years if it keeps the same minimum velocity of 200.000 yards per second. It was " parallaxed" by Struve in 1855, by Schweizer in 1863 and by Pritchard in 1888, and the average 0".060 would put the distance at 3,438,000 times the distance of the sun from the earth or 318 trillions of miles, and the light would have to travel 54 years before reaching us (Revue d'Ast., 1889; page 450). i) (Eta) Binary ; magnitudes 4.2 and 7 ; distance, in 1880, 5".3 ; revolution, about 167 years. It was noted yellow and lilac by Flammarion ; red and green in 1821, by J. Herschel ; yellow and purple in 1832, by Struve; yellow and blue in 1841, byDawes; yellow and red in 1851, by Sec- chi the companion seems to change color. This star showed a parallax of 0".154, measured by Struve in 1855, and one of 0".170, measured by Schweizer in 1866. In taking 0".16 as an average it would be at 1,270,000 times the distance of the earth to the sun or 118 trillions of miles, and the light would take over 20 years to reach us (Revue d'Ast., 1889; page 446). i (lota) Trinary; magnitudes 4.5-7.0 and 8.4 ; distances, 2" and 7".6; yellow, lilac and purple; remarkable system. $ (Psi) Quadruple or double-double; magnitudes 4.5 and 13; 9 and 10; the main stars are 29" apart, and form two difficult pairs at 3" distance each. The companion of the largest star was discovered by Mr. Burnham in 1889. 3077 Bradley Parallax by Brunnow in 1871, Backlund t881 and Gylden 1881. Average=0".19. Fig. 14. Quadruple Star ^ Fig. 15. -Orbit of 2 3062. CASSIOPEA ANDROMEDA. P. XXIII, 101 Multiple ; eight stars have been measured in the group, which include two close pairs I" A and 1".5 apart, but it requires a good power to see them all. DICL. O / +29.4 34.25 33.23 33.42 NOTES. 6 Double; magnitudes 5.5 and 6.5; distance, 3".7; gold-yellow and bluish-green ; very nice pair. M. 33 Nebula, large but not well denned ; find it when there is no moonlight, between a (alpha) of Triangulum and /3 (beta) of Andromeda. Fig. 19. Double Star 6. LACERTA. This little constellation has very little interest, and Hevelius said that he noticed ten very bright little stars between Andromeda and Cygnus, and he inserted a lizard because he could not put anything else more appropriate. Bode, in 1798, introduced between Lacerta, Cassiopea and Andromeda a constellation in honor of the King of Prussia, Frederick ; it was composed of stars taken out of the con- stellation Cassiopea, but the B. A. Catalogue does not recognize it. Honores Freitierici may be seen in our map of the constellations at the end of this Handbook. Lacerta itself was a constellation formed by Augustin Royer, in 1679, in honor of Louis XIV of France, but the name given by Hevelius, in 1690, has been adopted. POSITION DKH1GNA- MAGNI- , * v DESIGNA- MAGNI- TION. TUDE. K. A. 1880 DECL. TION. TUDE. h. m. 7 Fl. a 4.2 22.47 +49.40 6 5,2 30 4.7 org. 22.19 61.38 10 dbl. 5.2 1 dbl. 4.8 org. 22.11 37. 9 11 5.5 yel. 2 dbl. 4.8 22.16 45.56 15 dbl. 5.5 org. 4 5.0 org. 22.20 48.52 P. XXII, 36 5.3 red 5 5.0 red 22.24 47. 5 B. A. h. m 22.25 22.34 22.35 22.47 22. 9 DECL. O ' +42.30 38.25 43.38 42.41 39. T NOTES. 4 Is an orange star; near by is a blue star; nice field, rich in small stars. 8 Fl. Is a quadruple star near 10. PERSEUS. PERSEUS. Perseus, also called " The Champion," is the hero who, after hearing of the dangers of Andromeda, jumped on Pegasus and arrived in time to save her life by presenting to the sea monster the head of Medusa, which had the power of petrifying everything and everybody. It is also one of the oldest constellations, noted by Eudoxus. DESIGNA- TION. a dbl. /3 dbl. y dbl. dbl. dbl. qdl. >, dbl. 4 trip. dbl. odbl. n x trip. 43 A, dbl. Z) 48 c 43d MAGNI- TUDE. 2.2 2.V. red 3.0 3.5 3.3 V. 3.0 4.2 red 4.4 4.3 4.4 4.6 4.5 4.1 4.3 4.3 5.1 3.V. red 4.8 org. 4.3 3.9 4.0 cum. 4.8 5.0 red 5.G 5.1 4.4 5.3 POSITION R. A. 1880 " DECL^ h. m. / 3.16 +49.26 3. 40.30 2.56 53. 2 3.34 47.24 3.50 39.40 3.47 31.32 2.42 55.24 2.36 48.43 3. 49. 9 3. 1 44.24 3.58 50. 2 4. 5 48. 6 3.37 42.12 3.51 35.27 3.35 31.55 2.51 39.10 2.57 38.22 3/22 47.35 2.46 52.16 1.30 48. 1 1.36 50. 5 2.10 56.58 3.28 47.47 3. 3 39. 9 3.48 50.21 4. 9 50. 4. 47.23 4.13 46.12 DESIGNA- TION. MAGNI- TUDE. 58 e, trip. 52 / 40 h 9i k I 57 m, dbl. 42 n 40 o, dbl. 16 17 21 995 B. A. C. 29-31 P. Ill, 23 24 12 trip. P. II, 220 dbl 2 563, dbl. R S H. VI, 33 H. VI, 34 M. 34 4.6 org 5.0 5.6 cum. 5.7 5.2 5.5 6.5 6.6 5.7 4.5 5.0 5.2 5.2 5.4 5.4 5.5 5.5 5.8 7.5 8.V. org. 8.V. org. cl. cl. cl. neb. and * red. * 7.5 red * 7.5 red B. A. h. m. 4.28 4. 7 1.54 2. 5 2.14 2.56 3.13 4.25 3.42 3.35 2.43 2.44 2.50 2.43 3.10 3.10 2.51 2.34 2.53 4.28 3.22 2.14 2.11 2.14 2.34 2.36 2.43 3.21 > DEOL. O / +41. 1 40.11 53.54 50.31 55.17 56.14 42.55 42.47 32.42 33.34 37.49 34.34 31.26 50.29 49.45 33.11 34.42 39.40 51.52 40.51 35.16 58. 2 56.36 56.33 42.16 31.55 57.50 54.58 NOTES. a (Alpha) MirfakIs a double star. 8 (Beta) Algol Very remarkable variable ; visible to the naked eye ; varies from 2.3 to 4.3 in 2 days 20 hours 48 minutes and 53 seconds ; the minimum lasts only 6 minutes and the maximum about 36 hours, consequently the variation takes only about 9 hours. Is it due to the rotation of Algol, which would have a dark continent? or is it due to the revolution of a planet which would partially eclipse it? From spectroscopical observa- tions done at Greenwich the latter is probably true, but it is not yet proved (Revue d'Ast., Nov., 1887; page 428). 9 6 3 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 i 2nd Mag. 3rd Mag. 4th Mag. 6 i i :i 1 2 1 5 1 8 '. 1 2 4 '.' 7 S 3C Max mum > W a urn Y Minimum. Fig. 20. Diagram showing the variations of Algol in 69 hours. ,p (Rho) Is also a variable; from 3.4 to 4.2; period not yet known. ij (Eta) Double; magnitudes 4.2 and 8.5; distance, 28"; yellow and blue; this fine pair has five little stars around it. e (Epsilori) Double; magnitudes 3.3 and 8.5; distance 9"; greenish-white and lilac. PERSEUS. 6 (Theta) Triple; magnitudes 4.4-10 and 10; distances, 15" and 68". < (Zeta) Quadruple ; magnitudes 3-10-12 and 11 ; distances, 13", 83" and 121"; very difficult. 8 S Fig. 23. Quadruple Star Scale 60"= l inch. Fig. 24. Double Star e P. II, 220 Double; magnitudes 6 and 8; distance, 12"; very easy pair; the companion is sapphire. 2 563 Double; magnitude 7.5 and 9; distance, 12"; delicate pair. H. IV, 33 and 34 Are two clusters visible to the naked eye, very close to each other and composed of several hundreds of stars ; with a small power and large field it is a very nice sight; it is marked in our planisphere N. by W. of 17 (eta). M. 34 Is also a nice cluster of stars, very easy with small instruments ; it is between Algol and Almach ; it was resolved into small stars by Messier himself. This constellation is rich in nebulae, more or less easy with common telescopes. Medusa's Head (Caput Medusae) is the name given to a cluster of stars in this constellation, of which Algol is a part. Fig. 25. Cluster Messier 12 URSA MAJOR. URSA MAJOR. According to Greek mythology "The Great Bear" is nothing else than the nymph Callisto, who was beloved by Jupiter, and became the mother of Areas ; according to Ovid, the jealous Juno to avenge herself changed Callisto into a bear, and one day when Areas was hunting he did not recognize her and came very near killing his mother; to avoid this parri- cide Jupiter carried them both among the stars. It is mentioned in Job (xxxviii, 31) and by Homer, and is perhaps the oldest of the con- stellations. The stars of this constellation never set in our latitude, and a (alpha) and ft (beta), which are called "The Pointers," serve to find the north point, as the Pole Star is in the direction of these stars at about five times the distance that separates them. This constellation is commonly named "The Dipper;" the French people call it "Chariot of David;" the Chinese, Ti-tche ("Chariot of the Sovereign"). The four stars a (alpha), j3 (beta), y (gamma) and S (delta) are called by the Arabs "The Coffin." UEBltrlNA- TION. MAUH1- TUDE. R. A. It 80 DECL. JLJrjBmlXJl- TION. TUBE. B.A. 1880 DECL. h. m. O / h. m. o / adbl. 2.4 V. yel. 10.56 +62.24 b 5.5 8.43 +62.24 /Bdbl. 2.8 10.55 57.02 c 5.5 9. 5 61.55 ydbl. 2.7 11.48 54.22 a 5.2 9.24 70.22 dbl. 3.7 12. 7 57.41 e 5.0 9. 7 54.32 bin. 2.2 12.49 56.37 f 5.2 9. 52. 5 (Mizar) dbl .2.4 13.19 55.33 Q 5.0 13.20 55.37 19 2.1 13.43 49.55 23 h, dbl. 4.2 9.22 63.36 edbl. 3.3 9.25 52.13 10 4.5 8.52 42.15 * dbl. 3.4 8.51 48.31 P. VIII, 245 5.0 8.59 38.56 K 3.4 8.55 47.38 26 5.4 9.26 52.35 A 3.3 10.10 43.31 P. X, 42 5.0 10.14 66.10 /* 3.2 red 10.15 42.06 38 5.2 10.34 66.21 >dbl. 3.3 red 11.12 33.45 P. X, 135 5.3 10.36 46.50 bin. 3.6 11.12 32.12 47 5.3 10.53 41. 4 3.8 8.20 61. 7 49 5.5 10.54 39.51 n 5.0 8.29 64.45 55 5.5 11.12 38.51 P bin.(?) 5.2 8 52 68. 5 57 dbl. 5.9 11.23 40. o-dbl. 5.3 9. 67.37 83 5.V. org. 13.36 55.18 rdbl. 5.5 9. 3 63.59 1830 Groomb. 6.7 11.46 38.35 vdbl. 4.8 9.42 59.37 21185 Lai. 7.5 10.56 36.53 bin. 5.0 9.44 54.38 21258 Lai. 8.5 11. 48. 7 X 4.0 red 11.40 48.26 R 7.V. red 10.36 66.24 * 3.2 yel. 11. 3 45. 9 S 8.V. org. 12.39 61.45 w 5.0 10.47 43.50 T 7.V. org. 12.31 60. 9 P. X, 126 7.V. org. 10.34 69.42 A 5.5 8.24 65.34 NOTES. The first seven stars of this constellation have been named by the Arabs as follows : a (alpha), Dubhe; /3 (beta), Merak; y (gamma), Phegda; (delta), Megrez; (epsilon), Alioth; (zeta) t Mizar; and ij (eta), Benetnash or Alkaid. a (Alpha) has a companion discovered by Mr. Burnham in 1889; distance 0".9. Mizar and Alcor are visible to the naked eye; distance 11' 48". Fig. 26 represents Mizar and Alcor as seen in the field of an ordinary telescope ; the two stars of the West represent the double star Mizar; the N. E. star is Alcor; the little stars which appear on the diagram are difficult to be seen with small instruments. Mizar was observed as a double star by Riccioli, in 1650; by Gottfried Kirch at the end of the 17th century. The observations of the components taken at different times indicate that the relative position of the two stars varied only a few degrees in 125 years; the revolution around their center of gravity exceeds 18,000 or 20,000 years. (Flammarion, Les Etoiles, page 107.) URSA MAJOR. Scale 6' 30"=i inch. Fig. 26. The Double Star Mizar and Alcor, in the field of any ordinary telescope. (Zeta) Mizar Double ; magnitudes 2.4 and 4.0; distance, 14".5; splendid pair, very bright. It is the first star observed as double in the telescope. (Zi)-Binary; magnitudes 3.6 and 5; distance, in 1880, 1".7; rapid orbital motion; revolution, 60 years and 7 months. This system is the first one which had its period calculated by Savary, in 1828, he giving for the revolution 58 years, i (Iota) Talithals also double. Fig. 27. Apparent Orbit of in Ursa Major. Fig. 28. Real Orbit of v (Nu) Double ; magnitudes 3.3 and 10; distance, 7"; orange and blue. a (Sigma) Double; suspected binary; magnitudes 5.3 and 9; distance, 2".6 ; in 1780 it was at distance 8"; there are two (Phi) -Binary; magnitudes 5 and 5.5; distance, 0".24 in 1892; close pair; time of orbital revolution, 115 years. 02234-Binary; magnitudes 7 and 7.8; distance, 0".2 in 1892 ; revolution, 68 years. O2 235 Binary; magnitudes 6 and 7 ; distance, \" in 1892; revolution, 94 years, t (Iota) Peters, in 1842-43, obtained for the parallax of this star, 0".0680".047. 10-Mr. Belopsky, in 1888, obtained for the parallax of this star, 0".200".011. 14 URSA MAJOR. Fig. 29. Binary in 1880. Fig. 30. Double Star 23 h. 23 Jir- Double; magnitudes 4.2 and 9; distance, 22". This pair is stationary since 1781. 1830 Near 57 is the star of the greatest motion, 7".3 S. E. per year; if it was turning around us it would take 180,000 years to complete its revolution ; minimum velocity, 300,000 yards per second ; it will be in Coma Berenices 6,000 years from now. The parallax of this remarkable star has been determined several times, and in adopting the average 0".045it would represent 4,583,000 times the distance of the sun from the earth, or 500 trillions of miles, and the light would have to travel 72 years to reach us. AUTHORS. PARALLAX. Peters, 1842-43 0".2260".141 Schluter and Wichman, 1842-43.. 0".1820".018 Schliiter and Wichman, 1850-52.. 0". 141 0".013 O.Struve 0".0340".029 AUTHORS. PARALLAX. Johnson, 1850-53 0".033 0".028 Auwers, 1874 0".023 0".033 Brunnow, 1870-71 0".0900".025 J. C. Kapteyn, 1891 0".1390".026 " 8 A y CANES VENATIC Fig. 31. Rapid motions of three stars in Ursa Major. 21185-21258 Are also in very rapid motion; in calculating their position it has been found that the three stars, 1830, 21185 and 21258, were very close together 3,000 years ago, and since then they have been moving in three different directions as a result of a "fantastic explosion." These stars, which are not visible to the naked eye, would be found near the double star 57; the first one, as we have said, goes toward Coma Berenices; the second in the direction of y (gamma) of Leo Major, and the third toward K (kappa) (Flammarion, Les Etoiles, page 115). URSA MAJOR LEO MINOR-CANES VENATICI. The diagram (Fig. 31) represents the motions of the above three stars; the black circles indicate their position in 1880, the small circles their position 3,000 years ago, and the end of the arrows their position 10,000 years from now. Mr. Winnecke, in 1858, gave for the parallax of the star 21185 0".5010".011 Mr. J. C. Kapteyn, in 1891 0".4280".030 Mr. Auwers gave for the parallax of the star 2l258..0".2620".0ll Mr.Krueger 0".2600".020 Mr. J. C. Kapteyn, in 1891 0".1680".027 M. 97 This curious nebula, visible only in large telescopes, will be found at about 10 S. E. of /3 (beta). (See Fig. 32.) Fig. 32. Nebula M. 97. LEO MINOR. This little constellation was introduced by Hevelius about 1660. DESIGNA- TION. 37qdl. MAGNI- TUDE. 42dbl. 46 4.9 4.9 5.0 4.2 POSITION B. A. 1880 DECL. h. m. ' 10.32 +32.35 10.19 10.39 10.47 DESIGNA- TION. 34.24 31.20 34.52 NOTES. This constellation contains nothing remarkable with the exception of R, between 21 and 10, a little south of the line joining these stars, which varies from the 7th to the llth magni- tude in 369 days. 20 Mr. J. C. Kapteyn, in 1891, gave for the parallax of this star, 0".0620".029. CANES VENATICI. This constellation was formed by Hevelius, in about 1690, by taking some stars situated between the Great Bear and the Herdsman. DESIGNA- TION. 12 o, dbl. 8/3 14 15 19 20 23 21 24 25 bin. MAGNI- TUDE. 2.9 4.4 5.0 5.7 6.0 5.0 6.0 5.2 4.8 5.2 POSITION POSITION B". A. 18 JO DECL. TION. TUDE. B. A. 1880 DECL. h. m. / h. m. O / 12.50 +38.58 6 5.2 12.20 +39.41 12.28 42. P. XII, 29 5.6 12.10 33.44r 13. 36.27 P. XIII, 27 5.2 13. 9 40.48 13. 4 39.12 2 dbl. 6.5 12.10 41.20 13.10 41.29 23793 Lai. 5.V. org. 12.39 46. 6 13.12 41.12 * 6.0 org. 13.18 37.40 13.15 40.46 ,M. 51 neb. 13.25 47.50 13.13 50.19 M. 3 cl. 13.37 28.59 13.36 49.38 M. 94 net). 