It is situated almost exactly in he ecliptic, and may be readily distinguished on account of its superior brilliancy. It is the largest and lowest of a group of five or six bright stars which form a figure somewhat resembling a sickle, in the neck and shoulder of the Lion. There is a little star of the 5th magnitude about 20 S. of it, and one of the 3d magnitude 5o N. of it, which will serve to point it out.

Regulus is the brightest star in the constellation, except Denebola, in the tail, 25° E. of it. Great use is made of Regulus by nautical men, for determining their longitude at sea. Its latitude, or distance from the ecliptic, is less than 10; but its declination, or distance from the equinoctial is nearly 13° N.; so that its meridian altitude will be just equal to that of the sun on the 19th of August. Its right ascension is very nearly 150°. It therefore culminates about 9 o c.ock on the 6th of April.

When Regulus is on the meridian, Castor and Pollux are seen about 40° N. W. of it, and the two stars in the Little Dog, are about the same distance in a S W. direction; with which, and the two former, it makes a large isosceles triangle whose vertex is at Regulus.

The next considerable star, is 50 N. of Regulus, marked Eta, situated in the collar; it is of between the 3d and 4th magnitudes, and, with Regulus, constitutes the handle of the sickle. Those three or four stars of the 3d magnitude, N. and W. of Eta, arching round with the neck of the animal, describe the blade.

Al Gieba, is a bright star of the 2d magnitude, situated in the shoulder, 4° in a N. E. direction from Eta, and may be easily distinguished by its being the brightest and middle one of the three stars lying in a semicircular form, curving towards the west; and it is the first in the blade of the sickle.

Adhafera, is a star of the 3d magnitude, situated in the neck, 40 N. of Al Gieba, and may be known by a very minute star just below it. This is the second star in the blade of the sickle.

Ras al Asad, situated before the ear, is a star of the 3d or 4th magnitude, 60 W. of Adhafera, and is the third in the blade of the sickle. The next star, Epsilon, of the same magnitude, situated in the head, is 210 S. W. of Ras al Asad, and a little within the curve of the sickle. About mid-vay

Describe the situation of Regulus. What other stars serve to point it out? Wat is Its comparative brightness? What use is made of it in nautical astronomy? What are its latitude and declination? On what day will Regulus culminate at 9 o'clock in the evening? When is it on the meridian, with what stars does it form a large triangle, and in what direction are they from it? What are the name and positior of the next considerable star in its vicinity? What stars form the blade of the sickle? Where is Al Gieba situated, and how may it be distinguished? What is the position of Adhafera and how may it be known? Describe the situation of Ras al Asad.

between these, and a little to the E., is a very small star hardly visible to the naked eye.

Lambda, situated in the mouth, is a star of the 4th magnitude, 340 S. W. of Epsilon, and the last in the sickle's point. Kappa, situated in the nose, is another star of the same magnitude, and about as far from Lambda as Epsilon. Epsilon and Kappa are about 540 apart, and form the longest side of a triangle, whose vertex is in Kappa.

Zozma, situated in the back of the Lion, is a star of the 2d magnitude, 18° N. E. of Regulus, and midway between it and Coma Berenices, a fine cluster of small stars, 18° N. E. of Zozma.

Theta, situated in the thigh, is another star of the 3d magnitude, 5o directly S. of Zozma, and so nearly on the same meridian that it culminates but one minute after it. This star makes a right angled triangle with Zozma on the N. and Denebola on the E., the right angle being at Theta.

Nearly in a straight line with Zozma, and Theta, and south of them, are three or four smaller stars, 4o or 5o apart, which mark one of the legs.

Denebola, is a bright star of the 1st magnitude, in the brush of the tail, 100 S. E. of Zozma, and may be distinguished by its great brilliancy. It is 50 W. of the equinoctial colure, and comes to the meridian 1 hour and 41 minutes after Regulus, on the 3d of May; when its meridian altitude is the same as the sun's at 12 o'clock the next day.

When Denebola is on the meridian, Regulus is seen 250 W. of it, and Phad, In the square of Ursa Major, bears 390 N. of it. It forms, with these two, a large right angled triangle; the right angle being at Denebola. It is so nearly on the same meridian with Phad that it culminates only four minutes before it.

Denebola is 351° W. of Arcturus, and about the same distance N. W. of Spica Virginis, and forms, with them, a large equilateral triangle on the S. E. It also forms with Arcturus and Cor Caroli a similar figure, nearly as large on the N. E. These two triangles, being joined at their base, constitute a perfect geometrical figure of the forms of a Rhombus: called by some, the DIAMond of Virgo.

A line drawn from Denebola through Regulus, and continued 7° or 8o further In the same direction, will point out Xi and Omicron, of the 3d and 4th magnitudes, situated in the fore claws, and about 3o apart.

