the figure of a man terminating in the body of a horse, holding a wolf at arm's length in one hand, while he transfixes its Dody with a spear in the other. Although this constellation occupies a large space in the southern hemisphere, yet it is so low down that the main part of it cannot be seen in our latitude. It is situated south of Spica Virginis, with a mean declination of 50°. It contains thirty-five stars, including two of the 1st magnitude, one of the 2d, and six of the 3d; the brightest of which are not visible in the United States. Theta, is a star of between the 2d and 3d magnitude, in the east shoulder, and may be seen from this latitude during the month of June, being about 27° S. by E. from Spica Virginis, and 120 or 130 above the southern horizon. It is easily recognised, in a clear evening, from the circumstance that there is no other star of similar brightness, in the same region, for which it can be mistaken. It is so nearly on the same meridian with Arcturus that it culminates but ten minutes before it. Iota, is a star of between the 4th and 5th magnitude, in the west shoulder, 910 W. of Theta. It is about 26° almost directly south of Spica Virginis, and is on the meridian nearly at the same time. Mu and Nu, are stars of the 4tn magnitude, in the breast, very near together, and form a regular triangle with the two stars in the shoulders. A few degrees north of the two stars in the shoulders, are four small stars in the head. The relative position of the stars in the head and shoulders is very similar to that of the stars in the head and shoulders of Orion. HISTORY.-Centaurs, in mythology, were a kind of fabulous monsters, half men and half horses. This fable is, however, differently interpreted; some suppose the Centaurs to have been a body of shepherds and herdsinen, rich in cattle, who inhabited the mountains of Arcadia, and to whom is attributed the invention of pastoral poetry. But Plutarch and Pliny are of opinion, that such monsters have really existed. Others say, that under the reign of Ixion, king of Thessaly, a herd of bulls ran mad, and ravaged the whole country, rendering the mountains inaccessible; and that some young men, who had found the art of taming and mounting horses, undertook to expel these noxious animals, which they pursued on horseback, and thence obtained the appellation of Centaurs. This success rendering them insolent, they insulted the Lapithæ, a people of Thessaly; and because, when attacked, they fled with great rapidity, it was sup. posed that they were half horses and half men; men on horses being at that period a very uncommon sight, and the two appearing, especially at a distance, to constitute but one animal. So the Spanish cavalry at first seemed to the astonished Mexicans, who imagined the horse and his rider, like the Centaurs of the ancients, to be some monstrous animal of a terrible form. The Centaurs, in reality, were a tribe of Lapithæ, who resided near Mount Pelion, and first invented the art of breaking horses, as intimated by Virgil "The Lapitha to chariots add the state Of bits and bridles; taught the steed to bound; LUPUS. THE WOLF.-This constellation is situated next east of he Centaur, and south of Libra; and is so low down in the What is the situation of this constellation? What are the number and magnitude of its stars? Describe the situation of Theta. How is it easily recognised in a clear evening? What is its distance from the meridian of Arcturus? Describe the star in the west shoulder. Describe the stars in the breast. Where is the Wolf situated? 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 impiety 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, Moved with disdain, the table I o'erturn'd, And with avenging flames the palace burn'd. The neighb'ring fields, and scours along the plains: 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 gun 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, 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 Ariet 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 70 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 4210 E. of the autumnal equinox. The distance from this star down to Theta Centauri, is about 23°, 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, 910 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 Iota. the square. It is about 6° S. E. of Zubeneschamali, and 11° S. of Zubenelge mabi, 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 argu. ment 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 emblen 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 measur ing 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, 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 poie; 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 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; 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 510 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 Ser. pent, 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 lanius, son of Apollo, who was instructed in the healing art by Chiron the Centaur; 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 Corona Borealis and the Scales? How may Corona Borealis be easily known} |