and as adopted by teachers generally, is to tell the scholar that the north pole risc3 higher and higher, as he travels farther and farther toward it. In other words, whatever number of degrees he advances toward the north pole, so many degrees will it rise above his horizon. This is not only an obvious error in principle, but it misleads the apprehension of the pupil. It is not that the pole is elevated, but that our horizon is depressed as we advance toward the north. The same objection lies against the artificial globe; for it ought to be so fixed that the horizon might be raised or depressed, and the pole remain in its own invariable position. . 195. Ursa Minor contains twenty-four stars, including three of the 3d magnitude and four of the 4th. The seven principal stars are so situated as to form a figure very much resembling that in the Great Bear, only that the Dipper is reversed, and about one half as large as the one in that constellation. 196. The first star in the handle, called Polaris, is the polar star, around which the rest constantly revolve. The two last in the bowl of the Dipper, corresponding to the Pointers in the Great Bear, are of the 3d magnitude, and situated about 15° from the pole. The brightest of them is called Kochab, which signifies an axle or hinge, probably in reference to its moving so near the axis of the earth. Kochab may be easily known by its being the brightest and middle one of the three conspicuous stars forming a row, one of which is about 2°, and the other 3° from Kochab. The two brighest of these are situated in the breast and shoulder of the animal, about 8° apart, and are called the Guards or Pointers of Ursa Minor. They are on the meridian about the 20th of June, but may be seen at all hours of the night, when the sky is clear. 197. Of the four stars which form the bowl of the Dipper, one is so small as hardly to be seen. They lie in a direction toward Gamma in Cepheus; but as they are continually changing their position in the heavens, they may be much better traced out from the map, than from description. Kochab is about 25° distant from Benetnasch, and about 24° from Dubhe, and hence forms with them a very nearly equilateral triangle. "The Lesser Bear Leads from the pole the lucid band: the stars HISTORY. The prevailing opinion is that Ursa Major and Ursa Minor are the nymph Calisto aud her son Arcas, and that they were transformed into bears by the enraged and imperious Juno, and afterward translated to heaven by the favor of Jupiter, lest they might be destroyed by the huntsmen. The Chinese claim that the emperor Hong-ti, the grandson of Noah, first discovered 196. De 195. Number of stars in Ursa Minor? Their magnitudes? How situated? scribe Polaris, Kochab, and the Guards or Pointers ? 197. Are all the stars distinctly visible? Direction? What triangle? HISTORY.-What prevailing opinion, or myth? Chinese claim? Phenicians? Greeks the polar star, and applied it to purposes of navigation. It is certain that it was used for this purpose in a very remote period of antiquity. From various passages in the ancients, it is manifest that the Phenicians steered by Cynosura, or the Lesser Bear; Thereas, the mariners of Greece, and some other nations, steered by the Greater Bear, called Helice, or Helix. Lucan, a Latin poet, who flourished about the time of the birth of our Saviour, thus adverts to the practice of steering vessels by Cynosura : "Unstable Tyre now knit to firmer ground, Rowe's Translation, B. til. The following extracts from other poets contain allusions to the same fact: "Phenicia, spurning Asia's bounding strand, MAURICE'S Elegy on Sir W. Jones. "Ye radiant signs, who, from the ethereal plain "Of all yon multitude of golden stars, Which the wide rounding sphere incessant bears. But keeps him to the constant pole alone." LUCAN'S Pharsalia, B. viii. v. 225. Ursa Major and Ursa Minor are sometimes called Triones, and sometimes the Greater and Lesser Wains. In Pennington's Memoirs of the learned Mrs. Carter, we have the following beautiful lines : "Here Cassiopeia fills a lucid throne, There, blaze the splendors of the Northern Crown; O'er the pale countries of the frozen pole: Whose faithful beams conduct the wandering ship Thales, an eminent geometrician and astronomer, and one of the seven wise men of Greece, who flourished six hundred years before the Christian era, is generally reputed to be the inventor of this constellation, and to have taught the use of it to the Phenician navigators; it is certain that he brought the knowledge of it with him from Phenice into Greece, with many other discoveries both in astronomy and mathematics. Until the properties of the magnet were known and applied to the use of navigation, and for a long time after, the north polar star was the only sure guide. At what time the attractive powers of the magnet were first known, is not certain; they were known in Europe about six hundred years before the Christian era; and by the Chinese records, it is said that its polar attraction was known in that country at least one thousand years earlier. TELESCOPIC OBJECTS. 1. a URSA MINORIS (Polaris)-A DOUBLE STAR; R. A. 1h. 2m. 10s.; Dec. N. 88° 27' 4". A 2%, topaz yellow; B 9%, pale white. Map VIII., Fig. 12. 