What star is next? Describe the position of Lambda? What are the situation and magnitude of Kappa? What is the distance between Epsilon and Kappa? Describe the position of Zozma? What are the magnitude and position of Theta? What geometrical figure may be formed with this star, Zozma and Denebola? What stars in this neighbourhood mark one of the legs of Leo? Describe Denebola? How far is it from the equinoctial colure, and when does it come to the meridian? When Denebola is on the meridian, what geometrical figure does it form, in connexion with Regulus and Phad? With what other star is it nearly on the same meridian? What is the position of Denebola in regard to Arcturus and Spica Virginis, and what figure does it form with them? With what other stars does Denebola form a similar figure? What large geometrical figure is formed by these two Hiangles? What stars point out those in the Kore claws?

There are a number of other stars of the 3d and 4th magnitudes in this constellation, which require no description, as the scholar will easily trace them out from the map. The position of Regulus and Denebola are often referred to in the geography of the heavens, as they serve to point out other clusters in the same neighbourhood.

HISTORY.-According to Greek fable, this Lion represents the formidable ani mal which infested the forests of Nemea. It was slain by Hercules, and placed by Jupiter among the stars in commemoration of the dreadful conflict. Some writers have applied the story of the twelve labours of Hercules to the progress of the sun through the twelve signs of the ecliptic; and as the combat of that celebrated hero with the Lion was his first labour, they have placed Leo as the first sign. The figure of the Lion was, however, on the Egyptian charts long before the invention of the fables of Hercules. It would seem, moreover, according to the fable itself, that Hercules, who represented the sun, actually slew the Nemean Lion, because Leo was already a zodiacal sign.

In hieroglyphical writing, the Lion was an emblem of violence and fury; and the representation of this animal in the Zodiac, signified the intense heat occa sioned by the sun when it entered that part of the ecliptic. The Egyptians were much annoyed by lions during the heat of summer, as they at that season, left the desert, and hunted the banks of the Nile, which had then reached its greatest elevation. It was therefore natural for their astronomers to place the Lion where we find him in the zodiac.

The figure of Leo, very much as we now have it, is in all the Indian and Egyp dan Zodiacs. The overflowing of the Nile, which was regularly and anxiously expected every year by the Egyptians, took place when the sun was in this sign. They therefore paid more attention to it, it is to be presumed, than to any other. This was the principal reason. Mr. Green supposes, why Leo stands first in the zodiacs of Dendera.

The circular zodiac, mentioned in our account of Aries, and which adorned the ceiling in one of the inner rooms in the famous temple in that city, was brought away en masse in 1821, and removed to Paris. On its arrival at the Louvre, it was purchased by the king for 150,000 francs, and, after being exhibited there for a year, was placed in one of the halls of the library, where it is now to be seen in apparently perfect preservation. This most interesting relic of astrology, after being cut away from the ruins where it was found, is about one foot thick, and eight feet square. The rock of which it is composed, is sandstone. On the face of this stone, appears a large square, enclosing a circle four feet in diame ter, in which are arranged in an irregular spiral line, the zodiacal constellations, commencing with the sign Leo. On each side of this spiral line are placed a great variety of figures. These are supposed to represent other constellations, though they bear no analogy, in form, to those which we now have. Many of these figures are accompanied with hieroglyphics, which probably express their names. The commentator of Champollion, from whom we have derived many Interesting facts in relation to them, has furnished merely a general history of their origin and purpose, but does not add particulars. Copies of these drawings and characters, have been exhibited in this country, and the wonderful conclusions that have been drawn from them, have excited much astonishment.

Compared with our present planispheres, or with stellar phenomena, it abounds with contradictory and irrelevant matter. So far from proving what was strenu usly maintained by infidel writers, soon after its discovery, that the Greeks took from it the model of their zodiac, which they have transmitted to us, it seems to demonstrate directly the reverse. The twelve signs, it is true, are there, but they are not in their proper places. Cancer is between Leo and the pole; Virgo bears no proportion to the rest; some of the signs are placed double; they are all out of the ecliptic, and by no means occupy those regular and equal portions of space which Egyptian astronomers are said to have exactly measured by means of their clepsydra.

The figures, without what may be termed the zodiacal circle, could never have Included the same stars in the heavens which are now circumscribed by the figures of the constellations. Professor Green is of opinion, that the small apartment in the ruins of Dendera, which was mysteriously ceiled with this zodiac, was used for the purposes of judicial astrology, and that the sculptured figures upon it were employed in horoscopical predictions, and in that casting of nativities for which the Egyptians were so famous.

Why is the position of Regulus and Denebola often referred to?

In the Hebrew Zodiac, Leo is assigned to Judah, on whose standard, according to all traditions, a Lion is painted. This is clearly intimated in numerous passages of the Hebrew writings: Ex-"Judah is a Lion's whelp; he stoopeth down he croucheth as a Lion; and as an old Lion; who shall rouse him up ?" Gen xlix. 9 "The Lion of the tribe of Judah hath prevailed." Rev. v. 5.

LEO MINOR.

THE LITTLE LION.-This constellation was formed by Hevelius, out of the Stellæ informes, or unformed stars of the ancients, which lay scattered between the Zodiacal constellation Leo, on the S. and Ursa Major, on the N. Its mean right ascension is the same with that of Regulus, and it comes to the meridian at the same time on the 6th of April.

