Part 8

Note "The Coal Sack," one of the dark gap in the Milky Way.

Cygnus contains an unusual number of deeply colored stars and variable stars.

Cygni has a sixth-magnitude companion, and is in the midst of a beautiful stream of faint stars.

This region is perhaps richer than any similar extent in the heavens. An opera-glass will reveal many of its beauties.

Herschel counted 331,000 stars in an area of only 5 in Cygnus.

AQUILA (ak'-wi-l[:a])--THE EAGLE, AND ANTINO[:U]S. (Face Southeast.)

LOCATION.--Half-way up the sky in the Milky Way, you will see three stars in a line, the middle one much brighter than the other two. This bright star is Altair, in Aquila. It forms with Vega and Deneb an isosceles triangle. Altair is at the apex, about 35 from the other two. A triangle is formed by Vega, Altair, and Ras Alhague, in the Serpent Bearer, which is about 30 west of Altair.

This is a double constellation composed of Aquila and Antino[:u]s. Altair is in the neck of the Eagle, Alschain in the head of Antino[:u]s.

When the moon is absent, a rude arrowhead can be traced out, embracing almost all the stars in Aquila.

Altair rises about 8 north of the exact eastern point on the horizon.

In A.D. 389 a wonderful temporary star flashed out near Altair that equalled Venus in brightness and vanished within three weeks' time.

ANTINO[:U]S]

DELPHINUS (del-fi'-nus)--THE DOLPHIN, OR JOB'S COFFIN. (Face Southeast.)

LOCATION.--The little cluster of five stars forming Delphinus is to be seen about 10 northeast of Altair, and, though there are no bright stars in the group, it can hardly escape notice. A line drawn from Vega to Albireo, and prolonged about 20, strikes the star in the tail of the Dolphin. The four other stars of prominence in the constellation are a little above , and form a diamond-shaped figure.

The little asterisms Sagitta, the Arrow, and Vulpecula and Anser, the Fox and Goose, are shown just above Delphinus.

Delphinus is also called Job's Coffin. The origin of this appellation is unknown.

In Greece, Delphinus was the Sacred Fish, the sky emblem of philanthropy. The Arabs called it the "Riding Camel."

The star Delphini is a fine double for a small telescope with a marked and beautiful contrast of colors.

The names for and reversed spell "Nicolaus Venator," the Latinized name of the assistant to the astronomer Piazzi.

SAGITTARIUS (saj-i-t[=a]-ri-us)--THE ARCHER. (Face South.)

LOCATION.--A line drawn from Deneb, in Cygnus, to Altair, in Aquila, and prolonged an equal distance, terminates in Sagittarius about 10 east of its distinguishing characteristic, the Milk Dipper. Sagittarius is one of the signs of the zodiac, and lies between Capricornus, on the east, and Scorpius, on the west.

The bow is easily traced out. marks the arrow's tip.

Note the star , which serves to point out the Winter Solstice, where the solstitial colure intersects the ecliptic.

On a clear night, the pretty cluster known as Corona Australis, the Southern Crown, can be seen about 10 below the bowl of the Milk Dipper. Its lucida, the fourth-magnitude star Alfecca Meridiana culminates at 9 P.M., August 13th.

Sagittarius is about due south, in a splendid position for observation, during the month of July, between the hours of nine-thirty and eleven o'clock P.M.

Observe with an opera-glass the fine clusters 20 M. and 8 M., also an almost circular black void near the stars and , and to the east of this spot another of narrow crescent form.

The stars and in the Milk Dipper are moving in opposite directions. Future generations therefore will not have this time-honored figure to guide them in locating the Archer in their summer night skies.

OPHIUCHUS (of-i-[=u]-kus)--THE SERPENT BEARER, AND SERPENS. (Face Southwest.)