like those in the Great Bear, but both, the figure and the stars are considerably less. The Lesser Bear Leads from the pole the lucid band: the stars EUDOSIA. An imaginary line passing from Dubhe through the star in the opposite corner of the trapezium, will nearly intersect Cor Caroli, a single star of the second magnitude, whose distance from the latter star is nearly double that between the two former. A straight line from Alioth passing through Cor Caroli, produced a little farther than the distance between them, will reach Vindemiatrix, the farthest northern star in the constellation Virgo. Between Cor Caroli and Virgo is the constellation Coma Berenices, or Berenice's Hair, so named from its resemblance to hair. Then Berenice's locks first rose so bright, The heavens bespangling with dishevelled light. POPE. A straight line from Benetnach passing through Cor Caroli, and extending downwards or towards the horizon about double the distance between these two stars, will reach Deneb, a star of the second magnitude in the constellation Leo, or the Lion, and about 25 degrees to the west of Deneb; and about 3 degrees lower is Regulus, a star of the first magnitude, in the heart of Leo, and almost in the plane of the ecliptic. To the eastward of Deneb, at the distance of about 35 degrees, is Arcturus, in the constellation Böotes, called the Waggoner. Wide o'er the spacious regions of the North, Böotes with his wain the North unfolds; The southern gate Orion holds. THOMSON. CLAUDIAN. Under Böotes is the constellation Virgo, in which there is a very bright star, called Spica Virginis, which forms with Deneb and Arcturus a very large equilateral triangle. A little to the south-west of Spica Virginis, is the constellation Corvus, the stars of which form a long trapezium, but none of them exceed the third magnitude. The first star is named Algorab, and is in the lower corner of the trapezium, about 18 degrees from Spica Virginis. A line from Vindemiatrix, the third star in Virgo, through Arcturus, will intersect Alphacca, a star of the second magnitude in the constellation Corona Borealis, or the Northern Crown; the distance between Alphacca and Arcturus being nearly equal to that between the latter and Vindemiatrix. This constellation is very conspicuous, the stars in it being arranged in a circular form, somewhat resembling a crown. A line passing from Regulus through Spica Virginis, and extending an equal distance beyond the latter, will reach Antares, a star of the first magnitude in the constellation Scorpio. Between Scorpio and Virgo is the constellation Libra, containing a number of small stars; and to the south of Scorpio is the constellation Lupus, or the Wolf, which also contains a number of stars; but none of them exceed the third or fourth magnitude. Nearly in the line produced from Arcturus, through the Northern Crown, and about twice the distance between them, and beyond Alphacca, is one of the brightest stars in the heavens, called Vega, in the constellation Lyra. In the line joining this star and the guards of Ursa Minor, and about 15 degrees distant from the former, is Rastaban, a star of the third magnitude in the constellation Draco, or the Dragon; and in the opposite direction from Vega, a little to the east of the line, and about 34 degrees distant, is Altair, a star between the first and second magnitude in the constellation Aquila. The stars Altair, Vega, and Deneb, a star of the second magnitude in the constellation Cygnus, form nearly a right-angled triangle, the right angle being at Vega. About 14 degrees north-east of Altair, is a romboidal figure, formed by four stars in the constellation Delphinus; and about 35 or 36 degrees east of this figure, is the constellation Pegasus, in which there is a bright star in the neck called Scheat. About 13 degrees south of that is Markab, a star of the second magnitude; 16 degrees to the east of Markab is another star of the second magnitude, in the same constellation; and nearly 14 degrees east of Scheat is a star of the third magnitude, in the head Andromeda. These four stars form a square, usually called the Square of Pegasus. A line from Scheat through Markab, at the distance of 45 degrees from the latter, will nearly intersect Fomalhaut, a star of the first magnitude in the constellation Pisces Austraulis, or the Southern Fish. Between Markab and Fomalhaut, and about 10 degrees south of the former, is the constellation Pisces. To the west of the line joining the two last mentioned constellations is Aquarius, one of the zodiacal constellations. A line from Deneb in Cygnus, passing through Markab, and distant from it about 41 degrees, will point out the second brightest star in the constellation Cetus: and a line from the rhomboid already mentioned, in Delphenus, through Markab, at the distance of nearly 60 degrees from this last star, will intersect Menkar, a star of the second magnitude in the jaw of Cetus. About 37 degrees north of Menkar is Algol, the second star in the constellation Perseus, which is one of those stars that vary in brightness. At the distance of about 27 degrees from the star in the head of Andromeda, and a little to the south of the line, joining it and Markab, is Almaach, a star of the second magnitude in the southern foot of Andromeda and about half way between it and Markab, is Mirach, a star of the third magnitude in the girdle of that constellation. A little to the north of the same line, at the distance of about 42 degrees, is Algenib, a star of the second magnitude in the constellation Perseus. The three stars, Almaach, Algol, and Algenib, form nearly a right-angled triangle, Algol being at the right angle. Between Mirach and Menkar, about 17 degrees from the former, is a tolerably bright star of the second magnitude in the constellation Aries, between which and Almaach are the two triangles, and about 10 