12.46 41.48 13.32 36.54 NOTES. a (Alpha) Double ; magnitudes 3.2 and 5.7 ; distance, 20"; gold-yellow and lilac; very nice pair. It was called by Halley " Cor Caroli II " (Charles IPs Heart). 2 Double; magnitudes 6 and 9; distance, 11"; gold- yellow and azure ; elegant pair. 25 Binary ; magnitudes 6 and 7 ; distance, 1".0 in 1892 ; white and blue ; time of revolution, 124 years. M. 51 Beautiful nebula, with two nuclei. The tele- scope of Lord Rosse in 1845 shows this nebula in nice spiral curves composed of brilliant dust, each part being a sun like ours, and separated by millions and millions of leagues. Diameter equals G' (minutes). (Figs. 34 and 85.) Fig. 33. Double Star a IG CANES VENATICI COMA BERENICES. Fig.34. Nebula M. 51, in Common Telescopes. Fig. 35. Nebula Messier 51, in Lord Rosse's Telescope. Fig. 36. Cluster M. 3. M. 3 Rich cluster of 6 to 7 minutes in diameter, containing about 1,000 stars; three small stars in triangular shape seem to inclose it. COMA BERENICES. Coma Berenices (Queen Berenice's Hair) is the only constellation of the ancients of which we can give the true history. Berenice, daughter of King Ptolemy Philadelphus, had just been married to her brother Ptolemy Euergetes, when he was obliged to fight against Seleucus II, King of Syria; Bere- nice in her grief swore by Venus to sacrifice her beautiful hair if her husband came back victorious ; he did, and Berenice, the very day of his return, deposited her hair in the temple of the goddess ; the next night it disappeared, stolen, most likely, by a priest ; but to console the two lovers the astronomer Conon told them that he saw it in the sky, and that it had been transported there by Venus herself. It is noted for the first time in the catalogue of Tycho Brahe in 1590 ; but mention is made of it already by Ptolemy, A. D. 140, by Callimachus, Eratosthenes and Sufi. DESIGNA- TION. MAGNI- TUDE. 43/3 4.6 15 y 4.9 org. 16 5.2 42 a bin. 5.2 6 5.7 11 5.5 12 dbl. 5.4 14 5.5 23 5.5 24 dbl. 5.6 27 5.8 31 5.7 POSITION DESIGNA- R. A. 1 880 DECL. TION. h. m. O / 13. 6 +28.29 35 trin. 12.21 28.57 36 12.21 27.30 37 13. 4 18.10 41 12.10 15.34 7 12.15 18.29 18 12.16 26.31 21 12.20 27.56 R 12 29 23.17 R 12.29 19. 2 R 12.41 17.15 * 12. 46 28.12 * TUDE. K. A. 1880 DECL. h. m. / 5.7 12.47 +21.56 5.4 org. 12.53 18. 4 5.6 12.54 31.25 5.5 13. 2 28.17 5.8 12.10 24.39 G.O 12.23 24.46 G.O 12.25 25.15 7.V. red 11.58 19.27 8.V. 12.33 17.10 7.V. 12.34 17. 8 8.0 org. 12.52 18.24 6.0 org. 13.31 25.13 COMA BERENICES BOOTES. 17 NOTES. 24 Double; magnitudes 5.6 and 7; distance, 21"; orange and blue; beautiful pair; in rapid motion. 35 Trinary; magnitudes 5.7-8 and 8.2; distances, 28" and l".4; the two companions revolve around each other in a period of 400 to 500 years. 12 Double; magnitudes 5.4 and 8; distances, 66"; very easy pair. 42 Binary; magnitudes 6 and 6; distances, 0".5; very close pair, in orbital motion; revolution only 25 years. This constellation is very rich in small nebulae, but it requires good power to see them. Fig. 37. Double Star 24. BOOTES. This constellation, now called the Herdsman, was also known as Arctophylax, which means " Guardian of the Bear." According to some authors it was Areas, son of the nymph Callisto; according to others it represents Icarus, the son of Doedalus. It is one of the forty- eight constellations of the ancients. DESIGNA- TION. /3dbl. 7 5 dbl. ebin. r,dbl. e i trip. - 5.2 V dbl. 5.0 org. POSITION DESIGNA- MAGNI- POSITION K. A. 1 !80 DECL. TION. TUDE. K.A. 1880 DECL. h. m. O / h. m. O f 15.30 +27. 7 5.3 16.17 +31.11 15.23 29.31 6.0 15.15 30. 2 15.38 26.40 6.0 15.39 32.53 15.44 26.27 5.8 15.57 33.41 15.53 27.14 trin. 6.0 16.10 34.10 15.35 37. 2 5.0 16. 5 36.47 15.18 30.43 qdl. 5.8 16.12 29.28 15.28 31.46 R 6.V. org. 15.44 28.31 15.57 30.11 S 7.V. red 15.17 31.48 15.47 36. 2 Temp, of 18 66 .... 15.54 26.16 15.51 38. 6 U 7.V. 15.13 32. 5 15.31 39.25 V 7.V. 15.45 40. 5 16.18 34. 2 CORONA BOREALIS. 19 NOTES. a (Alpha) AlpheccaIs a double star. (Zetd) Double ; magnitudes 4.5 and 6; distance, 6".4; white and green ; suspected binary. ? (eta) and 6 (delta) of Bootes. AURIGA. AURIGA. Auriga, or the Charioteer, is one of the oldest constellations and was marked in the- astronomical sphere of Eudoxus. It was named from Erichton, king of Athens, by the Greeks ; and its brightest star, Capella, is the goat, Amalthea, which nursed Jupiter ; the little stars,, e (epsilon), (zeta) and r, (eta), are called "The Kids." POSITION ESIGNA- TION. MAGNI- TTJDE. K. A. 18 80 DECL. DESIGNA- TION. h. m. O / a (Capella) 1.3 5. 8 +45.52 <*> jSdbl. 2.3 5.51 44.56 X y (see Tauri.) 58^7 S 4.2 yel. 5.50 54.17 46 t 1 6 3.V. 4.53 43.39 50.//2 4.0 org. 4.54 40.54 55^ TJ 4.0 4.58 41. 5 \jjlO 0dbl. 3.4 5.52 37-12 4 w dbl. c 3.5 4.49 32.58 2 K 5.6 6. 8 29.33 9 A dbl. 5.5 5.11 39.59 14 trip. M- 6.0 5. 5 38.20 16 dbl. vdbl. 4.6 5.43 39. 7 41 dbl. 5.0 5.45 55.41 63 5.9 5.37 49.47 R IT 5.V. org. 5.51 45.56 * p 6.2 5.13 41.41 * 2 5.0 20. 5 36.29 2.7 yel. 20.41 33.31 29 b3 5.6 20.10 36.26 5.0 19.35 29.52 Temp, of 1876 21.37 42.18 x i dbl. 5.3 19.42 33.28 R 7.V. org. 19.34 49.56 X 2 5.V. red 19.46 32.37 T 5.V. 20.42 33.56 Jrdbl. 5.3 19.53 52. 7 U 7.V. red 20.16 47.31 i 6.0 yel. 20.23 48.59 8.0 red 19.36 32.21 5.0 18. 2 30.34 P. XVI, 279 5.8 16.58 14.16 61 C 5.7 17. 4 36. 6 31312 5.0 17. 7 40.55 59 d 5.2 16.57 33.44 31694 5.8 17.19 40. 6 69 e 4.8 17.14 37.25 E 8.V. red 16. 1 18.42 90 f 5.2 17.49 40. 1 S 6.V. org. 16.46 15. 9 30flT 5.V. red 16.25 42. 9 T 7.V. org. 18. 5 31. 297l 5.3 16.27 11.46 U 7.V. red 16.20 19.10 43 i, dbl. 5.8 red 16.40 8.48 W 8.V. 16.31 37.35 47 fc 5.8 16.44 7.28 * 7.0 red 16.43 42.27 45? . 5.8 16.42 5.28 * 6.6 org. 15.59 47.34 36m 6.0 16.35 4.28 * 7.0 org. 18.14 23.14 28n 5.9 16.27 5.47 M. 13 cl. 16.37 36.41 210 6.2 16.18 7.14 M. 92 cl. 17.13 43.15 NOTES. a ( Alpha) Ras A Igethi Double variable ; magnitudes 3.1 to 3.9 and 5.5 ; distance, 4".7 ; beautiful pair; orange and emerald; very easy. Mr. Jacob, in 1856-58, in using the companion, ob- tained a parallax =0" .062 0".007; but as they form a physical pair the parallax is not sure. (Beta) KorneforosIs also double. P (Rho) Binary ; magnitudes 4.0 and 5.5; distance, in 1880, 3".7; nice pair. K (Kappa) Double ; magnitudes 5.5 and 6.4; distance, 30"; this easy pair looks like Mizar and Alcor, having in the field another star of the 6th magnitude, north of it. 95 Double; magnitudes 5.5 and 5.8; distance, 6"; gold-yellow and pale azure ; very beautiful pair. 8 (Delta) Double ; magnitudes 3.6 and 8 ; distance, in 1880, 18 ' ; change from proper motion ; the first is bright blue, the companion violet. HERCULES. Fig. 71. Double Star a Fig. 72. Double Star 95. (Zeta) Binary; magnitudes 3 and 6; distance, in 1880, 1".3; rapid orbital motion; time34H years; the distance varies from less than 0".6 to 1".5; and good power is required to separate it. The companion disappears for about three years at each revolution, when it comes closer than 0".6 from the main star, as was the case in 1795, which was the first occupation of a star by another star ever observed. low * I 't Fig. 73. Apparent Orbit of Fig. 74. Cluster M. 13. M. 13 Is one of the finest clusters, 8' in diameter, and is composed of more than 5,000 stars from the 10th to the 15th magnitude ; visible to the naked eye on clear nights, when there is no moon; it is about one-third the distance between -n (eta) and (zeta). M. 92 Is another nice cluster of about the same diameter, but not so easy; see between 31,312 and i (iota). 68 M Varies from the 4th to the 6th magnitude in 40 days ; it is a double star. 70 Double, most likely variable; noted 5th magnitude by Hevelius, in 1660; of 4th and 5th by Piazzi; of 6th by Argelander; three times of 4th magnitude by Lalande; of 5 1 /zth byFlam- marion. Piazzi saw it twice double, but generally single; C. Mayer saw it double; W. Herschel found it single ; Sir James South noted at 3' 38" a companion of 9th magnitude one time, of 10th another time, and of llth still another time. Flammarion noted it of 9th magnitude in 1882 (Les Etoiles, page 225). It is a little south of the line between S (delta) and A (lambda), nearer to the first one. HERCULES AQUILA AND ANTING US. Mr. Belopolsky, in 1888, obtained for rj (eta) a parallax=0".400".072; and for (pi) a parallax=0".ll 0".063. The sun, planets, moon, earth our entire system are now going toward a part of this constellation, marked on our planisphere. Are we going directly in that direction? are we describing an orbit around some other star? The future will decide. AQUILA AND ANTINOUS. Aquila is, according to some authors, the eagle of Jupiter, and according to others, Merops, which was changed into an eagle and placed among the stars by Juno. It is an old constellation already mentioned by Eudoxus. Antinous was a young man of great beauty who was drowned in the Nile 132 years A. D. It was introduced as a constellation during the reign of the Emperor Adrian, who loved him so much that he erected temples in his honor and gave his name to a city. .toil* .NA- TION. sa.A.\xi* - TUBE. K.A. 1 380 DECL. M0MBOUV TION. iu.Aort A- TUDE. K.A. 18J DECL. h. m. o / h. m. / a dbl. 1.5 19.45 + 8.33 15 h, dbl. 5.7 18.59 4.13 dbl. 4.0 19.49 + 6. 6 4 5.5 18.39 + 1.56 y dbl. 3.3 red 19.41 +10.19 5 trip. 6.0 18.40 1. 5 dbl. 3.4 19.19 + 2.52 11 dbl. 5.5 18.54 +13.37 f dbl. 4.1 18.54 +14.54 12 4.0 yel. 18.55 5.58 dbl. 3.0 19. +13.41 18 5.5 19. 1 +10.53 i) 3.V. 19.46 + 0.42 19 5.8 19. 3 + 5.53 6 3.0 20.05 1.11 20 5.9 19. 6 8. 9 t 4.4 19.30 1.33 21 dbl. 5.7 19. 8 + 2. 6 K 5.4 19.30 7.18 23 dbl. 5.7 19.12 + 0.50 A 3.3 19. 5. 4 51 5.8 19.44 11. 5 p 4.V. 19.28 + 7. 7 56 dbl. 6.2 19.48 8.54 V 5.4 19.20 + 0. 6 57 dbl. 6.4 19.48 8.33 f dbl. 5.2 19.48 + 8. 9 66 5.8 20. 7 1.22 5.7 19.23 + 1.43 69 5.4 20.23 3.17 TT dbl. 6.0 19.43 +11.31 70 5.2 red 20.30 2.58 p 5.5 20. 9 +14.50 71 4.6 20.32 1.31 tr dbl. 5.7 19.33 + 5. 7 R 7.V. red 19. 1 + 8. 3 T 5.9 19.58 + 6.56 7.0 red 19. 4 +23.59 V 6.2 19.40 + 7.20 6.3 red 19.10 +16.19 * 5.5 19.50 +11. 6 6.4 org. 18.41 +18.35 X 5.8 19.37 +11.32 5.9 org. 18.51 +17.58 * 6.4 19.39 +13. 1 6.5 org. 18.55 +22.39 w 6.0 19.12 +11.23 6.5 org. 18.57 + 8.12 5.0 org. 19.21 +19.34 28 A, dbl. 6.0 19.14 +12.10 6.2 org. 19.21 +19.39 31 b 5.8 19.19 +11.41 6.9 org. 19.24 + 2.39 35C 6.0 19.23 + 1.42 7.1 org. 19.25 + 1.46 27d 5.9 19.14 1.7 7.2 org. 19.27 + 4.46 36 e 5.6 red 19.24 3. 3 6.9 org. 19.28 + 5.12 26/ 5.7 19.14 5.39 7.V. org. 20.20 + 9.40 14 g 5.8 18.57 3.52 M. 11 cl. 18.45 6.27 NOTES. (Alpha) Altair Double; magnitudes 1.7 and 10; distance, 2' 36"; difficult on account of the difference of magnitude. Struye gave for its parallax 0".i8l 0".094 and Mr. Elkin, of Yale College, in 1887, 0".l99 0".047 ; and in taking the average, 0".19, it put the distance at 1,086,000 times the distance of the earth from the sun, or 100 trillions of miles, and it takes the light a little over 17 years to reach us (Revue d'Ast., 1889; page 450). (Eta) Varies from 3.5 to 4.7 in 7 days 4 hours 13 minutes and 53 seconds regularly; this remarkable variation can be followed by the naked eye; very interesting observation. AQUILA AND ANTINOUS SCUTUM SOBIESII. 15 h Double; magnitudes 5.7 and 7.5; distance, 35"; very easy pair. a Fig. 75. Double Star 15 h. Fig. 76. Double Star 11. 57 Double; magnitudes 6.4 and 7.0; distance, 35"; the two stars are sometimes of the color and sometimes different. 11 Double; magnitudes 5.5 and 9; distance, 17"; pair in rapid motion. 23 Double; magnitudes 5.7 and 10; distance, 3"; delicate pair; the companion has its bril- liancy developed more than in ordinary cases by using stronger power. y (Gamma) Tarazed Is also a difficult double in a rich field ; use small power or an opera glass. ft (Beta) AlshainIs also double. M. 11 Is a cluster with several small double stars in the field (see between 12 and 6 of Scutum Sobiesii). n (MM) Varies from the 4th to the 6th magnitude. Many of the stars of this constellation are re- markable for their variability, very few cata- logues giving the same magnitudes from one century to another. Fig> 77 ._ciuster Messier 11. SCUTUM SOBIESII. Scutum Sobiesii, or Sobieski's Shield, is a constellation introduced by Hevelius about 1660, in honor of the Polish hero Sobieski. DESIGNA- TION. 1 2 dbl. 3 6 - 9 B 34113 MAGNI- TUDE. 3.8 5.2 5.3 4.6 5.5 5.V. 4.8 POSITION POSITION ^ * . DESIGNA- MAGNI- r -- s R. A. 18 JO DECL. TION. TUDE. R. A. 18 30 DECL. h. m. O / h. m. 1 18.29 8.20 * 6.5 org. 18.26 14.57 18.36 9.10 If 7.0 org. 18.38 6.39 18.37 8.24 M. 16 el 18.12 13.51 18.42 4.52 M. 17 neb. 18.14 16.14 18.51 6. 1 M. 18 cl 18.13 17.12 18.41 5.50 M. 24 cl. 18.11 18.28 18.22 14.39 NOTES. This constellation, forming part of Aquila and Antinous, is not recognized by many authors; in K. A. Proctor's new atlas, for instance, it does not appear. It is very rich in nebulae, and the Milky Way is very bright in it. It is in that region that William Herschel counted 331,000 stars in five square degrees of it. With an opera glass or a telescope with large field and small power it is beautiful and astonishing. (See Fig. 78.) 38 SCUTUM SOBIESII. SOUTH XVIII h 20 1 40m XIX h The Milky Way in Scutum Sobiesii and adjoining Constellations. M. 17 The first one below 34,113 in our planisphere is the famous nebulae, horseshoe- shaped ; it is one of the most interesting; it has two cen- ters of concentration, and in comparing the sketches made at different periods by different observers the representations vary very much; is it a world in for- mation ?(Flam.,LesEtoiles, pages 237-238.) M. 18 and M. 24 Are two clusters also indicated below the above in our planisphere. R. Varies from the 5.2 to 7.3 in 71 days and 2 hours. Fig. 79. Nebula Messier 17. OPHIUCHUS. OPHIUCHUS. Ophiuchus, or Serpent Bearer, represents the god of medicine, ^Esculapius; as the serpent is a symbol of prudence, so it was one of his attributes. This constellation is one of the forty-eight of the ancients, and appears already during Eudoxus' time. DESIGNA- TION. a dbl. 1 8 dbl. dbl. A bin. dbl. bin. MAGNI- TUDE. 2.0 3.0 yel. 3.8 3.1 red 3.4 yel. 3.0 2.7 3.7 4.4 3.4 yel. 3.8 4.7 3.6 5.0 5.0 4.9 5.2 5.3 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.7 POSITION DE8IGNA- POSITION R. A. 880 DECL. TION. TUDE. B. A. 1880 DECL. h. m. / h, m. o / 17.29 +12.39 53 /, dbl. 6.0 17.29 + 9.40 17.38 + 4.37 20 5.0 16.43 10.34 17.42 + 2.45 30 5.5 org. 16.55 4. 3 16. 8 2.23 39 dbl. 5.8 17.11 24. 9 16.12 - 4.23 41 5.1 17.10 0.19 16.31 10.19 P. XVII, 99 4.9 17.20 4.59 17. 3 15.34 58 5.4 17.36 -21.37 17.15 24.53 66 5.2 17.54 + 4.23 16.48 +10.22 67 dbl. 4.5 17.55 + 2.56 16.52 + 9.34 68 dbl. 4.7 17.56 + 1.19 16.25 + 2.15 70 bin. 4.4 17.59 + 2.32 17.31 8. 3 71 7.0 18. 2 + 8.43 17.52 9.45 72 3.6 18. 2 + 9.33 17.14 20.58 74 dbl. 5.5 18.15 + 3.19 16.18 23.10 R 8.V. org. 17. 