The modern constellations, or those which have been added to our celestial maps since the adoption of the Greek notation, in 1603, are referred to by the letters of the English alphabet, instead of the Greek. This is the case in regard to Leo Minor, and all other constellations whose origin is subsequent to that period.

Leo Minor contains 53 stars, including only one of the 3d magnitude, and 5 of the 4th. The principal star is situated in the body of the animal, 13° N. of Gamma Leonis,* in a straight line with Phad, and may be known by a group of smaller stars, a little above it on the N. W.

It forms an equilateral triangle with Gamma and Delta Leonis, the vertex being In Leo Minor. This star is marked with the letter 7, in modern catalogues, and being the principal representative of the constellation, is itself sometimes called the Little Lion: 8° E. of this star (the Little Lion) are two stars of the 4th mag. nitude, in the last paw of Ursa Major, and about 10o N. W. of it, are two other stars of the 3d magnitude, in the first hind paw.

"The Smaller Lion now succeeds; a cohort
Offifty stars attend his steps;

And three, to sight unarm'd, invisible."

SEXTANS.

THE SEXTANT, called also URANIA'S SEXTANT,† is a modern constellation that Hevelius made out of the unformed stars of the ancients, which lay scattered between the Lion, on the N., and Hydra, on the S.

It contains 41 very small stars, including only one as large

* Leonis is the genitive, or possessive case of Leo, and Gamma Leonis means the Gamma of Leo. Thus also the principal star in Aries is marked Alpha Arietis, meaning the Alpha of Aries, &c.

Urania was one of the muses, and daughter of Jupiter and Mnemosyne. She presided over astronomy. She was represented as a young virgin, dressed in an azurecoloured robe, crowned with stars, holding a robe in her hands, and having many mathematical instruments about her.

What is the origin of Leo Minor, and how is it situated? What is its mean right ascension? When is it on the meridian? What are the number and magnitude of Its stars? What is the position of the principal star in this constellation, and how may it be known? What figure does it form with some other stars? What letter represents this star, and what else is it called? What nebulæ do we find in this constellation? What are the origin and position of the Sextant? How many stars does it contain ?

as the 4th magnitude. This is situated very near the equinoctial, 130 S. of Regulus, and comes to the meridian about the same time on the 6th of April. The other stars in this constellation are too small to engage attention. A few of the largest of them may be traced out from the map.

HISTORY.—A sextant, in mathematics, is the sixth part of a circle, or an arch comprehending 60 degrees. But the term is more particularly used to denote an astronomical instrument well known to mariners. Its use is the same as that of the quadrant; namely, to measure the angular distance, and take the altitude of the sun, moon, planets, and fixed stars. It is indispensable to the mariner in finding the latitude and longitude at sea, and should be in the hands of every surveyor and practical engineer. It may serve the purpose of a theodolite, in measuring inaccessible heights and distances. It may gratify the young pupil to know, that by means of such an instrument, well adjusted, and with a clear eye and a steady hand, he could readily tell, within a few hundred yards, how far north or south of the equator he was, and that from any quarter of the world, known or unknown. This constellation is so called, on account of a supposed resemblance to this instrument.

HYDRA AND THE CUP.

HYDRA, THE WATER SERPENT, is an extensive constellation, winding from E. to W. in a serpentine direction, over a space of more than 100 degrees in length. It lies south of Cancer, Leo, and Virgo, and reaches almost from Canis Mi nor to Libra. It contains sixty stars, including one of the 2d magnitude, three of the 3d, and twelve of the 4th.

Alphard, or Cor Hydra, in the heart, is a lone star of the 2d magnitude, 23° S. S. W. of Regulus, and comes to the meridian at the same time with Lambda, in the point of the sickle, about 20 minutes before 9 o'clock on the 1st of April. There is no other considerable star near it, for which it can be mistaken. An imaginary line drawn from Gamma Leonis through Regulus, will point out Cor Hydra, at the distance of 23°.

The head of Hydra may be distinguished by means of four stars of the 4th magnitude, 240 and 4° apart, situated 6o S. of Acubens, and forming a rhomboidal figure. The three upper stars in this cluster, form a small arch, and may be known by two very small stars just below the middle one, making with it a very small triangle. The three western stars in the head, also make a beautiful little triangle. The eastern star in this group, marked Zeta, is about 60 directly S. of Acubens, and culminates at the same time.

When Alphard is on the meridian, Alkes, of the 4th magnizide, situated in the bottom of the Cup, may be seen 24°

What is the position of the largest one? Describe the situation and extent of the constellation Hydra. What are the number and magnitude of its stars? Describe the position and magnitude of Alphard. What are the distance and direction of Cor Hy. Aræ from Gamma Leonis? How may the head of Hydra be distinguished? How may the three upper stars in this cluster be known? Which stars form a beautiful little triangle? How is Alkes situated, and when may it be seen?