degrees south-east of the triangles is the small constellation Musca, or the Fly. To the north-east of Menkar, about 26 degrees, and as many south-east of Musca, is Aldebaran, a star of the first magnitude, of a red colour, in the constellation Taurus. This star, with several other small ones called the Hyades, forms a triangle. Between this triangle and Musca, is that well-known cluster of stars called the Pleiades, or Seven Stars, which are situated in the neck of Taurus. A line from Aldebaran through Algol, at the distance of 28 degrees from Algol, will intersect Schedar, a star of the third magnitude in the constellation Cassiopeia. This constellation will easily be known, being composed of five or six stars of nearly the same magnitude, and being always on the opposite side of the pole, with respect to the star Alioth, in Ursa Major. About 22 degrees south-east from Aldebaran, are three stars of the second magnitude, in a straight line, and at equal distances from each other, which form the belt of Orion. Below the belt are a few stars that compose the Sword of Orion, in a beautiful nebulæ. Above these are two bright stars, distant from each other about 7 degrees; the farthest west one is called Bellatrix, and the other Betelguese; and, about as far distant on the other side of the belt is Rigel, a star of the first magnitude; all of these are in the constellation Orion, which is one of the most beautiful constellations in the heavens. About half way between Rigel and the north pole is Capella, a star of the first magnitude in the constellation Auriga. A line from Menkar through Rigel, at the distance of 23 degrees from the latter, or from Aldebaran, through the middle star of Orion's belt, and about as far below it as Aldebaran is above it, is Sirius, a star of the first magnitude in the constellation Canis Major.* About 5 degrees west from Sirius is a star between the second and third magnitude, and about 11 degrees farther south than Sirius there are three others in a straight line, all of the third magnitude, and in the same constellation. About 26 degrees to the east of Betelguese, and the same distance north-east from Sirius, is Procyon, a star between the first and second magnitude in Canis Minor. In a line with Rigel and the middle star in the belt of Orion, about 44 degrees from the latter, is Castor, a star between the first and second magnitude, in the constellation Gemini; and about 4 degrees south-east of Castor is Pollux, a star between the second and third magnitude, in the same constellation. Pollux may also be known by observing, that it is about 45 degrees distant from Aldebaran, in the line produced, passing through it from Menkar. About half way between Procyon and Regulus is Acubens, a star of the third magnitude, in the sign Cancer. A line from Alioth through Regulus being produced about 23 degrees, will intersect Alphared, a star of the second *Sirius is the brightest star in the heavens, and is by some astronomers supposed to be nearest the earth. No. 7. H magnitude in the constellation Hydra; and a line from Procyon through Alphared, produced about 24 degrees beyond Alphared, will intersect Alkes in the constellation Crater. This star may also be known by being on the meridian nearly at the same time with the pointers in the Great Bear. As the constellations and stars now described comprise the greater number of those that can be seen in any part of Great Britain, it is unnecessary to take any notice of the others.* The situation of the principal constellations which appear above the horizon of London, during a night about the middle of December, are so beautifully and accurately described in the following extract from the philosophic poem entitled Eudosia, that it cannot but be admired by all lovers of Astronomy : Now let us watch the rising of the stars; And look where mid December points the hour Cepheus, sublime; the Dragon's tortile spire, The correspondent star; alike remote This from the heavenly, that the earthly pole, The greater Bear is seen; and Pegasus Tends to the south; the beauteous Twins emerge Still higher Aries; the declining Fish Verge to the southern wave; and Capricorn The horizon even now to eclipse the pomp And near him the vast Whale conspicuous shines. Those who are possessed of a celestial globe, and know how to use it, will, in a few evenings, acquire a knowledge of the principal stars that may be above their horizon at that season; but the foregoing directions will be found to answer the same purpose, with the assistance either of a globe or map of the heavens. Capella in the zenith glows; an hour Is pass'd; Arcturus rises: ère the night Has mark'd the second hour from its mid space, While undisturb'd remain the heavenly spheres. EUDOSIA. OF THE LUSTRE AND MAGNITUDE OF THE STARS. One sun by day, by night ten thousand shine; And light us deep into the DEity. O how loud They call devotion, genuine growth of night! An undevout astronomer is mad. YOUNG. The stars are divided into orders or classes according to their apparent magnitudes. Those that appear largest to the naked eye, have been called stars of the first magnitude; those that appear next largest, the second magnitude; and so on to the sixth, which comprehends the smallest stars that are visible to the naked eye. All those that can only be perceived by the help of a telescope, are called telescopic stars. The stars of each class are not all of the same apparent magnitude. In the first class, or those of the first magnitude, there are scarcely two that appear of the same size. 1 There are also other stars, of intermediate magnitudes, which astronomers cannot refer to any particular class, and therefore they place them between two; but on this subject astronomers differ con * Spica Virginus, the ear of wheat in the constellation Virgo: The star which crowns the golden sheaf, EUDOSIA. |