"First in rank

The martial star upon his shoulder flames;

A rival star illuminates his foot;
And or his girdle beams a luminary
Which, in vicinity of other stars,
Might claim the proudest honors."

74. There is a little triangle of three small stars in the head of Orion, which forms a larger triangle with the two in his shoulders. In the middle of the parallelogram are three stars of the 2d magnitude, in the belt of Orion, that form a straight line about 3 in length from N. W. to S. E. They are usually distinguished by the name of the Three Stars, because there are no other stars in the heavens that exactly resemble them in position and brightness. They are sometimes denominated the Three Kings, because they point out the Hyades and Pleiades on one side, and Sirius, or the Dog-star, on the other. In Job they are called the Bands of Orion; while the ancient husbandmen called them Jacob's rod, and sometimes the Rake. The University of Leipsic, in 1807, gave them the name of Napoleon. But the more common appellation for them, including those in the sword, is the Ell and Yard. They derive the latter name from the circumstance that the line which unites the 66 three stars" in the belt measures just 3° in length, and is divided by the central star into two equal parts, like a yard-stick; thus serving as a graduated standard for measuring the distances of stars from each other. When, therefore, any star is described as being so many degrees from another, in order to determine the distance, it is recommended to apply this rule.

It is necessary that the scholar should task his ingenuity only a few evenings in apply. ing such a standard to the stars, before he will learn to judge of their relative distances with an accuracy that will seldom vary a degree from the truth.

75. The northernmost star in the belt, called Mintika, is less than S. of the equinoctial, and when on the meridian, is almost exactly over the equator. It is on the meridian, the 24th of January. The "three stars" are situated about 8° W. of the solstitial colure, and uniformly pass the meridian one hour and fifty minutes after the seven stars. There is a row of stars of the 4th and 5th magnitudes, S. of the belt, running down obliquely towards Saiph, which forms the sword. This row is also called the Ell because it is once and a quarter the length of the Yard or belt.

74. What constitutes the head of Orion? What in the middle of the parallelogram? Names, and why? "Three stars?" "Three Kings?" "Bands of Orion," "Jacob's Rod," Napoleon," "Ell and Yard? Use of the Ell and Yard? 75. What said of Min tika? Of the "three stars?" What other row of stars? Forms what? Called what and why?

76. About 9° W. of Bellatrix, are eight stars, chiefly of the 4th magnitude, in a curved line running N. and S. with the concavity toward Orion; these point out the skin of the lion in his left hand. Of Orion, on the whole, we may remark with Eudosia:-

"He who admires not, to the stars is blind."

HISTORY.

According to some authorities, Orion was the son of Neptune and queen Euryale, a famous Amazonian huntress, and possessing the disposition of his mother, he became the greatest hunter in the world, and even boasted that there was not an animal on earth which he could not conquer. To punish this vanity, it is said that a scorpion sprung up out of the earth and bit his foot, that he died; and that at the request of Diana he was placed among the stars directly opposite to the Scorpion that caused his death. Others say that Orion had no mother, but was the gift of the gods, Jupiter, Neptune, and Mercury, to a peasant of Boeotia, as a reward of piety, and that he was invested with the power of walking over the sea without wetting his feet. In strength and stature he surpassed all other mortals. He was skilled in the working of iron, from which he fabricated a subterranean palace for Vulcan; he also walled in the coasts of Sicily against the inundations of the sea, and built thereon a temple to its gods.

Orion was betrothed to the daughter of Enopion, but he, unwilling to give up his daughter, contrived to intoxicate the illustrious hero and put out his eyes, on the seashore where he had laid himself down to sleep. Orion, finding himself blind when he awoke, was conducted by the sound to a neighboring forge, where he placed one of the workmen on his back, and, by his directions, went to a place where the rising sun was seen with the greatest advantage. Here he turned his face toward the luminary, and, as it is reported, immediately recovered his sight, and hastened to punish the perfidious cruelty of Enopion.

As the constellation Orion, which rises at noon about the 9th day of March, and sets at noon about the 21st of June, is generally supposed to be accompanied, at its rising, with great rains and storms, it became extremely terrible to mariners, in the early adven. tures of navigation. Virgil, Ovid, and Horace, with some of the Greek poets, make mention of this.

Thus Eneas accounts for the storm which cast him on the African coast on his way to Italy:

"To that blest shore we steer'd our destined way,

When sudden, dire Orion rous'd the sea;

All charg'd with tempests rose the baleful star,
And on our navy pour'd his wat'ry war."

To induce him to delay his departure, Dido's sister advises her to

"Tell him, that, charged with deluges of rain,
Orion rages on the wintry main."