1 15.56 17.21 + 4 15 s 8.V. 16.27 16.54 17.56 8.11 Temp, of 1604 17.23 21.23 16.21 8. 6 Temp, of 1848 16.53 12.42 16.24 16.21 * 8.0 red 17.38 18.36 16.20 18.11 * 6.4 org. 16. 3 + 8.52 16.17 19.45 * 7.3 org. 17.52 + 2.44 16.25 21.12 * 6.0 rose 17.16 28. 2 M. 14 cl. 17.31 3.10 17. 8 26.25 J. H. 1992 cl. 17.56 +11. 2 17.19 24. 4 M. 23 cl. 17.50 +18.59 17.24 23.52 M. 10 cl. 16.51 + 3.55 17.20 29.45 M. 12 cl. 16.41 + 1.44 17.13 +11. 36 A, bin. 5.5 44 b 4.7 55 C 5.5 45 d 4.6 5.7 NOTES. a (Alpha) Is also called Ras Alhague; (beta) Cebalrai. T (1604) Observed by Fabricius and Kepler; it was brighter than Jupiter the day of its apparition, the 10th of October, 1604 nearly as bright as Venus; in January, 1605, it was still brighter than Antares; in February it was of the 2d magnitude; in March of the 3d magnitude, but as this part of the constellation, after that date, was lower than the horizon it could not be followed any longer; six months later it could not be found with the naked eye and, unfortunately, the telescope was not invented. Its position was not well denned, but must have been between f (zi) and 58; there is no star above the 9th magnitude in this region (Flam., Les Etoiles, page 248X February 1C05 April May June July Aug. Sept. Fig. 80. Diagram showing the variations of the Temporary of 1604. 40 OPHIUCHUS. T (1848) Between ij (eta) and 20 another temporary was observed by Hind, the 28th of April, 1848; it was noted 4 l /6 magnitude; it was visible to the naked eye until May llth and then went down to the 6th magnitude ; in July it was of the 7th ; in June, 1849, it was seen of the 10th; since 1850 it is of the llth magnitude. R., S. and T. Are also variables but require strong power to see them. A. Double; magnitudes 4. 5 and 6; distance, 4".3 ; as the first varies from the 4th to the 6th magnitude, the components are sometimes equal (such was the case in 1877). At 14' there is a star of the 7th magnitude, traveling in the same direction (S. S. W.) as the above, with a velocity of 1".27 per year; these three stars form a physical system. 70 Binary; magnitudes 4.4 and 6; distance, 2".9 in 1880; revolution about 90 years. If the parallax, 0".168 is correct, the two suns are revolving around each other at an average distance of 2,680 millions of miles apart, which is a little less than tlie distance from Neptune to the sun ; if the star 70 was the same weight as our own sun, the com- panion would revolve in a little less than 164 years, but as it revolves in 90 years it proves that the star 70 weighs nearly three times as much as the sun; and as the sun weighs 324,000 times as much as the earth the conclusion is that 70 of Ophiuchus weighs 985,000 times as much as the earth (Flam., Les Etoiles, page 253). This remarkable pair has, besides, a proper motion of I'M per year, which represents a minimum of 350 millions of miles. Fig. 81. Apparent Orbit of Double Star 70. Fig. 82. Real Orbit of 70. 67 Double; magnitudes 4.5 and 8; distance, 55"; in the same field there is a little orange star of the 7th magnitude ; very easy. Mr. Burnham found a star of the 15th magnitude at a distance of 6".7 in 1889. 39 Double; magnitudes 5.7 and 7.5; distance, 12"; nice pair; yellow and blue. P (Rho) Double; magnitudes 5.0 and 7.5 ; distance, 3".8 ; delicate pair; yellow and blue. r (Taw) Binary; magnitudes 5.2 and 6 ; distance, 1".8 in 1886; period of revolution about 218 years. A. (Lambda) Binary; magnitudes 3.8 and <5; distance, 1".5 in 1880; revolution, 233 years. 2 2173 Binary; magnitudes 6 and 6; distance, 0".8; revolution, 45 years; close pair. M. 14 Is a cluster in a rich field; see between y (gam- ma) and ju. (raw). Between a. (alpha) and 72 there is another rich cluster, very bright, almost visible to the naked eye; use opera glass. This constellation has several other nebulae more or less interesting (see our planisphere). Poczobut took out some stars of this constellation to form Taurus Poniatowskii (Poniatowski's bull). Fig. 83. Cluster Messier 14. SERPENS. 41 SERPENS. This constellation is one of the forty-eight constellations of the ancients (see Ophiuchus). DESIGNA- TION. a dbl. dbl. Y 5 bin. dbl. dbl. dbl. MAGNI- TUDE. 2.6 3.3 3.8 3.3 3.7 4.8 3.4 4.4 4.9 4.0 org. 4.7 3.3 4.6 3.7 4.7 4.7 4.8 red 5.4 5.5 POSITION POSITION B. A. 188 DECL. TION. TTTDE. B.A. \i WO DECL. h. m. / h. m. O / 15.38 + 6.48 V 6.0 15.42 +14.30 15.41 +15.48 * 6.0 15.52 +14.46 15.51 +16. 3 X 5.8 15.36 +13.14 15.29 +10.57 * 6.2 15.38 + 2.54 15.45 + 4.51 CO 5.7 15.44 + 2.34 17.54 3.41 18.15 2.56 11 Al 6.0 15.27 0.47 18.50 + 4. 3 25 A2 5.8 15.40 1.26 15.36 +20. 3 36b 5.6 15.45 2.43 15.43 +18.31 60C 5.9 18.23 2. 4 15.41 + 7.43 59 d, dbl. 5.6 18.21 + 0. 7 15.43 3. 4 e 6.1 18.32 0.25 17.14 12.43 5 dbl. 5.2 15.13 + 2.14 17.31 15.19 R 6.V. org. 15.45 +15.30 17.35 12.49 s 8.V. red 15.16 +14.45 15.57 +23. 9 if 6.7 red 15.31 +15.30 15.46 +21.21 M. 5 cl. 15.12 + 2.32 16.16 + 1.19 H. VIII, 72 cl. 18.22 + 6.29 15.20 +15.51 J. H. 1929 cl. 15.31 + 6.25 NOTES. a (Alpha) UnukalhaiIs a double star. 9 (T/ieta) Double; magnitudes 4.4 and 5.0; distance, 21"; easy pair. S S Fig. 83.-Double Star e Fig. 84. Double Star 5 6 (Delta) Binary ; magnitudes 3.4 and 5.0; distance, in 1880, 3".5; the companion is a variable and the two stars have often been seen of same magnitude; the orbital motion is quite slow, only 48 CT in 98 years; the entire revolution must take about 900 years (Flam., Les Etoiles, page 257). v (Nu) Double; magnitudes 4.6 and 9; distance, 51"; easy pair. 5 Double; magnitudes 5.2 and 10; distance, 10". M. 5 Is a rich cluster. W. Herschel counted 200 stars in it, but in the center they are so close together that it is nearly impossible to determine the num- ber (see near 5). H. VIII, 72 Is also a cluster, almost visible to the naked eye (see with an opera glass between 9 (theta) and 72 of Ophiuchus). An opera glass will also show a little cluster N. E. of a (alpha). Fig. 85. Cluster, Messier 5. ZODIACAL CONSTELLATIONS. PISCES. 35 This constellation appeared in the astronomical sphere of Eudoxns; some said it was called the Fishes because it appears at the time of the rainy days; others said that they were consecrated to Venus and Cupid, who were changed into fishes to escape the pursuit of the Giants ; for this reason the Syrians never ate fish, for in so doing they feared they might eat one of their gods. It is now the first constellation of the Zodiac. DESIGNA- TION. a bin. y s e { dbl. dbl. dbl. trip. dbl. i dbl. MAGNI- TUDE. 4.0 4.5 3.8 4.5 4.3 4.9 3.6 5.4 4.2 4.8 4.7 5.0 4.6 yel. 4.7 4.4 5.8 5.6 5.5 5.4 4.4 4.8 4.8 4.9 5.8 6.0 4.2 R. A. 1 580 DECL. uaauumjL' TION. MAliWl- TUDE. h. m. / 1.56 + 2.11 5 A 5.6 22.58 3.10 7b 5.5 23.11 2.38 31 el 6.3 0.42 6.56 32 c2 5.8 0.57 7.15 41 d 5.3 1. 7 6.57 806 5.6 1.25 14.44 89 / 5.2 23.22 5.44 82 g 5.5 23.34 4.59 6Sh 6.0 23.21 0,36 65 i, dbl. 6.0 23.36 1. 7 67 k 6.0 1.24 5.32 911 5.5 1.35 4.53 19 5.0 org. 1.47 2.36 27 5.2 1.39 8.33 29 5.0 1.31 11.32 30 4.5 1.29 18.35 33 4.9 0.56 31.10 35 dbl. 6.0 1. 5 29.27 51 dbl. 6.0 1.13 26.38 55 dbl. 5.8 1. 7 23.57 58 5.4 1. 5 20.24 77 dbl. 6.0 0.59 20.50 94 5.3 1. 1 20. 6 100 dbl. 7.0 1. 3 19. 1 R 8.V. red 23.53 6.12 * 7.0 org. POSITION B. A. It !80 DECL. h. m. o / 23. 3 +1.28 23.14 4.44 23.56 8.17 23.56 7.49 0.14 7.32 1. 2 5. 1 1.12 2.59 1. 4 30.47 0.51 28.21 0.43 27. 4 0.49 26.34 1.14 28. 7 23.40 + 2.49 23.53 4.13 23.56 3.42 23.56 6.41 23.59 6.23 0. 9 + 8.10 0.26 6.17 0.34 20.47 0.41 11.20 1. 4.16 1.21 18.39 1.29 11.57 1.24 2.16 1.10 25. 8 NOTES. a (Alpha) Binary; magnitudes 4 and 5; distance, 3".l in 1880; very slow orbital motion, only 14 in 100 years; revolution, 2,570 years. (Zeto) Double; magnitudes 4.9 and 6; distance, 24"; easy and bright pair. s Fig. 86. Double Star Fig. 87. Double Star PISCES ARIES. \ft (Psi) Double; magnitudes 5.4 and 5.4; distance, 30"; very easy pair, in motion. 77 Double; magnitudes 6 and 7; distance, 33"; very easy pair. 65 v-Double; magnitudes 6 and 8; distance, 4".5; the components are sometimes of the same magnitude ; it is a delicate pair. 35 Double; magnitudes 6 and 8 ; distance, 12"; easy pair. 51 Double; magnitudes 6 and 9; distance, 28"; small companion but easy pair; pearl-white and pale lilac. 55 Double; magnitudes 6 and 9; distance, 6"; pretty pair; orange and sapphire nice contrast. This constellation has also several variables, but they require a good instrument. ARIES. Aries, or the Ram, is a very old constellation; it was called Jupiter Ammon and Chrys- ommallus, or the Golden Fleece; Eudoxus had it on his sphere, and in all probability found it already established by the Egyptians. WAGNI- POSITION DESIGNA- POSITION TION. TUBE. B. A. 18 80 DECL. TION. TUDE. B. A. 1880 DECL. h. m. / h. m. o / a (Hamal) dbl. 2.2yel. 2. +22.54 46 P 6.0 2.50 +17.32 /3 dbl. 3.0 1.48 20.13 j (eta) of Taurus. The position very difficult to be identified from the catalogues and some changes have been noted from the first observations taken ovei\2,000 years ago and at the present time ; most of them are variables and only a few years of observations indicate some difference in their magnitude. c during the Egyptian period, the sun the vernal equinox. , six or seven visible to the naked eye; e nymph Pleione. In our diagram we i glass; also, the names of the entire and the magnitudes of these stars are md maps published at different times, IT Asterope.. ^ MaVa m ,' m ^ Celaeno '*' x ^ * LpUbna s''' Electre'jj NAMES. MAGNI- TUDE. POSITION H. A. 1880 DECL. Celaeno 6.5 4.5 5.8 5.0 6.5 1 7.0* 5.5 3.0 4.6 6.3 h.m. s. ' 3.37.40 20.54,7 3.37.45 23.44,1 3.38. 4 24. 5.4 3.38.41 23.59,8 3.38.45 24.10,7 3.39.12 23.34,4 3.40.21 23.44,0 3.42. 2 23.41,2 3.42. 3 23.46,2 Electra Taygete *AtI A " lcy0ne \ ..-* ^Merope 26 Fl. Maia Asteropei ) Asterope2 ) ' ' Merope Alcyone Atlas Pleione Fig. 90. The 14 principal Pleiades. As our object is to describe the heavens as they are now, we have given the position, the names and the magnitude of the Pleiades for the year 1880; the amateurs who wish to go deeper with the study of this interesting group can refer to M. Flammarion's book, " Les Etoiles," pages 289 to 306. Messrs. Paul and Prosper Henry, after taking the photograph of the Pleiattesthe 16ft of December, 1885, discovered a bright nebula starting from Mala, going a little west, then turning abruptly toward the north and measuring about 3 minutes ; tbey pliotograplied the same region again on the 16th of November, the 8th and 9th of December, 1885, and the 8th of January, 1886, and the nebula was visible on the plates each time; still, in looking through all the telescopes of the Paris Observatory they could not see it; it was identified later at Pulkova Observatory (Revue d'Ast., 1886; page 45). In 1859, Mr. Tempel, of Marseilles, discovered at Venice, the 23d of October, 1859, a nebula starting from Merope, which he thought was a comet ; he saw it again at Marseilles several times in 1860. Mr. Julius Schmidt, of Athens, never noticed it from 1844 until the 5th of Feb- ruary, 1861 ; the atmosphere that night was extraordinarily pure. Mr. Chacornac observed it at Paris the 16th of September, 1862, and Mr. Webb in 1863 and 1865; it was then very faint and some experienced observers, such as Burnham, never saw it; in November, 1890, Mr. Barnard also saw it, and since then it has been photographed several times. This nebula is very likely variable. The Henry Brothers took another photograph of the same region the 16th of November, 1887 (Fig. 90), showing several new nebulae, each one in the neighborhood of the principal stars and connected by faint nebulosities, one of them especially very straight, measuring 37 minutes and passing through seven small stars nearly parallel to the direction of Pleione to Alcyone, starting from a star about half way between Alcyone and Maia and ending a little N. W. of Pleione. This photograph was taken again the 14th of December, 1887, and made over twice, showing always the same details, therefore they must really exist. The Pleiades show no sign of a parallax, but supposing that they are as near to us as 61 Cygni or Aldeb- aran and offer a parallax of 0".5, the line above described would represent 410 billions of miles and in the same proportion would be 650 millions of miles in width. These figures are certainly the minima (1888, Revue d'Ast., pages 401 and 404). TAURUS PLEIADES. NORTH Aaterope Fig. 91. The Pleiades, from a photograph taken by Messrs. Paul and Prosper Henry, in 1887. The distance between Alcyone and Electra is 37 minutes, the distance from Merope to Maia is 25 minutes; the full moon measures only 31 minutes, and in looking at that beautiful cluster the impression is that the moon would N cover the entire group; still it could be inserted between Taygete and Merope without touching these stars. When the moon passes in front of the Pleiades and eclipses one after the other, it is wonderful and one can hardly believe his own eyes. From observations by Bradley in 1755, by Bessel in 1825 and 1840, by Wolf in 1874, all the Pleiades have a proper motion a little east of the south; as our system goes in that direction and the effect may be due to our own motion, we repro- duce M. Flammarion's diagram representing this remarkable illustration; the ends of the arrows show the position of each of the stars 10,000 years PleYone /Electre Alcyone from now, if the movement is regular. Fig. 92. Proper motion of the Pleiades. TAURUS. 