2. B URSE MINORIS (Kochab)-A star with a distant companion in the left shoulder; R. A. 14h. 51m. 148.; Dec. N. 74° 48' 2". A 3, reddish; B 11, pale grey-several small ,tars in the field 3. d URSE MINORIS-A star with a very distant telescopic companion in the middle of the tail of the figure; R. A. 18h. 23m. 56s.; Dec. N. 86° 85' 4". A 8, greenish tinge; B 12, grey. What proofs from the poets? What other names for Ursa Major and Ursa Minor? Why mid of Thales? Use of the pole star? The magnet? TULESCOPIC OBJECTS.-Alpha? Show on .e map, Beta-Delta-Epsilon-Zeta. 4. & URSA M.NORIS-A star with a minute companion, at the root of the tail; R. A. 17h. 02m. 37s.; Dec. N. 82° 17' 01". A 4, bright yellow; B 12, pale blue; three ther telescopic stars in the field. It is easily found, being the third star from Polaris 5. URSA MINORIS-A DOUBLE STAR in the middle of the body; R. A. 15h. 49m. 528.; Dec. N. 78° 16' 07". A 4, flushed white; B 11, bluish with a yellow star of the 9th inag. Ditude in the field. CHAPTER IX. CONSTELLATIONS ON THE MERIDIAN IN JULY. SCORPIO (THE SCORPION).-MAP V. 198. THIS is the eighth sign, and ninth constellation, in the order of the Zodiac. It presents one of the most interesting groups of stars for the pupil to trace out that is to be found in the southern hemisphere. It is situated southward and east ward of Libra, and is on the meridian the 10th of July. The sun enters this sign on the 23d of October, but does not reach the constellation before the 20th of November. When astronomy was first cultivated in the East, the two solstices and the two equinoxes took place when the sun was in Aquarius and Leo, Taurus and Scorpio, respectively. 199. Scorpio contains, according to Flamsted, forty-four stars, including one of the 1st magnitude, one of the 2d, and eleven of the 3d. It is readily distinguished from all others by the ресиliar luster and the position of its principal stars. Antares is the principal star, and is situated in the heart of the Scorpion, about 19° east of Zubenelgubi, the southernmost star in the Balance. Antares is the most brilliant star in that region of the skies, and may be otherwise distinguished by its remarkably red appearance. Its declination is about 26° S. It comes to the meridian about three hours after Spica Virginis, or fifty minutes after Corona Borealis, on the 10th of July. is one of the stars from which the moon's distance is reckoned for computing the longitude at sea. Jt There are four great stars in the heavens, Fomalhaut, Aldebaran, Regulus, and Antares, which formerly answered to the solstitial and equinoctial points, and which were much noticed by the astronomers of the East. 200. About 84° northwest of Antares, is a star of the 2d 198. Order of Scorpio among the signs, &c.? Its comparative interest? Situation? When does the sun enter this sign? When the constellation? How with the solstices and equinoxes anciently? Why not so now? 199. Number and magnitudes of the etars in Scorpio? How distinguished? Name and position of its principal star? Ho# known? What use made of it? What three other stars mentioned? 200. What other magnitude, in the head of the Scorpion, called Graffias. It is but one degree north of the earth's orbit. It may be recognized by means of a small star, situated about a degree northeast of it, and also by its forming a slight curve with two other stars of the 3d magnitude, situated below it, each about 3° apart. The broad part of the constellation near Graffias, is powdered with numerous small stars, converging down to a point at Antares, and resembling in figure a boy's kite. 201. As you proceed from Antares, there are ten conspicuous stars, chiefly of the 3d magnitude, which mark the tail of the kite, extending down, first in a south-southeasterly direction about 17°, thence easterly about 8° further, when they turn, and advance about 8° toward the north, forming a curve like a shepherd's crook, or the bottom part of the letter S. This crooked line of stars, forming the tail of the Scorpion, is very conspicuous, and may be easily traced. The first star below Antares, which is the last in the back, is of only the 4th magnitude. It is about 2° southeast of Antares, and is denoted by the Greek name of T. Epsilon, of the 3d magnitude, is the second star from Antares, and the first in the It is situated about 7° below the star T, but inclining a little to the east. Mu, of the 3d magnitude, is the 3d star from Antares. It is situated 4° below Epsilon. It may otherwise be known by means of a small star close by it, on the left. tail Zeta, of about the same magnitude, and situated about as far below Mu, is the fourth star from Antares. Here the line turns suddenly to the east. Eta, also of the 3d magnitude, is the fifth star from Antares, and about 3% east of Zeta. Theta, of the same magnitude, is the sixth star from Antares, and about 4° east of Eta. Here, the line turns again, curving to the north, and terminates in a couple of stars. lota is the seventh star from Antares, 3% above Theta, curving a little to the left, It is a star of the 3d magnitude, and may be known by means of a small star, almost touching it, on the east. Kappa, a