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outhern hemisphere, that only a few stars in the group are visible to us.

It contains twenty-four stars, including three of the 3d mag nitude, and as many of the 4th; the brightest of which, when on the meridian, may be seen in a clear evening, just above the southern horizon. Their particular situation, however, will be better traced out by reference to the map than by written directions.

The most favourable time for observing this constellation, is towards the latter end of June.

HISTORY.-This constellation, according to fable, is Lycaon, king of Arcadia, who lived about 3,600 years ago, and was changed into a wolf by Jupiter, because he offered human victims on the altars of the god Pan. Some attribute this met amorphosis to another cause. The sins of mankind, as they relate, had become so enormous, that Jupiter visited the earth to punish its wickedness and impiety. He came to Arcadia, where he was announced as a god, and the people began to pay proper adoration to his divinity. Lycaon, however, who used to sacrifice all strangers to his wanton cruelty, laughed at the pious prayers of his subjects, and to try the divinity of the god, served up human flesh on his table. This im piety so offended Jupiter, that he immediately destroyed the house of Lycaon, and changed him into a wolf.

"Of these he murders one; he boils the flesh,

And lays the mangled morsels in a dish;

Some part he roasts; then serves it up, so dress'd,
And bids me welcome to his human feast.

Moved with disdain, the table I o'erturn'd,
And with avenging flames the palace burn'd.
The tyrant in a fright for shelter gains

The neighb'ring fields, and scours along the plains:
Howling he fled, and fain he would have spoke,
But human voice his brutal tongue forsook.
His mantle, now his hide, with rugged hairs,
Cleaves to his back; a famish'd face he bears;
His arms descend, his shoulders sink away
To multiply his legs for chase of prey;
He grows a wolf."-Ovid, Met. B. i.

LIBRA.

THE BALANCE. This is the seventh sign, and eighth constellation, from the vernal equinox, and is situated in the Zodiac, next east of Virgo.

The sun enters this sign, at the autumnal equinox, on the 23d of September; but does not reach the constellation before the 27th of October.

Virgo was the goddess of justice, and Libra, the scales, which she is usually represented as holding in her left hand, are the appropriate emblem of her office. When the sun enters the sign Libra, the days and nights are equal all over the

How many stars does it contain? Under what circumstances may the brightest of them be seen? How may the stars in this group be most conveniently traced out? When is the most favourable time for observing this constellation? How is Libra situated among the constellations of the Zodiac? At what season of the year does the sun enter Libra? Who was Virgo, and what was the emblem of her office? What is the relative length of the days and nights when the sun enters Libra}

world, and seem to observe a kind of equilibrium, like balance.

When, however, it is said that the vernal and autumna equinoxes are in Aries, and Libra, and the tropics in Cance and Capricorn, it must be remembered that the signs Aries and Libra, Cancer and Capricorn, and not the constellations of these names are meant; for the equinoxes are now in the constellations Pisces and Virgo, and the tropics in Gemini and Sagittarius; each constellation having gone forward one sign in the ecliptic.

About 22 centuries ago, the constellation Libra coincided with the sign Libra; but having advanced 30° or more in the ecliptic, it is now in the sign Scorpio, and the constellation Scorpio is in the sign Sagittarius, and so on.

While Aries is now advanced a whole sign above the equinoctial point into north declination, Libra has descended as far below it into south declination.

Libra contains fifty-one stars, including two of the 2d magnitude, two of the 3d, and twelve of the 4th. Its mean declination is 8° south, and its mean right ascension 226°. Its centre is therefore on the meridian about the 22d of June.

It may be known by means of its four principal stars, forming a quadrilateral figure, lying northeast and southwest, and having its upper and lower corners nearly in a line running north and south. The two stars which form the N. E. side of the square, are situated about 7° apart, and distinguish the Northern Scale. The two stars which form the S. W. side of the square, are situated about 6o apart, and distinguish the Southern Scale.

Zubeneschamali, in the Southern Scale, about 21° E. of Spica, and 8° E. of Lambda Virginis, is a star of the 2d magnitude, and is situated very near the ecliptic, about 4240 E. of the autumnal equinox. The distance from this star down to Theta Centauri, is about 230, with which, and Spica Virginis, it forms a large triangle, on the right.

Zubenelgemabi, the uppermost star in the Northern Scale, is also of the 2d magnitude, 94° above Zubeneschamali, towards the northeast, and it comes to the meridian about twenty-six minutes after it, on the 23d of June. Zubenelge. mabi is the northernmost of the four bright stars in this figure, and is exactly opposite the lower one, which is 11° south of it.

Zubenhakrabi, is a star of the 3d magnitude in the Northern Scale, 7° S. E. of Zubenelgemabi, and nearly opposite to Zubeneschamali, at the distance of 11° on the east. These two make the diagonal of the square east and west.