47 HyadesAre another cluster, also visible to the naked eye ; very nice with an opera glass ; from observations made for 30 stars of this cluster it is evident that they all go in the same direction, S. E. S. toward Aldebaran, which has itself a motion in a direction inclined from 45 to 50 with the general motion of the Hyades. a (Alpha) Aldebaran Triple; magnitudes 1.4-14 and 11; distance, 30".4 and 115". The faint, star is a difficult object on account of the brilliancy of Aldebaran and requires good power. Mr. Burnham found the nearest companion at Chicago in 1877, distance, 30".4, and in 1888, with the 36-inch telescope of Mt. Hamilton, discovered that the old com- panion was also double, distance 2". Aldebaran and Burnham companion have the same proper motion, 0".188 in the direction of 164.4, and the old companion has an annual motion of 0".095 in the direction of about 109.6. Fig. 93, made from a diagram by Mr. Burnham, shows the proper motion of Aldebaran and its companions. Struve gave for the parallax of this star in 1854 0".5160".057 Elkin, of Yale College, in 1887-8, gave 0".1160".029 Hall, of Washington, in 1888 0".1020".Q30 In taking the average of the three or 0".24 it would represent 874,000 times the distance of the earth from the sun, or 80 trillions of miles, and the light would have to travel more than 13 years and 9 months to reach us (Revue d'Ast., 1889; pages 445 and 450). It is one of the nearest stars to us. /3 (Beta) NathIs a double star. A (Lambda) Varies regularly from the 3.4 to the 4.2 magnitude in the short period of 3 days 22 hours 52 minutes and 24 seconds ; it is one of the most remarkable variables; easily followed with the naked eye. (Theta) The stars 01 and 92 are visible to the naked eye at 5' 37" and have kept the same posi- tion in regard to each other since Flamsteed's observations in 1696; magnitudes 4.2 and 4.5 (see with an opera glass). a (Sigma) Double ; magnitudes 5.4 and 5.4; distance, 7' 10"; use an opera glass. * (Kappa) Double ; magnitudes 4.8 and 6.5; dist- ance, 5' 40"; between i and 2 there is a very close pair; nice field. T (Tau) Double; magnitudes 4.5 and 8; distance, 62"; very easy pair. 88(1 Double; magnitudes 4.6 and 9; distance, 68"; very easy with small instrument. (Phi) Double ; magnitudes 5.5 and 8.5; distance, 56"; very easy with small instrument. X (CM) Double ; magnitudes 5.7 and 8; distance, 19"; elegant pair. 2 730 Double; magnitudes 6 and 7; distance, 9".8; very easy pair. Ill Double; magnitudes 6 and 9; distance, 75" ; it is near the above in the direction of Aldebaran. -Diagram showing the proper motion Aldebaran and its companions. M. 1 Is the famous "Crab Nebula," see near (zeta) ; discovered by Messier, and the first of his catalogue; he saw it by accident in looking at the comet of 1758; there are several small stars in it, but they do not belong to the nebula; a large telescope is necessary to show all the marvels of this beautiful object, which is no less than 3*4 minutes wide by 5 l / 2 minutes long. (Fig. 95.) 48 TAUEUS- GEMINI. This constellation contains sev- eral variables too small for common telescopes we only note: V. Varies from the 8.6 to 12.8 magni- tude in 170 days. 39 A2 East of A is a triple of magni- tudes 6.4-9 and 9; distances, 26" and 37"; the third star is coming nearer to the main star. S Fig. 94. -Triple Star 39 A2 Fig. 95. Nebula Messier l. As seen in Lord Rosse's telescope. GEMINI. Gemini, or the Twins, according to Greek mythology, are Castor and Pollux, or Apollo and Hercules, all sons of Jupiter, thence the name "Dioscures " (Jupiter's Sons), sometimes given to them. Castor having been killed during the siege of Sparta, Pollux asked Jupiter to give half of his life to his brother so that they could live alternatively together. The king of the gods, to immortalize such proof of fraternal love, put them both among the constellations. According to others they are the inseparable gods Horus and Harpocrates of the Egyptians. DESIGNA- TION. MAGNI- TUDE. a (Castor) bin. 23 (3 (Pollux) qdl. 1.9 org. ytrip. Sdbl. edbl. dbl. A dbl. Mdbl. o trip. n trip. p 2 5.0 7.13 22.12 76 c 6.3 6.36 25.15 36 d 6.0 6.57 20.45 38 e bin. 5.4 6. 8 22.32 74 / 6.0 6.45 34. 6 810 5.8 7.18 28. 3 1 (Propus) 5.0 7.37 24.42 15 dbl. 6.0 7.11 16.45 20 dbl. 6.0 6.16 22.35 26 5.5 6.22 20.17 30 5.7 6.38 13. 1 61 dbl. 6.V. 7.31 34.52 70 trip. 6.3 7.40 33.44 85 6.0 7.21 32. 1 2 1083 dbl. 8.0 7.36 7. 3 7.28 29.11 30.27 27.10 B S T * 7.V. org. 8.V. org. 8.V. org. 7.2 red 7.46 27. 6 * 7.4 red 7.56 28. 8 # 6.7 red 8. 6 30. 2 M.35 cl. 6.55 24 23 H. IV, 45 neb. B. A. H J80 DECL. h. m. o / 7.16 +25 17 7.22 28.23 7.22 28.11 7.37 26. 5 6.41 21.54 6.48 13.20 7.32 17.57 7.39 18.49 5.57 23.17 6.21 20.52 6.25 17.52 6.35 17.46 6.37 13.21 7.20 20.30 7.31 35.19 7.48 20.13 7.18 20.46 7. 22.53 7.36 23.44 7.42 24. 2 7. 8 22.11 6. 3 26. 2 6. 5 22.56 6. 1 24.21 7.22 21. 9 GEMINI. NOTES, a (Alpha) Castor Binary; magnitudes 2.5 and 3.0; distance, in 1880, 5".6; one of the finest double stars; the orbital motion takes nearly 1,000 years; at 73" distance from Castor there is a small star of the S 9'/th magnitude which seems to form part of a trinary system. Castor is moving at the rate of 28 miles per second in an opposite direction from us, or 890 millions of miles per year. Johnson, in 1854-5, found a parallax of // .198 0".l40 ; which is too uncertain to fix the distance of this beautiful pair from us. ft (Beta) Pollux Is a quadruple star, but requires good pow- er, the companions being from the 10th to the 12th magnitude. This star is com- ing toward us with a veloci- ty still greater than the one of Castor, about 40 miles per second, and the distance be- tween the "two brothers" must be 6 trillions 250 bill- Fi S- 96.-Castor and its small companion. ions of miles, farther apart now than at the time of Homer (Flam., Les Etoiles, page 319). Mr. Elkin, in 1887-8, found for its parallax 0".0680".047, but the uncertainty is too great to determine its distance (Revue d'Ast., 1889; page 448). y (Gamma) AlthenaIs a triple star. (Zeta) Varies from the 3.7 to the 4.5 magnitude in a period of 10 days 3 hours and 47 minutes ; it has a companion of the 8th magnitude at a distance of 90". 17 (Eta) Varies from the 3.2 to the 4.2 magnitude in a period of 230 days. It is a close double, discovered by Mr. Burnham in 1881 ; distance, I". 8 (Delta) Wesat Double ; magnitudes 3.8 and 8; distance, 7"; supposed to be binary, e (Epsilori) MebsutaH'ds a distant companion, ill". K (Kappa) Double; magnitudes 3.8 and 9; distance, 6"; orange and azure ; the companion varies from the 8th to the 10th magnitude. Sir John Herschel thought that it was a planet of the main star and was receiving its light from it (Flam., Les Etoiles, page 320). 38 e Double ; magnitudes 5.4 and 8 ; distance, 6" ; the two stars are variables ; the first one is gold- yellow, and the companion changes color from green to blue and from purple to red. 20 Double; magnitudes 6 and 7; dis- tance, 20"; these two stars are also variables. Gl Double; magnitudes 6 and 9; distance, 60". M. 35 Near Propus is the famous cluster of Gemini, visible to the naked eye, composed of hundreds of stars from the llth to the 12th magnitudes. A field of 19' in diameter is entirely filled up with stars ; splendid object. H. IV, 45 Is a planetary nebula 2 S. E. of S (delta) ; its spectrum shows the rays of hydrogen and nitrogen ; it is absolutely gaseous. In the center there is a star of the 9th magnitude. This constellation contains also several variables too small for common telescopes. Fig. 97. Cluster Messier 35. CANCER. CANCER. 8*18 Cancer, or the Crab, was known by Eudoxus, Hipparchus and Ptolemy, and its Greek name, " Karkinos," has the same meaning as the English name Crab. It is claimed by some that the name of this constellation has been given it because the sun passed through it at the solstice of summer and then started to retrograde ; but it was known more than 2,000 years ago, and this explanation is not applicable. According to others, it is the crab killed by Hercules when he was fighting against the Hydra. DESIGNA- TION. MAGNI- TUDE. a 4.2 |3 3.7 y 4.4 S 4.3 e (Prsesepe) cl. trin. 4.8 n 5.6 0dbl. 5.5 tdbl. 4.5 K 5.0 A. 5.8 9/x 1 6.3 10 /*2 5.9 V 5.5 t 5.0 62 oi 5.5 63 o2 6.0 82 7T 5.8 red 55 pi 6.0 58 P 2 5.8 51! dbl. 6.0 23 2 dbl. 6.2 POSITION DESIGNA- MAGNI- K.A. 18 80 DECL. TION. TUDE. h. m. O / 8.52 +12.19 18 X 5.6 8.10 9.33 14 ty 6.0 8.36 21.54 2 col 6.0 8.38 18.35 4 u>2 6.3 8.33 19.58 8. 5 18. 1 45 Ai 5.5 8.26 20.51 50 A2 5.5 8.25 18.31 49 b 6.0 8.39 29.12 36 c 6.0 9. 1 11. 9 20 dl 6.0 8.13 24.24 25 d2 6.3 7.59 22.59 8 6.2 8. 1 21.56 24 dbl. 6.7 8.56 24.56 57 dbl. 6.0 9. 2 22.33 60 5.8 org. 8.50 15.47 83 6.0 8.51 16. 2 P. VIII, 42 6.3 9. 8 15.27 R 7.V. org. 8.45 28.49 S 8.V. 8.48 28.25 T 8.V. red 8.46 32.58 V 7.V. org. 8.52 33.23 2 1311 dbl. 6.7 8.54 32.49 2 1177 dbl. 6.5 8.54 32.46 * 6.5 red 8.59 30. 9 * 6.5 red 8.24 24.29 H. II, 80 neb. 8.22 24.33 H. II, 48 neb. 8.19 28.18 M. 67 cl. 8.20 27.20 B. A. 13SO DECL. h. m. ' NOTES. Prcesepe Is a beautiful cluster, visible to the naked eye; composed of stars from 6 l / to the 10th magnitude; very easy with opera glass and instruments of small power; it is also called the " Bee Hive;" eight minutes east of it will be seen two small nebulae. William Herschel, in 1784, saw another one there, but it was never seen afterward; it was per- haps a comet (Flam., Les Etoiles, page 333). (See Fig. 98.) Scale 10" = l inch. S Fig. 98. The Pnesepe, or Bee Hive Fig. 99. Trinary in CANCER LEO. <. (Im.a) -Double; magnitudes, 4.5 and 7; distance, 30"; pale orange and blue; nice contrast. (Zeta) Trinary; magnitudes 5.5-6.2 and 6.6; distance, 0".8 and 5".3; the first two revolve around each other in 60 years ; the third revolves around the two others in 600 years ; it is the most important system of the kind. (Fig. 99.) 02 (Phi) Double; magnitudes 6.0 and 6.5; distance, 4".8; very brilliant pair; sometimes the two stars seem to be of equal magnitude ; <> (see 4>) is also double ; nice field. 6 (Theta) Double; magnitudes 5.5 and 9: distance one minute exactly. 57 Double; magnitudes 5.8 and 7 ; distance, l".4; close pair. 2 1298 Double; magnitudes 6,5 and 9; distance, 4".8; very nice pair; white and blue. 2 3121 Binary; magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5; distance, 0".7; revolution 39 years; very close pair; between /3 (beta) and 8. M. 67 Is a rich cluster, almost visible to the naked eye, composed of several hundreds of stars of the 10th and llth magnitudes ; see with opera glass near 60. There are several variables in this constellation; the principal ones are : R. Varies from 6.3 to 13th magnitude in 359 days (see north of ft (beta).) S. Varies from 8th to lO^th magnitude in 9 days 11 hours 37 minutes (see between S (delta) and y (gamma).) T. Varies from 8.3 to 9.9 magnitude in 455 days (see about half way between 8 (delta) and f (zi).) Fig. 100. Cluster Messier 67. LEO. Leo, or the Lion, is, according to Greek in the forest of Nemea, and placed among the exploit of his son. DE8IGNA- MAGNI- TION. TUDE. a dbl. 1.9 ft dbl. 2.1 Y bin. 2.2 yel. 6 trip. 2.8 e 3.0 3.3 TI 3.8 e 3.4 t bin. 4.0 K dbl. 4.8 A 4.6 red /x dbl. 4.2 v 5.1 5.5 o dbl. 3.9 TT 5.2 red P 4.0 a- dbl. 4.2 r dbl. 5.2 v dbl. 4.4 dbl. 4.3 X 4.7 t dbl. 5.5 a> bin. 5.9 31 A 5.0 org. 60 h 4.9 red 59 c 5.0 58 d 5.3 87 e 5.2 red 15 / r,.7 mythology, the famous lion killed by Hercules the constellations by Jupiter to commemorate POSITION B. A. 1880 DECL. DESIGNA- TION . MAGNI- TUDE. h. m. o / 10. 2 +12.33 22flf 5.8 11.43 15.15 6 h dbl. 5.7 10.13 20.27 52 k 6.0 11. 8 21.11 531 5.7 9.39 24.20 51m 6.0 10.10 24. 1 73 n 5.8 10. 1 17.21 95o 6.0 11. 8 16. 5 pi 5.9 11.18 11.12 61 pa 5.4 9.18 26.42 62 p3 6.2 9.25 23.31 65 p* 5.8 9.46 26.34 69 p5 5.6 9.52 13. 1 49 dbl. 6.0 9.26 11.51 54 dbl. 4.5 9.35 10.26 71 7.4 9.54 8.37 72 5.0 org. 10.26 9.55 75 6.0 org. 11.15 6.41 92 5.8 11.22 + 3.31 93 dbl. 4.5 11.31 0.10 P. IX, 230 6.0 11.11 3. 83 dbl. 7.0 10.59 + 7.59 88 dbl. 6.0 9.37 14.35 90 trip. 6.0 9.22 9.36 R 6.V. org. * 6.5 10. 2 10.36 M.65 neb. 10.56 20.49 M. 66 neb. 10.66 <;.4r> H. Ill, 76 neb. 10.54 + 4.16 H. I, 56-57 neb. 11.24 2.21 H. I, 17-18 neb. 9.37 +30.32 M. 95 neb. B. A. 1880 DECL. h. m. o r 9.45 +24.59 9.26 10.16 10.40 14.49 10.43 11.11 10.40 19.31 11.10 13.58 11.50 +16.19 10.48 1.29 10.56 1.50 10.57 + 0.39 11. 1 2.37 11. 8 0.36 10.29 9.17 10.49 25.25 11.12 18.32 11. 9 23.45 11.11 2.40 11.35 22. 1 11.42 20.54 10.58 0.37 11.21 3.40 11.26 15. 3 11.28 17.28 9.41 11.59 11.29 11.35 11.13 13.45 11.14 13.38 11.12 15.28 9.25 22. 2 10.41 13.13 10.38 +12.19 LEO. NOTES. a (Alpha) Regulus W&s observed and its position determined 2,120 years B. C., by Ihe Babylonian astronomers ; it was then in longitude 92 30' ; it is now in longitude 148 9', and it is by the change of longitude that Hipparclms discovered the precession of the equinoxes, 127 years B. C. ; it was then in longitude 119 5tf. Regulus is a double; magnitudes 1.9 and 8; distance, 2' 57"; the companion is also double; distance, 3". It lias a motion of 27" west in 100 years ; Mr. Elkin, of Yale College, in 1887-88, obtained a parallax quite uncertain =0".0930".048; if S it was equal to only one-tenth of a second the distance between the two stars would be 163 billions 45)0 millions of miles, and if Regulus has the same attraction as our own sun, the companion would revolve around it in no less than 76,000 years. (Flam., Les Etoiles, pages 354-5.) S Fig. 101. Double Star Kegulus. Scale 100"=1 inch. Fig. 102. Binary y /3 (Beta) Denebola Double ; magnitudes 2.1 and 8; distance, 4' 42"; nice field. y (Gamma) Algeiba Binary; magnitudes 2.5 and 4; distance, in 1880, 3".3; beautiful pair one of the brightest ; in the field will also be found two stars of the 7th and 9th magnitudes. & (Delta) ZosmaIs a triple star. (Zeta) Double ; magnitudes 3.3 and 6; distance, 5' 19"; easy pair; an opera glass is sufficient. t (Iota) Binary; magnitudes 4 and 7; distance, 2."7; the main star is yellow, and the com- panion changes in color from greenish-yellow to dark blue; when it is of the darkest color it sometimes conies down as low as the 9th magnitude. 54 Double; magnitudes 4.5 and 7; distance, 6".3; nice pair. r (Tau^ Double; magnitudes 5.2 and 7; distance, 94"; very easy pair. 88 Double; magnitudes 6 and 8; distance, 15"; system in rapid motion. 90 Triple; magnitudes 6, 7 and 8; distances, 3".3 and 64". 83 Double; magnitudes 7 and 8; distance, 30"; nice pair; white and pale rose. w (Omega) Binary; magnitudes 5.9 and 7; distance, 0".5 in 1880; white and blue; revolution 124 years. R. Is the principal variable of this constellation and varies from 5.8 to the llth mag- nitude in 331 days; visible to the naked eye at its maximum. It is between Regulus and o (omicron) ; in the same field with 18 and 19, and its red color forms a striking contrast with these two stars, which are of the 6th and 7th magnitudes and perfectly white. M. 65 and M. 66- Nebulae i' 19" apart from each other (see south of (theta) near 73). Fig. 103. Nebul* M. 65, and M. 66. LEO -VIRGO. 53 H. I, 5(5 Visible in the field south of 9 (theta), is another double nebula 1V4' wide and 3' long, south of A (lambda). H. 1, 17 Is also a double nebula between 9 (theta) and p (rho). M. 95 Is also a double nebula ; between (theta) and p (rho) is another nebula west of the above. a ( Alpha), i? (eta), y (gamma), (zeta), n (mu) and e (epxilon), form what is called the "Sickle." Fig. 104. Nebula H. 1, 56, in Lord Kosse's telescope. Fig. 105. Nebula M. 65, in Lord Eosse's telescope. VIRGO. ^ Virgo, or the Virgin, is a very old constellation, mentioned already by Eudoxus, Aratus, Hipparchus and Ptolemy, who called it " Parthenos " (the Virgin) ; it was also named Ceres, from the goddess of Agriculture ; Themis, from the goddess of Justice ; Astraea, from the daughter of Jupiter and Themis, goddess of Innocence and Purity, who was the last of the gods obliged to withdraw from the earth at the end of the " Golden Age," on account of the crimes of humanity ; it was also sometimes named from Diana, of Ephesus ; from Isis, of Egypt; from Minerva, mother of Bacchus, etc. It is called Erigone by Virgil. DESIGNA- TION. MAGNI- TUDE. a (Spica) dbl. 1.5 /3 dbl. 3.5 y bin. 3.2 8 dbl. 3.4 red e dbl. 2.8 dbl. 3.5 q 3.9 trip. 4.6 i 4.1 K 4.2 red \ 4.9 fj. 4.0 V 4.1 5.3 o dbl. 4.2 7T 4.8 P 5.0 (T 5.3 red r (U.l. 4.4 102 wl 5.6 103 v2 6.8 dbl. 5.2 B. A. IS 80 DECL. TION. TUDE. h. m. o / 13.19 10.32 X 5.2 11.44 + 2.26 * 5.2 12.36 0.47 o> 6.0 12.50 + 4. 