star of equal brightness, is less than 2° above Iota, and a little to the right. Lesuth, of the 3d magnitude, is the brightest of the two last, in the tail, and is situated about 3° above Kappa, still further to the right. It may readily be known by means of a smaller star, close by it, on the west. 202. This is a very beautiful group of stars, and easily traced out in the heavens. It furnishes striking evidence of the facility with which most of the constellations may be so accurately delineated, as to preclude everything like uncertainty in the knowledge of their relative situation. "The heart with luster of amazing force, Refulgent vibrates; faint the other parts, HISTORY. This sign was anciently represented by various symbols, sometimes by a snake, and sometimes by a crocodile; but most commonly by the scorpion. This last symbol is star described? Size and position? How recognized? What said of the broad part or body of Scorpio? 201. What stars form the tail of Scorpio? Are they conspicuous? Name and describe in detail? 202. General remarks respecting this constellation? HISTORY.-How was Scorpio anciently delineated? How regarded by ancient astrol found on the Mithraic monuments, which is pretty good evidence that these monuments Tere constructed when the vernal equinox accorded with Taurus. On both the zodiacs of Dendera, there are rude delineations of this animal; that on the portico differs considerably from that on the other zodiac, now in the Louvre. Scorpio was considered by the ancient astrologers as a sign accursed. The Egyptians fixed the entrance of the sun into Scorpio as the commencement of the reign of Typhon, when the Greeks fabled the death of Orion. When the sun was in Scorpio, in the month of Athyr, as Plutarch informs us, the Egyptians inclosed the body of their god Osiris in an ark, or chest, and during this oeremony a great annual festival was celebrated. Three days after the priests had inclosed Osiris in the ark, they pretended to have found him again. The death of Osiris, then, was lamented when the sun in Scorpio descended to the lower hemisphere, and when he arose at the vernal equinox, then Osiris was said to be born anew. The Egyptians or Chaldeans, who first arranged the Zodiac, might have placed Scorpio in this part of the heavens to denote that when the sun enters this sign, the diseases Incident to the fruit season would prevail; since Autumn, which abounded in fruit, often brought with it a great variety of diseases, and might be thus fitly represented by that venomous animal, the scorpion, who, as he recedes, wounds with a sting in his tail. Mars was the tutelary deity of the Scorpion, and to this circumstance is owing all that argon of the astrologers, who say that there is a great analogy between the malign influence of the planet Mars and this sign. To this also is owing the doctrine of the alchemists, that iron, which metal they call Mars, is under the dominion of Scorpio; so that the transmutation of it into gold can be effected only when the sun is in this sign. The constellation of the Scorpion is very ancient. Ovid thus mentions it in his beau tiful fable of Phaeton: "There is a place above, where Scorpio bent, According to Ovid, this is the famous scorpion which sprang out of the earth at the command of Juno, and stung Orion; of which wound he died. It was in this way the imperious goddess chose to punish the vanity of the hero and the hunter, for boasting that there was not on earth any animal which he could not conquer. "Words that provoked the gods once from him fell, 'No beasts so fierce,' said he, but I can quell;' When lo! the earth a baleful scorpion sent, To kill Latona was the dire intent; Orion saved her, though himself was slain, But did for that a spacious place obtain · In heaven to thee my life,' said she, was dear, Although both Orion and Scorpio were honored by the celestials with a place among the stars, yet their situations were so ordered that when one rose the other should set, and vice versa; so that they never appear in the same hemisphere at the same time. In the Hebrew zodiac this sign is allotted to Dan, because it is written, "Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path." TELESCOPIC OBJECTS. 1. a SCORPII (Antares)—A bright star with a companion in the heart of Scorpio; R. A 16h. 19m. 36s.; Dec. S. 26° 04' 8". A 1, fiery red; B 8, pale. Very close. 2. B SCORPII (Graffias)—A star with a companion in the head; R. A. 15h. 56m. 08s.* Dec. S. 19° 21' 7". A 2, pale white; B 5%, lilac tinge. 8. v SCORPII-A neat DOUBLE STAR, east by north from 3 about 2°; R. A. 16h. 02m. 42s. ; Dec. S. 19° 02' 8". A 4, bright white; B 7, pale lilac. Professor Mitchell registers this as a triple star. 4. SCORPII-A delicate DOUBLE STAR in the body of the figure; R. A. 16h. 11m. 28s.; gers? Egyptian myth respecting Typhon, &c.? Supposed reason why Scorpio was placed where it is? Why do astrologers connect Mars with Scorpio? The Alchemists? What poetic proof of the ntiquity of Scorpio? Ovid's myth respecting? Relative position of Orion and Scorpio? Pace of Scorpio in the Hebrew Zodiac, and why? TELESCOPIC OBJECTS.-Alpha? Beta? Nu? Sigma? What cluster? Point out on the What Nebula ? |