Part 17

The star is of a deep yellow or orange hue. It has three little stars above it, two of which form a pretty pair.

The star has a companion, which is a test for an opera-glass.

The star is a double for an opera-glass.

Note the fine star cluster (46 M.).

The star Markeb forms a small triangle with two other stars near it.

The Egyptians believed that this was the ark that bore Osiris and Isis over the Deluge.

The constellation contains two noted objects invisible in this latitude, Canopus, the second brightest star, and the remarkable variable star [[^e]].

MONOCEROS (m[=o]-nos'-e-ros)--THE UNICORN. (Face South.)

LOCATION.--Monoceros is to be found east of Orion between Canis Major and Canis Minor. Three of its stars of the fourth magnitude form a straight line northeast and southwest, about 9 east of Betelgeuze, and about the same distance south of Alhena, in Gemini.

The region around the stars 8, 13, 17 is particularly rich when viewed with an opera-glass.

Note also a beautiful field about the variable S, and a cluster about midway between and .

Two stars about 7 apart in the tail of the Unicorn are pointer stars to Procyon. These stars are known as 30 and 31. The former is about 16 east of Procyon, and is easily identified as it has a sixth-magnitude star on either side of it. About 4 southwest of this star a good field-glass will reveal a beautiful star cluster.

ERIDANUS ([=e]-rid'-a-nus)--OR THE RIVER PO. (Face Southwest.)

LOCATION.--Three degrees north and 2 west of Rigel, in Orion, lies Eridani, the source of the River. Thence it flows west till it reaches Ceti, then drops south 5, thence east southeast, its total length being about 130.

The great curve the River takes, just east of the Whale, resembles a horseshoe.

Acherna, the first-magnitude star in Eridanus, is too far south to be seen in this latitude.

Note the pretty star group around and a pair of stars of an orange hue below .

The asterism known as "The Brandenburg Sceptre," consisting of four stars of the fourth and fifth magnitudes, can be seen arranged in a straight line north and south below the first bend in the River just west of Lepus.

METEORIC SHOWERS.

JANUARY TO APRIL.

+---------------+--------+------------------+---------------+-------------+----------+ | | | | | Other Dates | | |Name of Shower | Date | Radiant Point |Characteristics| of |Location | | | | | | Observation | | +---------------+--------+------------------+---------------+-------------+----------+ | Quadrantids. | Jan. 2 | (44) Bo[:o]tis, | | | | | Rich annual | |between Bo[:o]tes | M. Sw. B. | Jan 3. | E. | | shower | | and Dragon's head| | | | +---------------+--------+------------------+---------------+-------------+----------+ | Zeta Cancrids |Jan. 2-4| () Cancri, | | | E. | | | | near Bee Hive | | | | +---------------+--------+------------------+---------------+-------------+----------+ | Theta Ursids | Jan. 5 |About 10 from| Small | | | | | | away from | Sh. Sw. F. | Jan. 2-8 | N. | | | | Ursae Maj. | | | | +---------------+--------+------------------+---------------+-------------+----------+ |Alpha Draconids| Feb. 1 | Near Thuban | Sl. | Jan. 9 | N. | | | | Draconis | | Dec. 8 | | +---------------+--------+------------------+---------------+-------------+----------+ | | | Near Capella | | Aug. 21 |High in | |Alpha Aurigids | Feb. 7 | Aurigae | Sl. | Sept. 12-22 |Southern | | | | | | | Sky | +---------------+--------+------------------+---------------+-------------+----------+ | Tau Leonids |Feb. 16 | Leonis, | | Nov. 27 | | | | | between Leo | Sl. Sk. | Dec. 12 | E. | | | | and Crater | | Mar. 1-4 | | +---------------+--------+------------------+---------------+-------------+----------+ | Alpha Canum |Feb. 20 | Near Cor Caroli | | | | | Ven. Well | | and Coma | V. Sw. B. | | E. | | defined 1877 | | Berenices | | | | +---------------+--------+------------------+---------------+-------------+----------+ | - |Mar. 1 | Between | V. Sl. | July--Dec. | N.W. | | Perseids | | and Persei | | Mar. 13-19 | | +---------------+--------+------------------+---------------+-------------+----------+ |Beta Leonids or|Mar. 14 | Near Denebola | Sl. B. | Mar. 3, 4 | S.E. | |Beta Virginids | | Leonis | | Dec. 12 | | +---------------+--------+------------------+---------------+-------------+----------+ |Kappa Cepheids |Mar. 18 | Near Polaris | Sl. B. | Oct. 4-17 | N. | | | | | | Mar. 13-19 | | +---------------+--------+------------------+---------------+-------------+----------+ | | | | | Apr. 10-16 | | | Beta Ursids |Mar. 24 | Near | Sw. | Mar. 13-14 | N. | | | | Ursae Maj. | | Dec. 2-9 | | | | | | | Precise | | +---------------+--------+------------------+---------------+-------------+----------+ |Zeta Draconids |Mar. 28 | Near the | Sl. | July 29 | N. | | | | Dragon's Head | |Aug. 24, etc.| | +---------------+--------+------------------+---------------+-------------+----------+

The Abbreviations under Characteristics are as follows:

V. Very Sh. Short M. Moderately B. Bright Sw. Swift F. Faint Sl. Slow Sk. Streak leaving meteors T. Train leaving meteors

If you know the constellations, and memorize the following rhyme you will have ever at hand for reference at night, a reliable time-piece, a compass, and a perpetual calendar.

The numbers above the star names indicate consecutively the months of the year in which these respective objects rise about the first instant in the eastern sky. In addition to first-magnitude stars the rhyme refers to the head of Capricornus, the Sea Goat, the Great Square of Pegasus, and Orion's Belt. All except Arcturus rise between 9 and 9.30 P.M. Arcturus rises at 10 P.M., February 1st.

1 First Regulus gleams on the view, 2 3 4 Arcturus, Spica, Vega, blue, 5 6 Antares, and Altair, 7 8 9 The Goat's head, Square, and Fomalhaut, 10 11 Aldebaran, the Belt, a-glow, 12 Then Sirius most fair.

Eight months of the year are identified by the position of the Dipper at 9 P.M. In April and May it is north of the zenith. During July and August it is west of north. In October and November it lies close to the northern horizon and in January and February it is east of north with the pointers highest.

THE PLANETS.