3 12.56 +11.36 4 Al 5.8 13.29 + 0. 1 6 A2 6.1 12.14 0. 7 h 5.8 13. 4 - 4.54 16 c 5.5 14.10 5.24 31 di 6.0 14. 6 9.43 32 4 74 1 r>.2 ivd 13.12 + 6. 6 82 m 5.8 13.56 + 2. 8 n 6.8 14.13 1.42 78 o 5.3 14.16 1.26 90 p 5.6 14.22 - 1.41 21 q r,.v. R. A. h. m, 12.33 12.48 11.32 1880 DECL. O f 7.20 8.54 + 8.48 11.42 + 8.55 11.49 + 9. 7 11.54 + 4.19 12.14 + 3.58 12.36 + 7.28 12.40 + 8.20 13.11 +10. 3 12.31 5.10 13. 2 8.20 13.27 9.32 13. 20 12. 5 12.83 3.10 13.2C, 5.38 13.3f> 8. 6 13.49 8.58 13.28 + 4.16 13.49 0.55 12.28 8.48 ": r<, ii&lllfrv. OlTV M VIRGO. DEBIGNA- VI R G O CONTINUED. POSITION MAGNI- POSITION TICK. TUDE. B. A. U 80 DECL. TION. TUDE. B. A. 1 580 DECL. h. m. / h. m. 1 49 5.6 13. 2 10. 6 * 7.0 red 11.52 + 4.10 50 6.3 13. 3 9.41 * 7.5 red 44.19 +26.15 53 dbl. 5.3 13. 6 15.33 * 8.0 org. 12.19 + 1.27 61 dbl. 5.3 13.12 17.39 * 7.0 org. 14.18 + 8.38 63 5.6 13.17 17. 6 69 5.0 13.21 15.21 R 7.V. org. 12.32 + 7.39 70 5.5 13.23 +14.26 S 7.V. org. 13.27 6.35 75 dbl. 6.0 13.26 14.45 T 8.V. red 12. 8 - 5.22 84 bin. (?) 5.5 13.37 + 4. 9 U 8.V. org. 12.45 + 6.12 86 dbl. 5.8 13.40 11.49 V 8.V. org. 13.22 2.33 89 5.4 13.43 17.32 X 7.V. 11.56 + 9.44 96 6.9 14. 3 9.47 * 7.V. 12.32 + 2.38 97 7.0 14. 7 + 8.35 * 7.V. 13.57 1.48 109 4.5 14.40 + 2.24 M. 60 neb 12.38 +12.13 4700 B. A. C. 5.5 red 14. 4 15.44 H. IV, 8-9 neb. dbl. 12.31 +11.53 110 4.9 14.57 + 2.34 M. 58 neb. 12.33 +12.29 P. XII, 142 4.V. 12.32 + 2.31 M. 84 neb. 12.20 +13.33 P. XIII, 174 6.5 13.38 4.54 M. 86 neb. 12.21 +13.46 P. XIV, 12 5.0 14. 6 + 2.58 M. 87 neb. 12.25 +13. 2 Lai. 23228 6.1 12.19 10.56 M.88 neb. 12.26 +15. 5 Lai. 25086 5.V. 13.28 12.36 M. 90 neb. 12.31 +13.49 54 dbl. 6.3 13. 7 17.56 M. 91 neb. 12.33 +14.26 84 dbl. 5.8 13.37 + 4. 9 H. II, 74-75 neb. dbl. 12.47 +11.57 P. XII, 32 dbl. 6.0 12.12 3.16 M. 99 neb. 12.13 +15. 5 P. XII, 196 dbl 6.5 12.46 - 9.38 H. I, 43 neb. 12.34 10.57 P.XIII,127dbl 8.0 13.29 + 0.21 H. I, 70 cl. 14.23 5.26 17 dbl. 7.0 red 12.16 + 5.58 M. 61 neb. dbl. 12.16 + 5. 8 * 6.5 12.32 +14.50 NOTES. (Beta} is also called Zavijava, and e (epsilon) Vindemiatrix. y (Gamma) Binary ;jn%nitude 3.0 and 3.2; distance, in 1880, 5"; one of the finest pairs; both yellow; we see its orbit from here nearly as it is in reality. We give below a table showing the position of the components and names of observers since 1718: YEAR. OBSERVERS. DISTANCE. . ANGLE. 1718 Bradley and Cassini . 6" 331 1756 Tobie Mayer. ... 6" 324 1781 William Herschel 6" 311 1803 William Herschel 4V 300 180 John Herschel and South 3" 284 1830 W Struve and Dawes. 1"8 262 1836 Smyth, Dawes, Struve 0".4 140 1840 Kaiser, Galle, Madler 1".3 970 1850 1860 Wrottesley, Main, Jacob Secchi, Knott, Dembowski 2".8 3".9 356 348 1870 Duner Wilson Gledhill . . 4" 5 342 1880 Hall Stone, Flammarion 5"0 337 The perihelion arrived in 1836, and the two stars were so close to each other that they could not be separated ; the revolution takes 175 years ; the velocity of the companion is over 60 times more rapid at the perihelion than at the aphelion. This remarkable pair shows no signs of parallax, and the two stars must be at a great distance from each other; one is some- times brighter than the other. VIRGO. Fig. 106. Orbit of y 21757 Binary; magnitudes 8 and 9; distance, 2"; very close pair; white and yellow; revolu- tion, 292 years. 6 (Theta) Triple; magnitudes 4.5-9 and 10; distances, 7" and 65". 84 Double; magnitudes 5.8 and 8.5 : distance, 3".5; yellow and blue ; suspected binary. 54 Double; magnitudes 6.3 and 7.5; distance, 5".7 ; stationary for over 100 years. 17 Double; magnitudes 6.5 and 9; distance, 20"; rose and red; beautiful pair. P. XII, 196 Double ; magnitudes 6.5 and 9.5; distance, 33"; both orange. P. XII, 32 Double; magnitudes 6.0 and 6.5; distance, 21"; nice pair. P. XII, 127 Double; magnitudes 8 and 9; distance, 2".3; delicate pair; very near (zeta). 17 C Fig. 107. Proper motion of Star 61 since Hipparchus. 61 Is a star in rapid motion ; the only one whose motion has been observed by the naked eye in comparing its position at different epochs with the surrounding stars; in Hipparchus' time it was near 63; since Hipparchus, 130 B. C. to 1888, it has moved 48' S. W., or 154 times the apparent diameter of the moon. (Fig. 107.) 2 1819 Binary; magnitudes 7 and 8; distance, 1".2; very close pair; revolution, 380 years (see near 12). This constellation contains more than 500 nebulae. It is the richest of the heavens, con- taining more nebulae than stars; we will note only the principal ones: M.60; M.59; M.58; H. 11,71; H.IV,8; M.84; M. 85; M.86; M.87; M.88; M.89; M. 90-North of p (r/io); splendid field. (Fig. 108.) VIRGO. Fig. 108. A Field of Nebulae in Constellation Virgo Fig. 109.-Nebulaj M. 60, H. II, 71, and M. 59. Fig. 110. Nebulse H. II, 75, and H. II, 74. Fig. 111. Double Nebula M. 61 VIRGO -LIBRA. 57 Fig. 112. Nebula Messier 99, in Lord Rosse's telescope. H. 11,75 Near e (e/witon); oval nebula, comet-like, with three small stars in triangular shape. In the same field is another circular nebula with a double star near it of the 7th and 9th magnitudes. (Fig. 110.) M. 61 Between 16 and 17 is a curious double nebula. (Fig. 111.) M. 99 Near 6 of Coma Berenices is the splendid nebula, which, in Lord Rosse's telescope, looked like a lighted " pinwheel." (Fig. 112.) H. 1, 43 Between 196 and 23,675 of Corvus, is a nebula 4 minutes long by only 50 seconds wide. H. I, 70 Between . (iota) and M (mw) is a nice cluster of blue stars, with a red star of the 8th magnitude near it. LIBRA. A Libra, the Scales or the Balance, is generally considered as having been introduced dur- ing the reign of the Roman emperor Augustus Caesar, to celebrate his justice; but it was already mentioned by Manetho, Egyptian historian, about 300 years B. C., and was taken out of the constellation Scorpio to form the twelfth sign of the zodiac. DESIGNA- TION. a dbl. ft dbl. Y quad. dbl. n dbl. V (11)1. MAGNI- TUDE. 3.0 2.9V. 4.4 yel. 5.V. 5.5 5.8 5.9 4.8 org. 5.0 5.5 5.5 5.7 5.5 red G.I R. A. 1 $0 DECL. WMU0A* TIO-X. JWA<:r.i- TUDE. h. m. ' 14.44 15.33 P 5.7 15.11 8.56 odbl. 6.4 15.29 14.24 6 5.5 red 14.55 8.02 11 5.4 15.18 9.53 16 4.8 15.21 16.18 49 5.6 15.37 15.17 37 5.5 15.47 16.22 28344 Lai. 5.6 ir>. r> 19.20 48 5.4 15.35 19.17 P.XIV,212 trip. 6.3 15.46 19.48 s 7.V. 14.43 13.39 * 7.V. org. 15. 15.47 i 2 1962 dbl. 6.0 14.48 11.24 >, POSITION R. A. li 580 DECL. h. m. O / 14.50 10.55 15.14 15. 7 14.43 27.25 14.45 1.48 14.51 3.51 15.54 16.11 15.28 9.39 15.28 8.47 15.51 13.56 14.50 20.52 15.15 19.57 15.37 10.32 15.32 8.24 LIBRA SCORPIO. NOTES. -a(AlpbalKffiaAwtirali8orZubeiwl Genuln -Double ; magnitudes 3 and 6; distance, 3' 49"; easy pair with an opera glass. ft (Beta) Kiffa Borealis or Zuben el Chameli Has a greenish color ; very rare . y (Gamma) Zuben flafcra/ci Was seen of the 6th magnitude by Hevelius; of 3d by Bayer; it is now of the 4^th magnitude. $(Zeta) Has in the same field three little stars of the 6th magnitude. t (Iota) Triple; magnitudes 5.0-9 and 10; distances, 57" and 1".9; nice field. P. XIV, 212 Double: magnitudes 6.3 and 7; distance, 15"; it is in rapid proper motion, 202" in 100 years ; direction S. E. ; the smaller one does not go quite so fast as the other, and perhaps forms only a pair in perspective (Flam., Les Etoiles, page 388). S (Delta) Is a variable of the shortest period, varying from 4.9 to 6.1 magnitude in 2 days 7 hours 51 minutes and 19 seconds. There are three other variables in this constellation requiring good power to be followed. SCORPIO. mE Scorpio, or the Scorpion. This constellation is very old, being mentioned already by Eudoxus, and its name comes from its shape and the brilliancy of its stars, which offer some resemblance to this venomous animal. In ancient times this constellation was extended as far as the Virgo. The " claws " were taken out to form the constellation Libra. It is also supposed to be the scorpion which bit Orion at the time when he was near catching Diana, whom he was pursuing. ! .U JL-B.lt* HA- TION. mAVf *.!.- TUDE. R. A. U 80 DECL. TIOS. iu.Au.n.1- TUDE. B. A. 1880 DECL. h. m. / h. m. O / a (Antares)bin . 1.6 red 16.22 26.10 2 A 5.2 15.47 24.57 is trip. 2.5 15.58 19.29 27) 5.3 15.44 25.23 y 3.5 red 14.57 24.49 13 Ci 5.3 16. 5 27.37 8 2.4 15.53 22.17 P. XVI, 31 C2 5.5 16. 5 28.19 c 2.3 16.42 34. 4 19 5.1 16.13 23.53 1 5.8 16.45 42. 9 22 5.3 16.23 24.51 & 3.6 16.46 42. 9 24 5.5 16.34 17.31 1J 3.6 17. 3 43. 4 P. XV, 116 3.9 15.29 27.45 6 2.1 17.29 42.56 P. XVI, 35 0.0 16.11 30.37 i dbl. 3.3 17.39 40. 5 P. XVI, 55 5.8 16.15 38.55 K 2.6 17.34 38.58 P. XVI, 92 5.7 16.22 34.27 \ 2.0 17.25 37. 1 P. XVI, 111 4.4 16.27 35. 1 M 1 3.6 16.44 37.51 P.XVI,236dbl 6.3 16.50 19.21 /x2 3.9 16.44 37.49 P. XVI, 255 5.7 16.53 31.58 v dbl. 4.3 16. 5 19. 9 P. XVII, 137 4.5 17.27 38.33 trin. 4.6 15.58 11. 3 P. XVII, 229 3.4 17.40 37. o 3.8 15.31 29.23 2 1999 dbl. 7.4 16. 1 11. 7 TT 3.4 15.52 25.46 T (1860) 7.V. 16.10 22.41 P 4.5 15.49 28.52 * 6.V. 16.49 32.58 a- dbl. 5.4 16.14 25.18 * 8.0 blood red 16.32 32. 8 T 3.2 16.28 27.58 * 8.0 red 17.32 41.33 V 3.2 17.23 37.12 * 6.0 red 16.28 35. X 1 5.6 16. 7 11.32 M. 80 el. 16.10 22.41 \fj 5.2 16. 5 9.45 0,1 dbl. 4.4 16. 20.20 u>2 4.6 red 16. 1 20.33 NOTES, a (Alpha) AntaresIs one of the finest double stars; magnitudes 1.6 and 7; distance, 3".3; red and emerald ; it requires a good telescope to separate them ; it is most likely a binary. /8 (Beta) Triple; magnitudes 2.5-10 and 5.5; distances, 0".9 and 13"; the first two form a difficult pair; the close companion was discovered at Chicago by Mr. Burnhain. SCORPIO SAGITT A KIU S. Scale 25"=1 inch. Fig. 114. Quadruple Star v Scale 25"=1 inch. Fig. 113. Double Star Antares. v ( Nu) Quadruple ; composed of two double stars of the 4th and 7th magnitudes, at 40" dis- tance; very easy pair; the star of the 7th magnitude was noted double in 1846 by Mr. Mitchell, at Cincinnati, and the brightest by Mr. Burnham, at Chicago, in 1874; the two doubles are very close and difficult pairs; the first is composed of two stars of the 4th and 5th magnitudes; distance only 1"; the second, of two stars of the 7th and 8th magnitudes ; distance 1".9. (Fig. 114.) 3.7 18.38 27. 7 * 6.5 red 19.27 16.38 47 x 1 5.4 19.18 24.44 * 7.0 red 20. 27.34 49 x 2 5.G 19.18 24.12 Temp, of 1690 19. 20. * 5.4 19. 8 25.28 M. 22 cl. 18.29 24. H 5.1 19.48 26.37 M. 25 cl 18.25 19. 9 M. 8 cl. 17.57 24.22 60 A 5.3 19.52 26.31 M. 20 neb. 17.55 23. 2 59 b 4.6 19.50 27.29 M. 21 cl 17.57 22.31 62 c 4.7 yel. 19.55 28. 3 H. VII, 30 cl. 18. 6 21.36 All visible to the naked eve. NOTES. /3i (Betai) and /32 (Beta 2 ) Magnitudes 3.8 and 4.5; distance, 22'. /3i (betai) is itself double; its companion, at 29" distance, was noted of the 9th magnitude by Piazzi ; of 8th magnitude by John Herschel, and of 62ith magnitude by Gould, e (Epsilon) Is also called Kaus Australis. i (Zii) and 2 (Ztf) Magnitudes 3 l / and 5; distance, 29'. pi (Rhoi) and p2 (Rhot) Magnitudes 4|/ 2 and 6; distance, 28'. x i (ChU) and *2 (ChV) Magnitudes 5.5 and 5.6; distance, 31'. 0i (IVietai) and 02 (Theta^ Magnitudes 4V 2 and 5Y 2 ; distance, 35'. 51 and 52 Magnitudes 4.7 and 5; distance, 14'. 51 varies from 4.5 to 6.7 magnitude. v (Nu) Double; magnitudes 5.0 and 5.1; distance, 12'. This pair was already visible with the naked eye 2,000 years ago; Ptolemy took it for a double nebula; it was not well defined then. Mi (Mui) Triple; magnitudes 4.3-9 and 10 ; distances, 40" and 45" ; in large telescopes another star of 13th magnitude at 15" is also seen, which really makes ju, 1 (mi) a quadruple star. 54 Double; magnitudes 5*4 and 8; distance, 28"; nice field of small stars. 21 Double; magnitudes 5.1 and 9; distance, 2"; very close pair; orange and blue. 21.33 17.12 x trip. 21.40 16.40 * 21.30 20. H 21.20 22.56 24 A 20.58 20.20 36 h 20 59 17.43 46 d 21.16 17.21 47 C2 21.36 19.25 29 21.40 11.56 30 21.47 14. 7 33 20.14 13. 8 41 20. 6 12.58 42 20.23 18.59 S 20.20 18.37 * 20.22 18.13 M.30 20.12 19.30 M. 72 MAGNI- TUDE. 5.6 5.7 5.5 5.4 4.3 4.1 4.8 4.7 5.5 6.4 5.7 5.5 5.7 5.8 5.6 7.V. 7.0 red cl cL R. A. h. m. 20.33 20.33 21. 9 21. 2 20.39 20.45 21. 21.22 21.39 21.40 21. 9 21.11 21.17 21.35 21.35 20.10 20.10 21.34 20.47 ) DECL. o / 15 22 18.34 21. 9 21.41 25.42 27.22 25.30 22.20 9.38 9.50 15.40 18.29 21.22 23.48 14.35 21.42 21.41 23.43 12.59 (,-_> C APRICORXUS AQUARIUS. NOTES. Two thousand years ago the sun was in this constellation the 21st of December and hi the constellation of Cancer the 21st of June; since that time the geographers indicate a line 23 28' north, and another 23 28' south of the equator, and call the first Tropic of Cancer and the other Tropic of Capricorn ; by the effects of the precession of the equinoxes it is now Sag- ittarius, which is the most southern constellation of the Zodiac, and the Gemini, the northern one ; still the old names keep going on. ai (Alpha)) and a2 (Alpha 1 *) Magnitudes 3.6 and 4.5; distance, 6' 16" in 1880; these stars are going away from each other at the rate of 1" for 100 years ; in Hipparchus' time they were only 4 minutes apart; our Fig. 118 shows the separation of the two stars for 3,000 years. a2 (Alpha?) Secunda Giedi Has a close double companion, in large telescopes; distances, 6" and l".5. 02 (Beta'2) Double; magnitudes 3.2 and 7; distance, 3' 25"; easy pair, with a star of the 8th to 9th magnitude in the field forming a nice triangle. /si (Beta*) is a double; magnitudes 7 and 9; distance, 0".85; discovered by Mr. Barnard in 1883. 46 ci Double: magnitudes 5.5 and 7; distance, 3'; visible with an opera glass. ft (Rho) Double; magnitudes 5.3 and 7.5; distance, 4'; the main star is itself a close pair, hav ing a companion of the 9th magnitude at 3".8 only. 4th ; time not yet known. T. Varies from the 9th to 14th in 274 days. U. Varies from the lOKzth to 14th in 450 days. AQUARIUS. $& Aquarius, the Water Bearer or Waterman, is, according to Greek mythology, Gany- mede, the beautiful Phrygian boy, son of Tros, carried by the eagle of Jupiter to heaven, where he took the place of Hebe as cupbearer of the gods. It is one of the oldest constellations, already mentioned by Eudoxus. AQUARIUS. 63 DESIGNA- MAGNI- POSITION DESIGNA- MAGNT- POSITION TION. TUDE. B. A. 1 WO DECL. TION. TUDE. R. A. 1880 DECL. h. m. / h. m. O r a dbl. 2.7 22. 0.54 101 53 4.5 23.27 21.34 B dbl. 2.6 21.25 6. 6 86 Cl 4.4 23. 24.23 Y dbl. 3.9 22.15 1.59 88 C2 3.7 23. 3 21.49 8 3.2 22.48 16.28 89 C3 4.9 23. 3 23. 6 e 3.8 20.41 9.56 25 d 5.5 21.33 + 1.42 f bin. 3.5 22.23 0.38 38 e 5.6 22. 4 12.01 ij 4.1 22.29 0.44 53 /, dbl. 5.8 22.20 17.21 e 4.3 22.11 8.23 66 #1 4.9 22.37 19.28 i 4.4 22. 