The name of this constellation is mentioned in the books of Job and Amos, and in Homer. The inspired prophet, penetrated like the psalmist of Israel with the omniscience and power displayed in the celestial glories, utters this sublime injunction: "Seek Him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into morning." Job also, with profound veneration, adores his awful majesty who "commandeth the sun and sealeth up the stars; who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south:" and in anothe place, the Almighty demands of him-" Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? Canst thou bind the sweet influences of the Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion; canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season, or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?" Calmet supposes that Mazzaroth is here put for the whole order of celestial bodies ir the Zodiac, which, by their appointed revolutions, produce the various seasons of the year, and the regular succession of day and night. Arcturus is the name of the principal star in Bootes, and is here put for the constellation itself. The expression, his sons, doubtless refers to Asterion and Chara, the two greyhounds, with which he seems to be pursuing the Great Bear around the North pole.

76. What stars mentioned west of Bellatrix? Remark respecting Orion? HISTORY.-Story of parentage? Disposition and boasting? Punishment? What other account? What mention of by Virgil? By Job and Homer? Supposition of Calmet? Wha meant by "Arcturus and his sous?"

TELESCOPIC OBJECTS.

1. a ORIONIS (Betelguese)—R. A. 5h. 46m. 30s.; Dec. N. 7° 22′ 3′′. A 1, orange tint; B 11, bluish.

2. B ORIONIS (Rigel)-R. A. 5h. 6m. 51s; Dec. S. 8° 23' 5". A 1, pale yellow; B9, sapphire blue. Map VIII. Fig. 3.

3. ORIONIS (Bellatrix)—R. A. 5h. 16m. 33s.; Dec. N. 6° 12'. A FINE STAR, with a minute distant companion. A 2, pale yellow; B 15, grey.

4. ORIONIS (Mintaka)-A coarse DOUBLE STAR in the girdle of the figure; R. A. 5h. 23m. 50s.; Dec. S. 0° 25' 4". A 2, white; B 7, pale violet.

5. E ORIONIS (Alnilam) in the centre of his belt; R. A. 5h. 28m. 06s.; Dec. S. 1' 18' 6" A 2%, white and nebulous; B. 10, pale blue.

6.

ORIONIS (Alnitah) the last or lowest in the belt; R. A. 5h. 32m. 41s.; Dec. 8. 2° 0. A fine TRIPLE STAR. A 3, topaz yellow; B 6%, light purple; and C 10, gray.

7. A minute DOUBLE STAR and cluster, in Orion's left hand; R. A. 5h. 59m. 25s.; Dec. N. 13° 58′ 6′′. A 7, B8, both lucid white.

8. Another DOUBLE STAR in a cluster, in the left shoulder; R. A. 6h. 03m. 35s.; Dec. N. 5° 28' 9". A 9% and B 10, both pale yellow. A tolerably rich cluster, with numerous stragglers.

9. A PLANETAY NEBULA, of a bluish white tint, on the nape of Orion's neck-small, pale, but quite distinct. R. A. 5h. 33m. 21s.; Dec. N. 9° 00′ 2′′.

10. Two stars in a WISPY NEBULA," just above the left hip; R. A. 5h. 38m. 33s.; Dec. N. 0° 00' 7". A 8% and B. 9, both white. A singular mass, between two small stars, about equi-distant, in a blankish part of the heavens.

11. The GREAT NEBULA OF ORION-The most conspicuous nebula in all the heavens. It is situated in the sword of Orion, below the middle star of the belt; R. A. 5h. 27m. 25s.; Dec. S. 5° 30'. For its position in the constellation see Map VIII., Fig. 31. It may be seen with a common telescope. There is an apparent opening in one side of this nebula, through which, as through a window, we seem to get a glimpse of other heavens, and brighter regions. (Map VIII., Fig. 32.)

12. The middle star in the sword is in the midst of this nebula, and with powerful telescopes is found to be sextuple. The writer has often seen the fifth star with a 6-inch retractor. These stars constitute the Trapezium of Orion. The region around this nebula is rich in stars, as shown on Map VIII., Fig. 33.

LEPUS (THE HARE).-MAP III.

77. This constellation is situated directly south of Orion, and comes to the meridian at the same time; namely, on the 24th of January. It has a mean declination 18° S., and contains 19. small stars, of which, the four principal ones are of the 3d magnitude. It may be readily distinguished by means of four stars of the 3d magnitude, in the form of an irregular square, or trapezium.

78. Zeta, of the 4th magnitude, is the first star, and is situated in the back, 5° S of Saiph, in Orion. About the same distance below Zeta are the four principal stars, in the legs and feet. These form the square. They are marked Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta.

TELESCOPIC OBJECTS.-Alpha? Beta? Gamma? Delta, &c.? What double stars? Nebulæ? Point out on the map?