Iota, is a star of the 3d magnitude, and constitutes the southernmost corner of

When it is said that the vernal and autumnal equinoxes are in Aries and Libra, and the tropics in Cancer and Capricorn, what is meant? In what constellations, then, are the equinoxes and the tropics situated? When did the constellation of Libra coincide with the sign of that name? In what sign is the constellation Libra now situated; What are the number and magnitude of the stars in Libra? What are its right ascension and declination? When is its centre on the meridian? How may this constella tion be known? What figure do the three upper stars in this figure form? What stars distinguish the Northern Scale? What the Southern? Describe Zubeneschamali. With what other stars does it form a large triangle? Describe the principal star in the Northern Scale. Describe the position of Zubenhakrabi Describe the position of lota

the square. It is about 6° S. E. of Zubeneschamali, and 11° S. of Zubenelge. mani, with which it forms the other diagonal north and south.

Zelenelgubi, is a star of the 3d magnitude, situated below the Southern Scale, at the distance of 6° from Iota, and marks the southern limit of the Zodiac. It is situated in a right line with, and nearly midway between, Spica Virginis and Beta. Scorpionis; and comes to the meridian nearly at the same moment with Nekkar, in the head of Bootes.

The remaining stars in this constellation are too small to engage attention.

The scholar, in tracing out this constellation in the heavens, will perceive that Lambda and Mu, which lie in the feet of Virgo on the west, form, with Zubeneschamali and Zubenelgemabi, almost as handsome and perfect a figure, as the other two stars in the Balance do on the east.

HISTORY.-The Libra of the Zodiac, says Maurice, in his Indian Antiquities, is perpetually seen upon all the hieroglyphics of Egypt; which is at once an argument of the great antiquity of this asterism, and of the probability of its having been originally fabricated by the astronomical sons of Misraim. In some few zodiacs, Astræa, or the virgin who holds the balance in her hand as an emblem of equal justice, is not drawn. Such are the zodiacs of Estne and Dendera. Humboldt is of opinion, that although the Romans introduced this constellation into their zodiac in the reign of Julius Cesar, still it might have been used by the Egyptians and other nations of very remote antiquity

It is generally supposed that the figure of the balance has been used by all nations to denote the equality of the days and nights, at the period of the sun's arriving at this sign. It has also been observed, that at this season there is a greater uniformity in the temperature of the air all over the earth's surface.

Others affirm, that the beam only of the balance was at first placed among the stars, and that the Egyptians thus honoured it as their Nilometer, or instrument by which they measured the inundations of the Nile. To this custom of measuring the waters of the Nile, it is thought the prophet alludes, when he describes the Almighty as measuring the waters in the hollow of his hand.-Isa. xl. 12. The ancient husbandmen, according to Virgil, were wont to regard this sign as indicating the proper time for sowing their winter grain :

"But when Astræa's balance, hung on high,
Betwixt the nights and days divides the sky,
Then yoke your oxen, sow your winter grain,
Till cold December comes with driving rain."

The Greeks declare that the balance was placed among the stars to perpetuate the memory of Mochus, the inventor of weights and measures.

Those who refer the constellations of the Zodiac to the twelve tribes of Israel, ascribe the Balance to Asher.

SERPENS.

THE SERPENT.-There are no less than four kinds of ser pents placed among the constellations. The first is the Hydra, which is situated south of the Zodiac, below Cancer, Leo and Virgo; the second is Hydrus, which is situated near the south pole; the third is Draco, which is situated about the north pole; and the fourth is the Serpent, called Serpens Ophiuchi, and is situated chiefly between Libra and Corona Borealis. A large part of this constellation, however, is so blended with Ophiuchus, the Serpent-Bearer, who grasps it in both hands, that the concluding description of it will be deferred until we come to that constellation.

"The Serpens Ophiuchi winds his spire

Immense; fewer by ten his figure trace;

What star in this constellation marks the southern limit of the Zodiac? How many kinds of serpents have been placed among the constellations? Mention them, and their situations. With what is a large part of this constellation blended?

One of the second rank; ten shun the sight;
And seven, he who bears the monster hides."

Those stars which lie scattered along for about 25°, in a serpentine direction between Libra and the Crown, mark the body and head of the Serpent.

About 10° directly S. of the Crown there are three stars of the 3d magnitude, which, with several smaller ones, distinguish the head.

Unuk, of the 2d magnitude, is the principal star in this constellation. It is situated in the heart, about 10° below those in the head, and may be known by its being in a line with, and between, two stars of the 3d magnitude-the lower one, marked Epsilon, being 240, and the upper one, marked Delta, about 50 from it. The direction of this line is N. N. W. and S. S. E. Unuk may otherwise be known by means of a small star, just above it, marked Lambda.