14.27 68 02 5.4 yel. 22.41 20.14 K 5.2 22.32 4.50 83 /i, dbl. 5.4 22.59 8.20 A 3.6 red 22.46 8.13 106 ii 5.2 23.38 18.56 M. 5.0 20.46 9.26 107 *2, dbl. 5.4 23.40 19.21 f 4.7 21.03 11.52 108 f3 5.1 23.45 19.34 5.0 21.31 8.24 l trip. 5.6 20.33 + 0. 4 o 4.9 21.57 2.44 3 4.8 20.41 5.28 It 4.9 21.19 + 0.46 5 5.8 20.46 5.57 p 5.6 22.14 8.25 7 5.9 20.50 10. 9 (T 5.1 22.24 11.17 12 dbl. 5.7 20.58 6.18 69 ri, dbl 5.8 22.41 14.41 29 dbl. 6.0 21.56 17.32 71 T-', dbl 4.2 red 22.43 14.14 41 dbl. 5.8 22. 8 21.40 V 5.7 22.28 21.19 46090 Lai. 6.V. 23.26 11.40 4.1 org. 23. 8 6.41 94 dbl. 5.5 yel. 23.13 14. 7 ^ 5.3 red 23.11 8.23 97 5.3 23.16 15.42 M dbl. 4.1 yel. 23.10 9.44 P. XXII, 250 5.9 22.49 5.38 2 4.2 23.12 9.50 2 2809 dbl. 6.0 21.31 0.58 3 4.8 23.13 10.16 R 7.V. red 23.38 15.57 col 5.2 23.34 14.53 S 8.V. org. 22.51 20.59 0)2 dbl. 4.7 23.36 15.12 T 7.V. org. 20.44 5.35 * 6.5 red 21.40 2.46 103 Al 5.8 23.35 18.41 * 7.0 red 22.53 25.48 104 A2 5.0 23.36 18.29 M. 2 cl. 21.27 1.21 98 bi 3.9 23.17 20.45 H. IV, 1 neb. 20.58 11.50 99 &2 4.4 23.20 -21.18 NOTES. The principal stars are called : a (alpha) Sadalmelik ; 8 (beta) Sadalsund ; and 8 (delta) Skat. Near 6 (delta) Tobie Mayer observed Uranus the 26th of September, 1756, in this constel- lation; had he known it was a planet he would have had the honor of discovering it twenty- flve years before William Herschel. (Zeta) Binary; magnitudes 3.5 and 4.4; distance, 3".5; nice pair; revolution 800 years perhaps over 1,000 years. 83 h Double; magnitudes 5.4 and 7.5; distance, 4'; easy pair. //i (Psi i) Double ; magnitudes 4.1 and 9; distance, 50"; yellow and blue; easy pair; three stars in the field. The small star is a close double, discovered by Mr. Burnham; distance, 0".25. ri (Tcrni) Double; magnitudes 5.8 and 9; distance, 28"; elegant pair. 94 Double; magnitudes 5.5 and 7.5; distance, 14"; rose and light blue; nice pair. 53 /Double; magnitudes 5.8 and 6; distance, 8"; easy pair. 107 ii Double; magnitudes 5.5 and 7.5; distance, 5".6; white and purple. Fig. 119. Binary Star 41 Double; magnitudes 5.8 and 8.5; distance, 4".8; topaz and blue; beautiful pair. 12 Double; magnitudes 5.7 and 8.5; distance, 2".8; close and delicate pair. 04 AQUAKIUS. 46090 Lai. West of the three stars $ (psi) is a variable from the 5Hth to 8th magnitude; not visible to the naked eye since 1878; noted of Gth magnitude by Heis and Argelander; of 6 l / 2 by Lalande; period of variation not yet determined. R. Near w (omega), varies from the Gth to the llth magnitude in 388 days. There are other variables too small for common telescopes. M. 2 Very fine " amas " discovered by Maraldi in 1746. When W. Herschel saw it through his 40-foot telescope he found there thousands and thousands of stars; diameter 3' (see between /3 (beta) and 25). (Figs. 120 and 121.) Fig. 120. M. 2 in common telescope. Fig. 122. Nebula H. IV, 1. Fig. 121. Cluster M. 2, in powerful telescopes. H. IV, 1 Is the beautiful nebula somewhat resembling Saturn in large telescopes ; it this nebula was only as far from us as 61 of Cygnus this gaseous globe would be 264 billions times larger than the sun, or 338 quadrillions 896 trillions and 800 billions times larger than the earth; it measured 28" in length and 18" in width, and shines with a bluish color; is composed chiefly of nitrogen and hydrogen and is most likely a world in formation. In 1794 Lalande noted it as a star of 7 l / 2 tl\ magnitude, but W. Herschel, in 1782, already recognized it as a nebula (Kevue d'Ast., 1882; page 291); it is between v (mi) and e (epsilon). (Fig. 122.) ' ^to^ 1st Magnitude.^ MAGNITUDE * to * 2nd I stars underlined are OF STABS. / double or multiple. * 4tn I 5th and under.y t g: Clusters and Nebulae. CONSTELLATIONS SOUTH OF THE ZODIAC ORION. This beautiful constellation, mentioned by Job (ix, 9), by Homer and Hesiod, is cer- tainly one of the oldest of the heavens. Orion was a mighty giant and hunter, the subject of many fables. He lost his sight in attempting to carry off the daughter of (Enopion, but he regained it by exposing his eyeballs to the rays of the rising sun; he was afterward loved and carried off by Aurora; this made the gods angry, and Diana killed him. According to others Diana herself was in love with him and killed him while he was swimming, mistaking his head for some other distant object on the water, which was pointed out to her by Apollo, who was indignant at his sister's love. According to another story, he was killed by a scorpion. DESIGNA- MAGNI- - > DESIGNA- MAGNI- , ^ \ TION. TUDE. K. A. If 80 DKCL. TION. TUDE. R. A. 1880 DECL. h. m. O / h. m. / a dbl. l.V. org. 5.49 + 7.23 16 h 5.9 5.03 + 9.40 ft dbl. 1.3 5. 9 8.20 14 i, bin. 5.9 5. 1 + 8.20 y dbl. 2.0 5 19 + 6.14 74 7c 5.8 6.10 +12.18 6 2.V. 5.26 0.23 75 I 6.0 6.10 + 9.59 e dbl. 2.0 5.30 1.17 23 m, dbl. 5.4 5.17 + 3.25 <: trip. 2.0 5.35 2. 33 ni, dbl. 6.0 5.25 + 3.12 17 bin. 3.5 5.18 2.30 38 n2, 5.8 5.28 + 3.41 mult. 4.8 5.29 5.28 22 o, dbl. 5.1 5.16 0.30 i trip. 3.0 5.30 5.59 27 p 5.6 5.18 1.01 K 2.8 5.42 9.43 11 5.0 4.58 +15.14 A trip. 3.5 5.29 + 9.51 15 5.3 5. 3 +15.27 M 4.7 5.56 + 9.39 31 dbl. 5.1 org. 5.24 1.11 V 4.7 6. 1 +14.47 52 dbl. 5.7 5.42 + 6.26 \ 4.8 6. 5 +14.14 56 5.8 5.46 + 1.49 ol 5.7 org. 4.46 +14. 2 60 5.7 5.53 + 0.32 o2 5.0 4.50 +13.19 5 5.V. org. 4.47 + 2.18 n-1 5.0 4.48 + 9.58 9419 Lai. 6.2 4.54 + 3.26 7r2 4.7 4.44 + 8.42 9581 Lai. 6.V. 4.59 + 1. 1 7f3 3.1 4.43 + 6.45 10492 Lai. 6.V. 5.28 +10.10 H 3.7 4.45 + 5.24 10527 Lai., dbl 5.3 5.29 - 6.05 7r5 3.7 4.48 + 2.15 11382 Lai. 5.2 5.54 3. 5 776 4.7 4.52 + 1.32 12104 Lai. 5.2 6.14 2.54 p dbl. 5.1 5. 7 + 2.43 2 700, dbl. 8.0 5.17 + 0.59 o- trip. 4.2 5.33 2.40 2 743, dbl. 7.0 5.29 4.30 T trip. 4.4 5.12 - 6.58 2 750, dbl. 6.0 5.30 4.27 V 5.1 5.26 7.24 374.1 5.0 5.28 + 9.24 B 8.V. org. 4.52 + 7.57 40*2 4.5 yel. 5.30 + 9.14 s 8.V. red 5.23 4.47 54 x 1 4.7 5.47 +20.16 8.0 very red 5. 4 + 5.40 62 x 2 5.0 5.57 +20. 8 6.5 red 4.59 + 1. 1 25 //! 5.4 5.19 + 1.44 7.3 red 6. 5 +21.54 30 ^2, dbl . 5.0 5.21 + 2.59 6.5 org. 4.49 + 7.35 H 5.0 5.33 + 4. 3 6.7 org. 5. 4 0.43 6.5 org. 5.30 +10.58 32 A, bin. (?) 4.8 5.24 + 5.51 7.0 org. 5.56 5. 8 51 b 5.5 org. 5.36 + 1.25 6.5 org. 6.13 +14.42 32 f 5.2 5.29 4.55 6.5 org. 6.19 +14.47 49 d 5.2 5.33 7.17 M. 42 neb. 5.29 5.28 29 e 4.4 5.18 7.55 H. VII, 4 cl 5. 4 +16.33 69/1 5.7 6. 5 +16. 9 H. V, 28 neb. 5.36 1.55 72/2 5.7 6. 8 +16.10 M. 78 neb. 5.41 + 0. 1 60 6.0 4.47 +11.13 H. VIII, 24 A 6. 2 +13 58 ORION. NOTES. This is the finest and richest constellation of the heavens, containing two stars of the 1st magnitude, four of the 2d magnitude, seven of the 3d magnitude and twelve of the 4th magnitude. The same illusion which we have noticed in the Pleiades applies to the three stars A (lambda), i (p/iii) is 27', and the distance from 2 (phiz) 33', it is a positive fact. The principal stars of this constellation are named: a (alpha) Betelgeuse, & (beta) Rigel, y (gamma) Bellatrix, 8 (delta) Mintaka, and e (epxilon) Alnilam. At the time of Bayer, Betelgeuse was brighter than Rigel, now it is the contrary. (Alpha) Double ; magnitudes 1.5 and 9; distance, 2' 40"; yellow and blue. Several other nearer stars with the Lick telescope. Mr. Elkin tried the parallax of this nice star, in 1887-88, and found a negative one ( 0".0090".047). /3 (Beta) Double ; magnitudes 1.3 and 9; distance, 9".5; difficult pair on account of the brilliancy of Rigel; the companion is blue, the main star is very white; the best time to separate them in common telescopes is by moonlight or at twilight. Rigel has another companion of the 14th magnitude, discovered by Mitchell, at Cin- cinnati, in 1846, at 44" distance; Mr. Burnham found the nearest companion double at the remarkably short distance of two-tenths of a second, in 1878, at Chicago. (\i Chi i) Double; magnitudes 4.7 and 6; distance, 32' ; visible to the naked eye. \2 (Chi 2) Double; magnitudes 5.0 and 6; distance, 28'; visible to the naked eye. 22 Double; magnitudes 5.0 and 6.0; distance, 4'; easy pair with an opera glass. 01 (Theta i) 02 (Theta 2) Magnitudes 5.0 and 5.5; dis- tance, 2' 15"; are visible with an opera glass. 01 (Theta *) Is quadruple; magnitudes 5-6-7 and 8; distances from 9" to 21"; splendid in common telescopes; multiple in large telescopes. It is also known as the Trapezium of Orion. Fig. 124 is taken from Mr. Burnham's diagram in monthly notices of the R. A. ., Vol. XLIX., No. 6. Mr. Barnard discovered a faint star, indicated by a small cross, which Mr. Burnham has not satisfactorily seen. 02 (Thetat) Double; magnitudes 5.5 and 6.5; dis- tance, 52"; nice pair. Fig. 124. Trapezium of Orion. Scale, 1 inch- 16". Fig. 123. Double Star Rigel /3 Fig. 125. Double Star 6 Fig 126. Double Triple Star 2(PM 2) Double; magnitudes 5.0 and 11; distance, 2".8; difficult pair. 32 Binary; magnitudes 4.8 and 7; distance, in 1880, 0".4; in 1780 the distance was 1".5; very close pair. 31 Is a variable from 4.7 to 7th magnitude, with a companion of the llth magnitude at 13"; this star is orange, and its spectrum indicates a sun beginning to cool off. Fig. 127. Nebula Messier 42- (From a direct photograph taken by Mr. Common.) ORION MONOCEKOS. M. 42 Is the finest nebula of all the heavens. Mr. Bond has written a book on this nebula alone ; the spectroscopical observations prove that it is composed of incandescent gases, probably hydrogen and nitrogen ; Mr. Bond thought that it was composed entirely of small stars, but it is not so. Mr. Draper, in the United States, and Mr. Common, in England, have succeeded in photographing it; it took 36 minutes of exposure; a star of the 1st magnitude requires only one-hundredth of a second to be photographed. Its spectrum examination indicates that it is traveling at the rate of 17 miles per second from us, or we from it. The nebula proper covers a space equal to the apparent size of the moon, but the nebulosity extends a great deal more ; Secchi followed it for a distance of 4 degrees from east to west, and 5 degrees from north to south. If this nebula was only as far from us as 61 of Cygnus, the nearest star that we can see with the naked eye in our lati- tudes, it would be at least three trillions of miles long, and a fast train going at the rate of 60 miles an hour would have to keep going for more than 5,650,000 years to traverse it (Flam., Les Etoiles, page 466). The stars (theta) are in the center of the nebula. (Fig. 127.) H. VII, 4 Is a fine cluster of some 600 stars, among them a nice pair of 8th and 9th magni- tudes ; distance 23" (marked on our planisphere north of 15). M. 78 Is a quadruple nebula 9 minutes long, 5 minutes wide (see between (zeta) and 56). 7r6 (Pi e) Southeast of 776 (pie) there are five or six red stars; some of them very red; visible in a common telescope. MONOCEROS. Monoceros, or the Unicorn, first appears on the planisphere of Bartschius, in 1624, but it was already known a little before, and mention of it is made in a book published in Frankfort in 1564, under the name of Neper (the Forest). In the Persian sphere, brought up by Scaliger, this fantastic animal is also found. DESIGNA- TION. MAGNI- TUDE. 30 4.0 11 trip. 4.2 26 4.2 5dbl. 4.4 org. 22 4.5 8dbl. 4.7 31 4.9 13 5.0 29 trip. 5.0 18 5.2 28 5.3 10 dbl. 5.4 yel. 17 5.4 12494 Lai. 5.5 20 5.5 19 5.6 3 dbl. 5.6 27 5.6 25 5.7 12587 Lai. 5.7 POSITION , .> x DESIGNA- MAGNI- K. A. IS 80 DECL. TION. TUDE. h. m. O / 8.20 3.31 2 5.7 6.23 6.57 12176 Lai. 5.8 7.36 9.16 7 5.9 6. 9 6.14 T. VII, 228 6.0 7. 6 0.17 12 6.0 6.17 + 4.39 P. VI, 82 6.5 8.38 6.49 15 S, trip. 4.V. 6.26 + 7.26 T 6.V. 8. 3 2.38 U 6.V. 6.42 + 2.33 W. B669 5.V. 7.55 1. 3 * 6.0 red 6.22 4.42 * 7.5 red 6.41 + 8.10 * 7.0 org. 6.25 +11.38 * 6.0 org. 7. 4 4. 3 H. VII, 2 cl 6.57 4. 4 H. IV. 2 neb. 5.56 10.36 H. VII, 35 cl. 7.54 3.21 M. 50 cl. 7.31 3.50 H. VI, 22 cl. 6.28 + 7.40 H. VI, 27 cl. K. A. h. m. 5.53 6.16 6.14 7.45 6.26 6.17 6.34 6.19 7.25 7.23 6.36 7.37 6.24 7.23 6.26 6.33 6.21 6.57 8. 7 6.46 > DECL. O / 9.34 11.43 7.46 8.51 + 4.57 + 3.49 +10. + 7. 9 9.32 1.39 9. 3 10.36 2.57 10. 5 + 4.57 + 8.52 +12.42 8.10 5.26 + 0.36 NOTES. 11 Triple; magnitudes 5-5.5 and 6; distances, 1" and 2".5; the companions are only 2".5 a part. 8 Double; magnitudes 4.7 and 7.5; distance, 14"; nice pair; yellow and bluish. The magni- tudes of this pair have been noted by Lalande, in January, 1794, G l / 2 and 7; and in Febru- ary, 1797, 4 and 8 1 A; by Piazzi, of 5'/ 2 and 8; by Struve, in 1822, of 4.5 and 7; in 1831, of 4 and 6.7 ; they must be variable stars. MONOCEROS-CANIS MINOR. Fig. 128. Triple Star 11. Fig. 129,-Nebula H. IV, 2. 15 S. Varies irregularly from the 4th to 6th magnitude in a very short period of 3 or 4 days, not well determined; it is also double, which is very rare for a variable; magnitudes 5 and 10; distance, 3"; orange and blue; there is another companion of 13th magnitude 16" apart, and still another smaller; nice field for small telescope. 29 Triple; magnitudes 5.0-11 and 9; distances, 30" and 67"; the second one is difficult to be seen, and seems to vary from the 10th to 12th magnitude. R. Between 13 and 15 ; varies from the 9th to the 13th magnitude ; too small for common tele- scope. T. Varies from 6.2 to 7.6 in 27 days. U. Ten minutes west of 26; varies from 6.2 to 7.6 in 46 days. H. VII, 2 Is a little " amas " with the reddish star 12 of 6th magnitude in the center (see below 13). H. IV, 2 Is a triangular nebula like the tail of a comet (see near 15). M. 50 On a line between Sirius and Procyon there is an " amas " in which can be seen a nice little pair and a red star. II. VI, 22 South of 29 is a cluster of some fifteen stars of the 9th magnitude, almost visible to the naked eye. This constellation traversed by the Milky Way is very interesting. CANIS MINOR. Canis Minor, the Little Dog, is also a very old constellation; Procyon is already mentioned by Eudoxus. , its brightest star, POSITION POSITION DESIGNA- TION. MAGNI- TUDE. R. A. 18 80 DECL. TION. TUDE. R. A. 1* 80 DECL. h, m. 1 h. m. O / a (Procyon) 1.4 7.33 + 5.32 6 4.8 7.23 +12.15 trip. 3.0 7.21 8.32 11 5.5 7.40 11. 5 y 5.2 7.22 9.10 P. VII, 289 4.7 7.56 2.50 Si 5.8 7.26 2.11 P. VII, 249 6.4 7.49 9.11 52 6.2 7.27 3.33 2 1126 dbl. 7.0 7.35 5.34 6 5.4 7.19 9.31 R 7.V. red 7. 2" 10.13 5.4 7.45 2. 4 S 7.V. red 7.26 8.34 r, 5.9 7.22 7.11 # 7.1 red 7.37 5.14 NOTES. a (Alpha) Procyon Is a star in rapid proper motion; 1".27 S. W. per year; 21 minutes in 1,000 years. If it keeps going in the same direction and at the same rate it will cross the equator 12,000 years from now and will be part of the Southern Hemisphere. Auwers, in 1861-62, found for the parallax of Procyon.. 0".2400".029 Wagner, in 1863-83 0".2990 / .038 Elkin, of Yale College, in 1887-88 0".2660".047 72 CANIS MINOR CANIS MAJOR. Taking for the average 5.0 10.33 16.15 T 7.V. red 8.50 8.41 X 4.8 10.59 26.38 * 6.0 red . 10.46 20.36 * 5.4 13. 