A Field Book of the Stars Part 11

MONOCEROS (mo-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-gla.s.s.

Note also a beautiful field about the variable S, and a cl.u.s.ter about midway between a 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-gla.s.s will reveal a beautiful star cl.u.s.ter.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MONOCEROS]

ERIDa.n.u.s (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 p 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 Erida.n.u.s, is too far south to be seen in this lat.i.tude.

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.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ERIDa.n.u.s]

METEORIC SHOWERS.

JANUARY TO APRIL.

+---------------+--------+------------------+---------------+-------------+----------+ | | | | | Other Dates | | |Name of Shower | Date | Radiant Point |Characteristics| of |Location | | | | | | Observation | | +---------------+--------+------------------+---------------+-------------+----------+ | Quadrantids. | Jan. 2 | (44) Botis, | | | | | Rich annual | |between Botes and| M. Sw. B. | Jan 3. | E. | | shower | | 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. | | | | Urs Maj. | | | | +---------------+--------+------------------+---------------+-------------+----------+ |Alpha Draconids| Feb. 1 | Near Thuban | Sl. | Jan. 9 | N. | | | | a Draconis | | Dec. 8 | | +---------------+--------+------------------+---------------+-------------+----------+ | | | Near Capella | | Aug. 21 |High in | |Alpha Aurigids | Feb. 7 | a Aurig | Sl. | Sept. 12-22 |Southern | | | | | | | Sky | +---------------+--------+------------------+---------------+-------------+----------+ | Tau Leonids |Feb. 16 | t 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 | | | | +---------------+--------+------------------+---------------+-------------+----------+ | a- |Mar. 1 | Between a | 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. | | | | Urs 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 compa.s.s, 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.

It is not within the scope of this work to dwell at length on a discussion of the planets. Certain explanatory matter regarding them is necessary, however, to prevent confusion; for the student must bear in mind the fact that from time to time the planets appear in the constellations, and unless identified would lead him to think that the diagrams were inaccurate.

The reader is referred to any one of the four large plates that precede each season. He will observe that a portion of an ellipse has been traced on each of them, and that this line has been designated the Ecliptic, which simply means the sun's apparent pathway across the sky.

This pathway is divided into twelve equal parts of thirty degrees each, and to these twelve divisions are given the names of the constellations of the Zodiac in the following order: Aries (?), Taurus (?), Gemini (?), Cancer (?), Leo (?), Virgo (?), Libra (?), Scorpio (?), Sagittarius (?), Capricornus (?), Aquarius (?), Pisces (?).

The sun, starting from the first degree of Aries, the first day of spring, pa.s.ses through one constellation a month. The planets follow the same pathway.

Confusion, therefore, respecting their ident.i.ty can only arise in connection with a study of one of the twelve constellations named above, so that whenever a star of any size is seen in one of these constellations, not accounted for in the diagram, the student may conclude that this is a planet; especially if the unknown star does not twinkle. It now remains to identify the planet.

This can best be done by referring to an almanac, which states what planets are above the horizon, and which are morning and evening stars. By morning star is meant that the planet is east of the sun; by evening star, that it is west of the sun.

If the planet is in the west, and very brilliant, it is safe to a.s.sume that it is the planet Venus.

If it is brighter than any of the fixed stars, and is some distance from the sun, it is doubtless the colossal Jupiter.

If it is very red, it will probably be Mars.

Saturn is distinguished because of its pale, steady, yellow light.

As for Mercury, Ura.n.u.s, and Neptune, the former is very near the sun, and seldom seen; while Ura.n.u.s and Neptune are so inconspicuous as to lead to no confusion on the part of the novice.

A few notes of interest relative to the planets follow, taking them up in regular order pa.s.sing outward from the sun: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Ura.n.u.s, Neptune.

MERCURY.

Mercury is the nearest to the sun of any of the planets. On this account, and because of its rapid changes, it is seldom seen.

The most favorable time for observing it is just after sunset, or just before sunrise, during the months of March, April, August, and September, when it may be seen for a few successive days.

The greatest distance it ever departs from the sun on either side varies approximately from sixteen to twenty-eight degrees. Its motion resembles a pendulum, swinging from one side of the sun to the other.

VENUS.

Venus approaches nearer to the earth and is more brilliant than any other planet. It is bright enough to cast a shadow at night, and is sometimes visible even at noonday. It is almost as large as the earth, and appears to oscillate, as Mercury does, on either side of the sun.