In that part of the Serpent which lies between Corona Borealis and the Scales, about a dozen stars may be counted, of which five or six are conspicuous.

For the remainder of this constellation, the student is referred to Serpentarius.

"Vast as the starry Serpent, that on high

Tracks the clear ether, and divides the sky

And southward winding from the Northern Wain,

Shoots to remoter spheres its glittering train."-Statius.

HISTORY.-The Hivites, of the Old Testament, were worshippers of the Serpent, and were called Ophites. The idolatry of these Ophites was extremely ancient, and was connected with Tsabaism, or the worship of the host of heaven. The heresy of the Ophites, mentioned by Mosheim in his Ecclesiastical History, originated, perhaps, in the admission into the Christian church of some remnant of the ancient and popular sect of Tsabaists, who adored the celestial Serpent. According to ancient tradition, Ophiuchus is the celebrated physician Escu lapius, son of Apollo, who was instructed in the healing art by Chiron the Cen. taur; and the serpent, which is here placed in his hands, is understood by some to be an emblem of his sagacity and prudence; while others suppose it was designed to denote his skill in healing the bite of this reptile. Biblical critics imagine that this constellation is alluded to in the following passage of the book of Job:

"By his spirit He hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent." Mr. Green supposes, however, that the inspired writer here refers to Draco, because it is a more obvious constellation, being nearer the pole where the constellations were more universally noticed; and moreover, because it is a more ancient constellation than the Serpent, and the hieroglyphic by which the Egyptians usually represented the heavens.

CORONA BOREALIS.

THE NORTHERN CROWN.-This beautiful constellation may be easily known by means of its six principal stars, which are so placed as to form a circular figure, very much resem

What stars mark the head and body of the Serpent? Describe the principal star in this constellation. How may it be known? What stars distinguish the head? How many stars may be counted in that part of the constellation which lies between Corone Borealis and the Scales? How may Corona Borealis be easily known?

bling a wreath or crown. It is situated directly north of the Serpent's head, between Bootes on the west and Hercules on the east.

This asterism was known to the Hebrews by the name of Ataroth, and by this name the stars in Corona Borealis are called, in the East, to this day.

Alphacca, of the 3d magnitude, is the brightest and middle star in the diadem, and about 110 E. of Mirac, in Bootes. It is very readily distinguished from the others both on account of its position and superior brilliancy. Alphacca, Arcturus, and Seginus, form nearly an isosceles triangle, the vertex of which is at Arcturus.

This constellation contains twenty-one stars, of which only six or eight are conspicuous; and most of these are not larger than the 3d magnitude. Its mean declination is 30° north, and its mean right ascension 235°; its centre is therefore on the meridian about the last of June, and the first of July.

"And, near to Helice, effulgent rays

Beam, Ariadne, from thy starry crown:
Twenty and one her stars; but eight alone
Conspicuous; one doubtful, or to claim
The second order, or accept the third."

HISTORY.-This beautiful little cluster of stars is said to be in commemoration of a crown presented by Bacchus to Ariadne, the daughter of Minos, second king of Crete. Theseus, king of Athens, (1235 B. C.,) was shut up in the celebrated labyrinth of Crete, to be devoured by the ferocious Minotaur which was confined in that place, and which usually fed upon the chosen young men and maidens exacted from the Athenians as a yearly tribute to the tyranny of Minos, but Theseus slew the monster, and being furnished with a clue of thread by Ariadne, who was passionately enamoured of him, he extricated himself from the difficult windings of his confinement.

He afterwards married the beautiful Ariadne, according to promise, and carried her away; but when he arrived at the island of Naxos, he deserted her, notwithstanding he had received from her the most honourable evidence of at tachment and endearing tenderness. Ariadne was so disconsolate upon being abandoned by Theseus, that, as some say, she hanged herself; but Plutarch says that she lived many years after, and was espoused to Bacchus, who loved ner with much tenderness, and gave her a crown of seven stars, which, after her death, was placed among the stars.

"Resolves, for this the dear engaging dame
Should shine forever in the rolls of fame;

And bids her crown among the stars be placed,

And with an eternal constellation grac'd.

The golden circlet mounts; and, as it flies,
Its diamonds twinkle in the distant skies;

There, in their pristine form, the gemmy rays
Between Alcides and the Dragon blaze."

Manilius, in the first book of his Astronomicon, thus speaks of the Crown.

"Near to Bootes the bright crown is view'd

And shines with stars of different magnitude:

Where is it situated? Describe the principal star in the group. What geometrica! figure is formed by the stars in this neighbourhood? What are the number and mag nitude of the stars in this constellation? What are its mean declination and right as cension When is it on car meridian 7

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