3 22.28 * 7.0 red 13.42 27.46 M 5.5 9. -f 5.35 * 6.5 org. 9.46 22.27 * 7.5 org. 9.14 + 0.41 33 A 6.0 9.29 5.22 H. IV, 27 neb. 10.19 18. 2 />! 5.8 10.41 16.40 M. 68 cl. 12.33 26. 5 Z>2 5.5 10.45 17.41 HYDK A- CRATER. NOTES. a (Alpha) Also called Alphard from the Arab Al-fard (the solitary), now orange; was noted red by Sufl; the Chinese called it "the red bird;" it seems to vary from the 1st to 2d magnitude, and has most likely changed its color; it is also double. It was observed as passing the meridian at sunset the day of the vernal equinox during the time of the Chinese Emperor Yao, about 2,350 years before Christ; it is one of the oldest astronom- ical observations (Flam., Les Etoiles, page 530). e(EpsiUm) Binary; magnitudes 3.5,and 7.5; distance, in 1880, 3".5 ; beautiful pair ; yellow and blue ; revolution about 70 years. Schiaparelli finds the large star a close pair ; distance, 0".2; the close pair is in rapid orbital motion. 54 Double; magnitudes 5.2 and 8; distance, 9"; elegant pair; yellow and violet. T (Taw) Double; magnitudes 4.8 and 8; distance, 65"; very easy pair. P. XI, 96 Double; magnitudes 5.2 and 6.5; distance, 10"; bright pair. P. VIII, 108 Double; magnitudes 6 and 7; distance, 10"; nice pair in a fine field. H. IV, 27 South of /u. (mu) is a curious nebula said by Admiral Smyth to look like Jupiter for its size, its light and its color; in its center shines a nice little star, and, besides, four little stars appear in the field; the spec- troscopical analysis indicates that it is entirely gaseous. M. 68 South of /3 (beta) of Corvus is a cluster 4' long by 3' wide; quite pale; between two little stars. R. -There are several variables in this constellation; the princi- pal one is R, which varies from the 4th to the 10th magnitude in a period growing shorter every year; the results of its observa- tions are very interesting. Heve- lius, at Dantzic, saw it of 6th magnitude in 1662; Montanari, at Bologna, saw it of 4th magni- . . IV, ,7 and Companion, lowed it until 1712 ; after that it was lost and nearly forgotten, but Pigott, at York, observed it again in 1784; in the 19th century Argelander and Schmidt paid special attention to it ; comparing the different observations it seems that the period of variability diminished from 9 to 10 hours for every revolution ; it was 547 days in 1680, 487 days in 1780, 432 days in 1880. What will it be in 1980 ? The other variables are too small for common telescopes. CRATER. Crater, or the Cup, is one of the forty-eight constellations of the ancient Greeks. (See Hydra.) POSITION DESIGNA- TION. mult. y dbl. MAGNI- TUDE. 4.4 4.6 4.2 3.5 5.5 5.2 5.4 5.0 POSITION DESIGNA- MAGNI- B.A. UK DECL. TION. TUDE. h. m. o / 10.54 17.40 1 5.8 11. 6 22.10 K 6.1 11.19 17. 2 A 5.4 11.13 14. 7 31 5.5 11.19 10.12 21203 Lai. 5.7 11.39 17.41 R 8.V. red 11.50 16.29 * G.O org. 11.31 9. 8 B. A. 1880 h. m. 11.38 11.21 11.17 11.65 10.57 10.55 10.53 DECL. 12.33 11.42 18. 7 19. 10.39 17.41 15.42 NOTES. a (Alpha) Also called Alkes, has several small companions ; outside of the variable R there is nothing worth mentioning in this small constellation. B. Very near a (alpha) is a star of a fiery red, varying from the 8th to the 10th magnitude in periods alternatively of 72 days and 88 days. CORVUS-PISCIS NOTIUS-APPARATUS SCULPTORJS. CORVUS. Corvus, or the Crow, is a very old constellation. (See Hydra.) DESIGNA- TION. ft Clbl. y 6 dbl. MAGNI- TUDE. 4.2 red 2.6 red 2.V. 3.V. 3.3 yel. 5.2 B. A. h. m. 12. 2 12.28 12.10 12.24 12. 4 12.14 l DECL. o / -24. 4 22.44 16.52 15.51 21.57 21.33 DESIGNA- TION. MAGNI- TUDE. r? 4.5 P. XII, 54 5.6 23675 Lai. dbl. 5.8 23726 Lai. 7.5 2 1664 dbl. 7.5 red R 7.V. red B. A. h. m. 12.26 12.15 12.35 12.37 12.32 12.13 DECL. o / 15.32 12.54 12.21 13.12 18.35 NOTES. a (Alpha) Also called Alchiba, is not the brightest star of this constellation ; it is y (gamma), which is now of the 2d magnitude, and noted only of 4th by Bayer in J 603; at his time a (alpha), ft (beta), y (gamma) and 5 (delta) Algores were all of the 4th magnitude; Alpha is now the 5th in brilliancy, as our catalogue and planisphere plainly show; a (alpha) and ft (beta) are red. S (Delta) Double ; magnitudes 3.0 and 9 ; distance, 24" ; the companion is quite dark and difficult. 23675 Double ; magnitudes 6.4 and 6.5; distance, 5".8; nice pair. R. 2 S. E. of y (gamma) ; varies from the 7th to 12th magnitude in 318 days. PISCIS NOTIUS. Piscis Notius, or the Southern Fish is one of the forty-eight constellations of the ancients, and appeared already on the sphere of Eudoxus. DESIGNA- TION. a ft dbl. y dbl. 5 dbl. r, dbl. MAGNI- TUDE. 1.7 4.4 4.6 4.4 red 4.3 6.7 5.7 POSITION , -v % DESIGNA- MAG B. A. IK DECL. TION. TUI h. m. O / 22.51 30.15 dbl. 5.2 22.25 32.58 l 4.4 22.46 33.31 A 5.6 22.49 33.11 M 4.7 22.34 27.40 P. XXI, 46 4.9 22.24 26.41 9350 Lac. 5.3 21.54 29. 2 9352 Lac. 7.5 B. A. h. m. 21.41 21.38 22. 7 22. 1 21.11 22.57 22.57 ) DECL. o / 31.27 33.34 28.21 33.34 32.40 35.24 36.27 NOTES. a (Alpha) FomalhautIs the brightest star of this constellation. K. (Kappa) Noted by Bayer ; does not exist. 9352 Lac. Is a small star of the 7 1 /ith magnitude; in rapid motion; 6".96 for one year; the greatest after 1830 Groombridge (see our Notes of Ursa Major) ; motion discovered by Prof. Gould, at Cordoba, Argentine Republic, in 1880-1. Mr. Gill, in 1883, gave for its parallax 0".2850".020; if correct, it is one of the nearest stars to us, 711,000 times the distance of the earth from the sun, or 65 trillions of miles; time for the light to reach us is 11 years and 88 days. APPARATUS SCULPTORIS. Apparatus Sculptoris, or the Sculptor's Shop, is a constellation, first introduced by Lacaille in 1752. DESIGNA- TION. a P. O, 250 ft 9513 Lac. y P. XXIII, 3 S P. XXIII, 192 dbl. MAGNI- TUDE. 4.2 6.7 4.4 4.6 C, P. XXIII, 259 5.2 i 9741 Lac. 5.5 POSITION DESIGNA- MAGNI- B.A. 1 380 DECL. TION. TUDE. h. m. O ' 0.53 30. 2 P. 0, 6 5.2 23.26 26.24 H P. 0, 79 5.2 23.12 33.11 P. 1, 168 dbl. 5.4 158 Lai. 5.4 23.43 28.48 P. 0,111 dbl. 6.5 23.56 30.23 * 6.0 red 0. 3 28.39 * 6.0 org. B. A. h. m. 0. 5 0.22 1.40 0. 8 0.28 23.51 1.21 I DECL. O / 28.28 33.40 25.39 8.30 35.39 27.18 33.10 NOTE. This constellation, entirely visible from our latitude, contains only three stars above the 5th magnitude. CETUS. CETUS. Cetus, or the Sea Monster, is mentioned by Eudoxus, Aratus, Hipparchus and Ptolemy, who called it "Ketos"(the Whale); Hyginus named it"Orphos,"a fish quite different to the whale; according to others, it is the sea monster sent by Neptune to ravage the shores of Ethiopia and kill Andromeda. DESIGNA- TION. a dbl. /3 dbl. y dbl. ,5 dbl. r, dbl. dbl. dbl. db,l. V 17 l 19 2 22 3 23 & x dbl. MAGNI- TUDE. 2.4 org. 2.2 yel. 3.2 4.0 4.5 3.5 3.5 org. 3.2 3.5 yel. 5.1 6.2 4.7 4.2 5.0 4.3 4.2 2.V. 4.0 4.6 4.7 3.4 4.0 5.1 5.5 5.7 5.9 4.8 R. A. 1880 DECL. TION. TUDE. h. m. O / 2.56 + 3.37 2 4.3 0.38 18.39 3 5.2 2.37 + 2.44 6 5.1 2.34 0.11 72 Lai. 5.4 2.34 -12.23 7 4.3 1.46 10.55 P. O. 91 5.2 1. 3 10.49 12 trip. 6.0 1.18 8.48 13 6.0 0.13 9.31 20 5.2 3.13 + 2.55 37 qdl. 5.3 3.15 + 3.14 42 bin. 6.0 2.53 + 8.25 46 5.1 2.38 + 9.36 48 5.3 2.30 + 5. 4 3159 Lai. 5.2 2. 7 + 8.17 56 5.0 2.22 + 7.55 61 qdl. 6.5 2.13 - 3.31 66 dbl. 6.0 2.38 14.22 94 dbl. 5.3 2.20 12.50 2 101, dbl. 8.0 2.26 15.46 2 106, dbl. 8.5 1.39 16.34 2 147, dbl. 6.0 1.54 21.40 2 218, dbl. 7.0 0.38 11.15 S 7.V. org. 0.44 -11.17 R 8.V. org. 0.50 11.55 2598 Lai. 6.V. 0.53 12. 1 1.44 11.17 I. A. 1880 DECL,. . m. / 3.58 18. 3.58 11.11 D. 5 16. 7 0. 6 18.36 9. 9 19.36 9.24 24.27 0.24 4.37 0.29 4.15 0.47 1.47 . 8 8.34 .14 - 1. 8 .20 15.13 .24 22.15 .37 4.19 .51 23. 7 .58 0.55 . 7 2.58 . 7 - 1.39 . 8 8.17 .10 7.48 .34 11.54 2. 3 - 1. 1 0.18 10. 2.20 0.43 1.20 4.35 NOTES. a (Alpha) Is also called Menkar, /3 (beta) Diphda, and (zeta) Baten Kaitos. o (Omicron) or Mirals a famous variable; the first noticed by David Fabricius, in August, 1596; the 6th of November, 1779, Mira was nearly as bright as Aldebaran; sometimes it comes up to the 1st magnitude and sometimes it stops at the 4th magnitude ; in a period of about 166 days it came down below the 9th magnitude ; the time of the variability seems to be 331 days 8 hours and 4 minutes. At each period it remains about 5 months invisible to the naked eye, its magnitude being lower than the 6th; then it becomes gradually brighter, and visible to the naked eye for about three months, rising as we have before mentioned to the 2d magnitude ; but its maximum lasts no more than 15 days. Its spectrum seems to indicate that it is sometimes covered with spots like our sun, but the period, instead of being about 11 years, is only 11 months. Mira has a com- panion of 9.5 magnitude ; distance, 1' 58". Fig. 135. Diagram Showing the Variations of Mira. CETUS APPARATUS CHEMICUS -ERIDANUS. 7:) (Zeta) Double ; magnitudes 3.5 and 9; distance, 2' 45"; easy pair. X (CM) Double; magnitudes 4.8 and 7.5; distance, 3' 6"; easy pair. V (Gamma) Double; magnitudes 3.2 and 7; distance, 3"; pale yellow and blue ; nice contrast. 37 Double; magnitudes 5.3 and 7; distance, 51"; in the field will be found a nice pair, magni- tudes 8 and 10; distance, 20"; yellow and violet; nice field of small stars. 66 Double; magnitudes 6.5 and 8; distance, 15"; yellow and blue ; elegant pair. 2 147 Double; magnitudes 6 and 7; distance, 3".5; nice pair. v (Nu) Double; magnitudes 5.0 and 11 ; distance, 6"; difficult pair. 61 Double; magnitudes 6.5 and 11 ; distance, 39" ; difficult pair. 2218 Double; near 61; magnitudes 7 and 8.5; distance, 4".6; nice field. 84 Double; magnitudes 7.5 and 10; distance, 4".7 ; difficult pair ; companion lilac. 42 Binary; magnitudes 6 and iy z ; distance, 1".4; very slow orbital motion. r (Taw) Is in rapid motion, 3' 20" in 100 years ; will be near r, (eta) 19,000 years from now (Flam., Les Etoiles, page 502). Near 8 (delta) there is a stellar nebula, M. 77, easy with an ordinary telescope. APPARATUS CHEMICUS OR FORNAX. Apparatus Chemicus, or Chemical Apparatus, is a modern constellation, having been formed by Lacaille, in 1752. DESIGNA- TION. P. Ill, 13 P. II, 195 P. I, 168 P. I, 241 P. I, 251 P. II, 28 MAGNI- TUDE. 3.6 4.5 5.3 5.5 4.8 5.4 POSITION DESIGNA- MAG B.A. 18 80 DECL. TION. TUI h. m. / 3. 7 -29.28 P. II, 73 5.6 2.45 32.54 P. II, 122 dbl. 4.8 1.40 25.45 P. II, 200 5.6 1.56 30.36 P. Ill, 142 4.9 1.59 29.54 P. Ill, 176 5.6 2. 8 31.18 P. II, 194 dbl. 6.5 POSITION B.A. 1880 DECL. h. m. ' 2.17 24.22 28.46 28.26 32.19 30.31 37.55 2.29 2.45 3.38 3.43 2.43 NOTE. This constellation, entirely visible from our latitude, contains only one star above the 4th magnitude. ERIDANUS. Eridanus, the River, also called the River Po, was called at the time of Eudoxus Orion's River, or Potamos (the River); it is the river in which Phaeton, son of Phoebus (the Sun) and Clymene, was drowned after trying to drive the chariot of his father; according to mythology, Phaeton, unable to manage the fiery steeds, was precipitated into the river by Jupiter to pre- vent a general conflagration. DESIGNA- TION. MAGNI- TUDE. .(Achernar) 1.6 red /3 dbl. ydbl. rj dbl. e dbl. <- K A M 40 o2 trin. JT 9pl 2.8 2.8 3.3 3.6 4.9 3.7 2.6 4.2 4.2 4.0 4.0 3.8 5.6 4.0 4.4 4.7 org. 5.6 org. POSITION B. A. 1 J80 DECL. h. m. o / 1.33 57.51 5. 2 5.15 3.52 13.51 3.38 10.10 3.27 9.52 3.10 0.16 2.51 0.22 2.54 40.47 2.30 40.22 2.23 48.14 5. 3 8.55 4.40 3.28 4.30 3.36 4.18 4. 1 4. 6 7. 9 4.10 7.47 3.40 12.29 2.55 8. 9 DESIGNA- TION. 10 p2 dbl. 4969 Lai. 1 Tl 2r2 11 r3 16 T* dbl. 19 T5 27 T 28 T? 33x8 36 T 50 vl 52 u2 43 v3 41 v4 dbl. X dbl. MAGNI- TUDE. 5.3 5.7 4.5 4.9 4.1 3.4 45 3.9 5.5 4.4 4.4 4.7 3.7 4.0 3.3 3.5 3.9 5.3 B.A. 1* 80 DEC!.. h. m. O / 2.57 8.10 2.34 9.58 2.39 19. 5 2.46 21.30 2.57 24. 6 3.14 22.12 3.29 22. 2 3.42 23.36 3.43 24.15 3.49 24.58 3.55 24.21 4.29 30. .31 30.49 .20 34.18 .13 34. 6 .12 52. 2 .51 52.14 .56 7.21 80 ERIDANUS-LEPUS. E R I D A N U S- CONTINUED. DESIGNA- TION. 39 A 62 b, dbl. 51 c 4 5 15 17 20 32 dbl. 35 45 MAGNI- TUDE. 5.2 5.9 5.8 5.7 5.4 5.3 4.7 5.3 4.7 5.3 5.4 B. A. IS SO DECL. Ul^SlliWA- TION. M.AUIN1- TUDE. h. m. / 4.47 5.39 53 4.1 4. 9 10.33 54 4.6 4.50 3.22 55 dbl. 6.5 4.32 2.43 60 5.0 2.52 24.21 64 4.8 2.54 2.57 P. Ill, 251 5.8 3.13 22.58 P. IV, 154 5.2 3.25 5.29 9284 Lai. 5.V. 3.31 17.52 P. Ill, 88 4.V. 3.48 3.19 * 6.7 org. 3.55 1.53 H. IV, 26 neb. 4.26 0.18 POSITION i. A. 1330 DECL. . m. O f 4.33 14.32 4.35 19.54 4.38 9. 1 4.45 16.26 4.54 12.42 . 1 27.59 .34 12.21 .50 16.37 .26 41.49 4.28 11. 2 4. 9 13. 3 NOTES. This constellation is not entirely visible from our country, and its brightest star, a (alpha) or Achernar, which means " end of the river," will be found on our little map of the Southern Constellations. (Page 66.) ft (Beta) is also called Cursa and y (gamma) Zaurac. 32 - Double ; magnitude 4.7 and 7 ; distance, 6".7 ; very nice pair ; topaz and marine blue ; beauti- ful colors. 02 (Omtcron2) Trinary; magnitudes 4.4-9.5 and 10.5; distances, for 1885, 82" and 4"; the com- panions are only 4" apart, and revolve around each other in 139 years. This beautiful system has been observed for parallax By Gill, in 1883 0".1660".018 By Asaph Hall, in 1883 0".2230".020 Taking 0".l9 for the average, this trinary would be 1,086,000 times the distance from the earth to the sun, or 100 trillions of miles, and the light would have to travel more than 17 years to reach us (Revue d'Ast., 1889; page 446). It has " one of the greatest proper motion," 4".10 per year, apparent diameter of the moon in 500 years; direction S. W., toward y (gamma), near which it will be in 9,000 years; it was near (zi) 5,000 years ago. oi (Owicroni) Has no perceptible proper motion. 39 A Double; magnitudes 5.2 and 9; distance, 6".4; beautiful pair ; yellow and blue. 62 h Double; magnitudes 5.9 and 8 ; distance, 64"; easy pair. 55 Double; magnitudes 6.5 and 7; distance, 10"; nice pair. The star 56, at 20 minutes from 55, also appears in the field. (Theta) Is also a double star, and was noted of 2.6 magnitude in 1873; of 2.8 in 1871; of 3d in 1870, and of 3.3 in 1862. H. IV, 26 South of 39 A is a very bright circular nebula looking like a star not exactly at the focus of the telescope. Many stars of this constellation offer notable variations of magnitude. Lepus, or the Hare, is who used to call it " Lagos which mean the same thing. LEPUS. also one of the forty-eight constellations of the ancient Greeks, " the Latins named it "Lepus," the Arabs "Al-arnab; " all of DESIGNA- TION. dbl. ft dbl. v trip. dbl. dbl. MAGNI- TUDE. 2.7 2.9 3.5 3.7 3.1 red 3.6 3.8 5.2 4.4 4.2 4.1 POSITION DE8TGNA- B. A. 1880 DECL. TION. h. m. O / 5.27 17.54 M 5.23 20.51 V 5.40 22.29 17 5.46 20.53 P. IV, 5. 22.32 P. IV, 5.42 14.52 P. V, 3 5.51 14.12 P. V, 7 6. 1 14.56 10063 I 5. 7 12. 1 R 5. 8 13. 5 M. 79 5.14 13.18 * MAGNI- TUDE. 3.4 5.7 5.5 5.5 5.4 5.4 5.4 4.9 6.V, red neb. cl. B. A. h. m. 5. 8 5.14 6. 4.56 4.58 5.11 5.17 5.15 4.54 5.19 4.55 ) DECL. O / 16.21 12.26 16.29 20.14 26.27 27. 4 24.53 21.22 14.59 24.38 13.39 LEPUS COLOMBA-ANTLIA PNEUMATICA. si a (Alpha) Is also called Arneb. R. The principal curiosity of this constellation is the variable R, visible in a small telescope below 64 on the line passing through a (alpha} and /* (mu). Hind, who discovered it in 1845, said that it is " of the most intense crimson, resembling a drop of blood on the black ground of the sky." It is not visible to the naked eye, and varies from the G^th to 8^th magnitude in a period of 438 days, which also varies. At 1 4' south of R there is a nice field of small stars. y (Gamma) Double; magnitudes 3.5 and 6.5; distance, 1' 33" ; easy pair; triple in large tele- scopes. K (Kappa) Double; magnitudes 4.2 and 8.5; distance, 3".7 ; nice pair. t (Iota) Double ; magnitudes 4.4 and 12; distance, 13"; companion too small for common tele- scope. /3 (Beta) Double ; magnitudes 2.9 and 11; distance, 3"; too close, and companion too small for ordinary telescopes. COLOMBA. Colomba, or the Dove, is a constellation generally attributed to Augustin Royer, in 1679; some said it was introduced by Bartschius in 1624, but it already appears in Bayer's Atlas in 1603. DESIGNA- TION. a (Phact) ft y dbl. 6 MAGNI- TUDE 2.5 2.9 4.5 3.9 4.1 4.0 red 5.3 4.8 5.2 5.4 POSITION DESIGNA- B. A. 18 80 DECL. TION. h. m. I 5.35 -34. 8 i/l 5.47 35.49 c2 5.53 35.18 6.18 33.23 o 5.27 35.34 7J-1 5.56 42.49 7r2 6. 4 37.14 4.4 red 8.35 34.53 C 4.4 8.45 -27.16 a 3.8 8.39 32.45 e dbl. 4.5 9.05 29.58 ARGO NAVIS. NOTES. This is the largest of all constellations, but we can see only a part of it, the rest being too far in the Southern Hemisphere. (Refer to our map of the Southern Constellations, page GG, for everything that does not appear on our planisphere.) H. VIII, 38 The second nebula in the direction of Sirius to y (gamma) Canis Majoris, is a nice cluster; visible to the naked eye, with two double stars in the field. M. 46 Is a circular cluster composed of small stars shining like diamond dust, near which appears the remarkable planetary nebula H. IV, 39. (See near 38.) v (Nu) Is a beautiful blue star ; color very rare in single stars. a (Alpha) Canopus The brightest star after Sirius ; is too far south to appear on our plani- sphere ; it could be seen from all points south of the 37th degree of latitude. r? (Eta) Is the famous variable of this constellation, and one of the most remarkable, but not visible from our latitude; here we give the table of the variations observed, the years, and the names of the observers : YEAKS. MAGNITUDE. OBSERVERS. YEARS. MAGNITUDE. OBSERVERS. 1677 4 Halley. 1858 2.6 Powell. 1751 2 Lacaille. 1860 3.5 Tebbutt. 1811-15 4 Burchell. 1862 4.3 Tebbutt. 1822-26 2 Fallows, Brisbane. 1864 5.0 Tebbutt. 1827 1 Burchell. 1866 5.6 Tebbutt. 1828-33 2 Johnson, Taylor. 1868 6.1 Tebbutt. 1834-37 l 1 ^ John Herschel. 1870 6.5 Tebbutt, Gould. 1838-42 1 Maclear. 1872 6.8 Tebbutt. 1842 Nearly as Sirius Maclear. 1874 7.0 Tebbutt. 1844-54 1 Jacob, Gilliss. 1876 7.2 Gould. 1856 1.5 Powell. 1878 7.4 Gould. Since 1867 it is not visible to the naked eye. brighter again? So far we do not know. Is the variation periodical? Will it come . 136. The Great Nebula in Argo Navts. (Eta) is near the center of the famous nebula 2197 of J. Herschel's general catalogue, which occupied nearly one degree ; like the great nebula of Orion, it can not be resolved into stars. Sir J. Herschel undertook and succeeded in illustrating this beautiful object; it shows 1,203 stars, all measured and properly located by this habile observer; the light must take thousands of years to come from there, and is most likely not as it appears to us now. The region of the " Milky Way " near this nebula is one of the richest in stars, and J. Herschel counted 250 of them in a field of 15 minutes in diameter and 147,000 in 47 square degrees ! (Fig. 1 36. ) CENTAUKUS. CEN TAURUS. Centaurus, or the Centaur, is most likely the same Cheiron already spoken of in Sagit- tarius. The Centaurs were a nomadic tribe of Thessalian race; as they were excellent horse- men, they were fabled as being half man and half horse. This constellation appears in the Greek sphere in Eudoxus' time, and is certainly older. V DESIGNA- TION. TUDE. R. A. 1880 DECL. TI h. m. > a dbl. 1.0 yel. 14.31 60.20 & 1.5 13.55 59.48 oi y dbl. 2.5 12.35 48.18 2 6 2.8 12. 2 50. 3 77 e 2.6 13.32 52.51 P dbl. 2.7 13.48 46.42 cr n 2.5 14.28 41.38 T 2.3 14. 35.47 vl i 3.0 13.14 36. 5 v% K 3.3 14.51 41.37 4> A 3.4 11.30 62.21 X M 3.4 13.42 41.53 * V 3.7 13.42 41. 5 CO & 5.8 12.57 48.53 K TUDE. K. A. 1880 DECL. h. m. o / 4.8 13. 49.16 5.2 11.26 58.47 5.5 11.26 58.51 4.3 11.16 53.50 4.5 12. 5 51.42 4.3 12.22 49.34 4.4 12.31 47.53 4.2 13.51 44.13 5.0 13.54 45. 1 4.1 13.51 41.31 4.8 13.59 40.36 4.4 14.13 37.20 cl. 13.20 46.51 6.V. red 14. 8 59.20 NOTES. This constellation is too far south to be seen entirely from the United States ; it con- tains the nearest star to us, which is also one of the most interesting doubles. a (Alpha) Binary ; magnitudes 1st and 2d; the components revolve around each other in 84 years ; the plane of the revolution forms an angle of 79 with the plane perpendicular to our vision, and consequently the ellipse appears more than twice as long as it really is. We give herewith the principal measures of the angle and distances of the two stars since John Herschel's observations : YEAR. OBSERVERS. ANGLE. DISTANCE. 1833 J Herschel 2175 18" 7 1840 Maclear 2232 14" 7 1850 Jacob . . 2507 6"0 1856 Jacob . 3070 3". 9 1860 1870 1878 Powell Powell Gill 3470 220 1000 5".6 10".3 1".9 1880 Cruls 1650 3" 1 The companion was noted of 4th magnitude before 1830 by Feuillee, Lacaille, Brisbane and Dunlop; of 3d magnitude by J. Herschel, in 1835; it is now of the 2d magnitude; its color is orange, a (Alpha) is also in rapid motion, 3".67 per year; 6 min- utes in 100 years. If this motion con. tinues it will pass very near (beta) ; in 12,000 years it will be in the Southern Cross, and in the 500th cen- tury it will be near y (gamma) of Argo Navis Fig. 137. Apparent Orbit of a CENTAURUS. We give below the measures of its parallax at different times : OBSERVERS. PARALLAX. Henderson, 1838 l".16 0".ll Henderson and Maclear, 1842. . . .0".9130".064 Maclear, 1851 0".9190".034 Moesta, 1864. . . . . .0".521 0".OGG OBSERVERS. PARALLAX. Gill, 1883 0".7470".013 Gill, 1883 0".7G50".017 Elkill, 1882 0".7830".028 Elkin, 1883. 0".G760".027 Devolution =84 . rear9 The last four are the result of careful micrometrical measures, and in taking their average, o".75, it represents 275,000 times the distance from the earth to the sun, or 25 trillions of miles, and the light travels 4 years and 128 days to reach us (Revue d'Ast., 1889; page 443). A fast train going at the rate of 60 miles an hour would have to run for more than 47 mil- lion 500 thousand years with- out stopping before arriving on this sun, which, as we said before, is the nearest to us. a (Alpha) is the standard of stars of 1st magnitude. From the photometrical measures of Sir J. Herschel, the light of a (alpha) equals l-27,000thof the light of the full moon ; the full moon l-800,000th of the light of the sun, consequently it would Fig. 13S.-Real Orbit of a take 22 millions of stars of the same magnitude to produce as much light as the sun; it would take only 5,400 stars like Sirius to give the same result. Seen from a Centauri, our sun is only a star of the 2d magnitude; if they were revolving around their center of gravity the revolution would take about 13 millions of years to be accomplished. /3 (Beta) The parallax of this star is given as below -. Maclear, in 1842-3 0".4700".444 Moesta, in 1860-4 0".l73 0".070 Gill, in 1882 0".017 0".072 The last one considered as most correct, being " negative," indicates that /3 (beta) is too far to calculate its distance (Revue d'Ast., 1889; page 449). w (Omega) Is the beautiful cluster, vis- ible to the naked eye as a star of the 4th magnitude ; it is the finest cluster of the heavens ; its shape is nearly spherical and it contains several thousand stars in a size about two- thirds of the apparent disc of the moon. It could be seen near the horizon passing the meridian at midnight, the 10th of April. Fig. 139. Cluster LUPUS -ARA- CORONA AUSTRALIS. LUPUS. Lupus, or the Wolf, is au old constellation, mention of it being made by Eudoxus; the Greeks also called it the Ferocious Beast. It most likely represents Lycaon, King of Arcadia, struck by lightning and changed into a wolf by Jupiter, whom he had offended. DESIGNA- TION. y dbl. 8 e dbl. dbl. r, dbl. dbl. MAGNI- TUDE. 2.6 2.8 3.2 3.7 red 3.7 3.6 3.7 4.9 3.8 4.2 R. A. 1* h. m. 80 DECL. O / 14.34 4G.52 14.51 42.39 15.27 40.46 15.13 40.13 15.14 44.15 15. 4 51.38 15.52 38. 3 15.59 36.29 14.12 45.30 15. 4 48.17 DESIGNA- TION. A M. dbl. n dbl. p X 4 Lac. 6380 Lac. MAGNI- TUDE. 4.8 4.8 4.3 4.5 3.6 red 5.1 4.2 5.V. 5.9 red R. A. h. m. 15. 1 15.10 14.57 14.30 15.14 15.15 15.43 15.35 15.21 ) DECL. O I 44.48 47.26 46.35 48.54 35.50 36.26 33.15 34.19 46.19 NOTES. This constellation is almost entirely visible from New York, Chicago and San Francisco, but very close to the horizon ; it is composed of stars of small magnitude ; the brightest one, a (alpha) , being only a little above the 3d. (Phi) Ursa Maioris 555 115 " Both yellow 5 Canum Venatici 6 7 14 " White and blue (Zi) Bootis 4 5-6 5 17 " Yellow and red 4 Aquarii 6-7 130 " Both yellow. 02 (Omicron2) Eridani (trinary)... BC i? (Ma) Cassiopeiae y (Gamma) Virginis 9.5-10.5 4.2-7 3-3 139 " 167 " 175 " Both yellow. Yellow and purple. Both yellow. T (Tau) Ophiuchi . . 5 2-6 218 " Both white 44iBootis jm2 (3fw2) Bootis 5.3-6 6 5-8 261 " .... 280 " White and ash color. Both white 2 1757 Virginis 36 Andromedae 8-9 6-7 292 " 316 " White and yellow. Orange and yellow S (Delta) Cygni 2 1819 Virginis 2.9-8 7 8 336 " 380(9)" White and blue. Both white M. (M u) Draconis 12 Lynx (trinary) A B 5 5 5 8-6 5 648 " 676 " Both white. White and reddish < (Zeta) Aquarii Castor . 3.5-4.4 2 5-2 8 800(?) u 1 000 " (about) White and green. Both white 97 FINEST COLORED DOUBLE STARS. STARS. MAGNI- TUDES. DISTANCES. COLORS. y (Gamma) Andromedae Cor Carol! II 2.2-5.5-6.5 3.2-5.7 10"-0".5 20" Orange, sea green and blue. Gold-yellow and lilac (Beta)Cygni e (Epsilon) Bootis 95 Herculis 3.4-6.0 2.4-6.5 5.5-5.8 34" 2". 9 C" Gold-yellow and sapphire. Gold-yellow and blue. Gold-yellow and azure. a (Alpna) Herculis 4 var.-5 . 5 4". 7 Orange and emerald. v (Gamma) Delphini 32 Eridani 3.4 6.0 4 7-7 11" G" 7 Orange and green. Topaz and marine blue e (Epsilon) Hydrae 3 5-7 5 3" 5 Yellow and blue 7 (Gamma) Ceti (Zeta) Lyrae 3.2-7 45-55 3" 44" Pale-yellow and blue. Yellow and green. t (Iota) Cancri 4.5-7 30" Pale-orange and blue. 6 Triangul. . . 5.5-6.5 3". 7 Gold-yellow and bluish-green. Antares o (Omicron) Cygni 24 Comae Berenices o (Omicron) Cephei 1.7-7 4.3-7.5-5.5 5.6-7 5.4 8 3". 3 1' 47"-5' 38" 21" 2". 5 Orange and green. Yellow, blue and blue. Orange and lilac. Gold-yellow and azure. 94 Aquarii 5.5-7.5 14" Rose and light blue. 39 Ophiuchi 5 7-7.5 12" Yellow and blue 17 Virginis 6.5-9 20" Rose and red 84 Virginis 5 8-8.5 3". 5 Yellow and blue. 41 Aquarii 5.8-8.5 4". 8 Topaz and blue. 39 A Eridani 2 Canum Venatici 52Cygni 5.2-9 6.0-9 4.6-9 6". 4 11" 7" Yellow and blue. Gold-yellow and azure. Orange and blue. 55 Piscium 6.0-9 6" Orange and blue. 54 Hydras 5 2-8 9" Yellow and violet 6G Ceti 6 5-8 15" Yellow and blue I// (Psi) Draconis . . . 4 8-G 31" Yellow and lilac i) (Eta) Cassiopeiae o- (Sigma) Capricorn! v (Nu) Ursae Majoris Rigel 4.0-7 5.7-10 3.3-10 1.0-9 6". 7 54" 7" 9". 5 Gold-yellow and purple. Orange and lilac. Yellow and blue. White and blue. 8 (Delta) Herculis o (Omicron) Capricorn! 17 Virginis 3.6-8 6.3-7 6 5-9 18" 22" 20" White and violet. Both bluish. Both rose FINEST WHITE DOUBLE STARS. STARS. MAGNI- TUDES. DIS- TANCES. STARS. MAGNI- TUDES. DIS- TANCES. Mizar 2 4-tO 14" y (Gamma) Leonis 2 5-1 3" Castor 2.5-3.0 5" 6 |8 (Beta) Scorpionis 2 5-5 5 13" y (Gamma) Virginis y (Gamma) Arietis 3.0-3.2 42-4.5 5" 8". 9 9(Theta) Serpentis 44 i Bootis 4.4-5.0 50-60 2 ;: (Z,eta) Aquarii 3.5-4.4 3".5 it (Pi) Bootis 4.3-6.0 6" STARS FOR WHICH A PARALLAX HAS BEEN FOUND. Polaris v (Nu) Draconis y (Gamma) Draconis fji (Mu) Draconis " t-T of -HjT co o -^ t oo t- co co d d rH d d d rn' 05 *' * O Q O Q g 1 1 a ^fMCIO OOOTH lOO L-lS O O rH rH rH (N lO CS CJ J a a X _ P OJ S liillS g StaS c'S?f|'*'S ^i 5-CcOr^ 3i8|i|| |E " - 2 islilSlIlllifPJl! 5 "a is ifl 05 H^TH | s^ i:^^ l^^l S|lp Si oj "^ S l ^" |3|&'S| Hill! S'Slsll ft ~ -5 S3 >|| IW ^5^S ^'S'S't.t- *le?i -T 2 ^^^ .-- ^ .5o i >*T l^ 'fe i-sjsi S5-2l sc|g = o-s e S < ^^s^5 ggl'g.. ^ -a .|s v- gg II ^Co 1|11| S^Soj^ i8|fl .^ S S ~ ^ eg : ce 5 = u is ! eltll il In conclusion, we desire to say that our Handbook is not intended for theoretical astronomy, but merely for the general public who wish to obtain a fair idea of the beauty of the heavens without great expense of time and money, and in its compilation we have drawn from the works of S. W. Burnham, H. Faye, C. Flammarion, R. A. Proctor, T. W. Webb and other noted astronomers, also from the Revue d'Astronomie Populaire, published monthly since 1882. We desire especially to extend our sincere thanks to Mr. Burnham for valuable information and also for corrections on the advance proofs, which were submitted to him. If by this little work we have encouraged our readers to pursue further this beautiful study our object is attained. 105 INDEX OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Illustrations of the Principal Double and Triple Stars, Binaries, Trinaries, etc. PAGE Polaris 1 IT (Pi) Ursae Minoris l v (Nu) Draconis 2 (Omicron) Draconis 2 $ (Psi) Draconis 2 /3 (Beta) Cephei 4 8 (Delta) Cephei 4 * (Kappa) Cephei 4 (Zi) Cephei 4 P. XII. 230 Camelopard 5 P. IV. 269 Camelopard 5 ^ (Psi) Cassiopeiae 6 Y (Gamma) Andromedae 8 6 Triangul 9 e (Epsilon) Persei 11 ri(Eta) Persei 11 (Zeta) Persei 11 e (Theta) Persei 11 Mizar and Alcor 13 (Zi) Ursae Majoris 14 23fo Ursae Majoris 14 Cor Carol! II 15 e (Epsilon) Bootis 18 7T(Pi) Bootis 18 t (Iota) Bootis 18 (Zeta) Coronae Borealis 19 o- (Sigma) Coronoe Borealis . . 19 4 w (Omega) Aurigae 20 14 Aurigae 20 12 Lynx 21 38 Lynx 21 IPegasi 22 3 Pegasi 22 1 e (Epsilon) Equuel 23 PAGE Y (Gamma) Delphini 24 2 2703 Delphini 24 Albireo 27 61 Cygni 27 (Zeta) Sagittae 32 e (Theta) Sagittae 32 Vega 33 e (Epsilon) Lyrae 33 a (Alpha) Herculis 35 95 Herculis 35 11 Aquilge 37 15/i Aquilae 37 S (Delta) Serpentis 41 (Theta) Serpentis 41 a (Alpha) Piscium 42 (Zeta) Piscium 42 Y (Gamma) Arietis 43 14 Arietis 43 39 A2 Tauri 48 Castor 49 (Zeta) Cancri 50 Regulus 52 Y (Gamma) Leonis 52 Antares 59 v (Nu) Scorpionis 59 (Zi) Scorpionis 59 (Zeta) Aquarii 63 Rigel 68 Trapezium of Orion 68 8 (Delta) Orionis 68