77. Location of Lepus? Number and magnitude of stars? How may it be distin guished? 78. Size and situation of Zeta? Other principal stars? How marked on the map?

79. Alpha, otherwise called Arneb, and Beta form the N. W. end of the trapezium, and are about 3° apart. Gamma and Delta form the S. E. end, and are about 21° apart. The upper right-hand one, which is Arneb, is the brightest of the four, and is near the centre of the constellation. Four or five degrees S. of Rigel are four very minute stars, in the ears of the Hare.

HISTORY.

This constellation is situated about 18° west of the Great Dog, which, from the motion of the earth, seems to be pursuing it, as the Greyhounds do the Bear, round the Circuit of the skies It was one of those animals which Orion is said to have delighted in hunting, and which, for this reason, was made into a constellation and placed near him among the stars.

TELESCOPIC OBJECTS.

1. a LEPORIS (Arneb)—A distant DOUBLE STAR; R. A. 5h. 25m. 40s.; Dec. S. 17° 56′ 05′′. A 3, pale yellow; B 9%, grey.

2. LEPORIS (Nihal)—A STAR with a distant telescopic companion; R. A. 5h. 21m. 23s.; Dec. S. 20 53' 5". A 4, deep yellow; B 11, blue.

3. Y LEPORIS-A wide TRIPLE STAR in a barren field; R. A. 5h. 37m. 48s.; Dec. S. 22° 80' 02". A4, light yellow; B 61⁄2, pale green; C 13, dusky.

4.

LEPORIS-A delicate DOUBLE STAR in the Hare's left ear; R. A. 5h. 04m. 50s.; Dec. S. 12° 03′ 09". A 4%, white; B 12, pale violet, with a reddish distant star nearly north. 5. K LEPORIS-A close DOUBLE STAR, at the root of the left ear; R. A. 5h. 5m. 51s.; Dec. 8. 13° 08. A 5, pale white; B 9, clear grey.

6. A bright STELLAR NEBULA, under the Hare's feet; R. A. 5h. 17m. 50s.; Dec. S. 24° 39' 09". A fine object of a milky white tinge, and blazing towards the centre. Hersche', describes it as "a beautiful cluster of stars, nearly 3 in diameter, of a globular form and extremly rich." An imaginary line run from Betelguese before a Leporis, and over B, will hit this object about 4° south-west of the latter.

COLUMBA (NOAH'S DOVE).-MAP III.

80. This constellation is situated about 16° S. of the Hare, and is nearly on the same meridian with the "Three Stars," in the belt of Orion. It contains only 10 stars; one of the 2d, one of the 3d, and two of the 4th magnitudes; of these Phaet and Beta are the brightest, and are about 24° apart. Phaet, the principal star, lies on the right, and is the highest of the two; Beta may be known by means of a smaller star just east of it, marked Gamma. A line drawn from the easternmost star in the belt of Orion, 32° directly south, will point out Phaet; it. is also 11° S. of the lower left-hand star in the square of the Hare, and makes with Sirius and Naos, in the ship, a large equilateral triangle.

79. What other name has Alpha; and with Beta what does it form? What further description?

HISTORY.-Why was Lepus placed in the heavens?

TELESCOPIC OBJECTS.-Alpha? Beta? Gamma? Iota? Kappa? Nebula ? 30. Situation of Columba? Number and size of stars? Hon?

How find Phaet? What figure does it help to form?

The two brightest, and situa

With what other stars?

HISTORY.

This constellation is so called in commemoration of the dove wh ch Noah sent forth to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground," after the ark had rested on mount Ararat. "And the dove came in to him in the evening, and lo, in her

mouth was an olive leaf plucked off.

"The surer messenger,

A dove sent forth once and again to spy

Green tree or ground, whereon his foot may light:

The second time returning in his bill

An olive leaf he brings, pacific sign!"

ERIDANUS (THE RIVER PO).-MAP III.

81. This constellation meanders over a large and very irreguIar space in the heavens. It is not easy, nor scarcely desirable, to trace out all its windings among the stars. Its entire length is not less than 130°; which, for the sake of a more easy reference, astronomers divide into two sections, the northern and the southern. That part of it which lies between Orion and the Whale, including the great bend about his paws, is distinguished by the name of the Northern stream; the remainder of it is called the Southern stream.

82. The Northern stream commences near Rigel, in the foot of Orion, and flows out westerly, in a serpentine course nearly 40° to the Whale, where it suddenly makes a complete circuit, and returns back nearly the same distance towards its source, but bending gradually down toward the south, when it again makes a similar circuit to the S. W., and finally disappears below the horizon.

West of Rigel there are five or six stars of the 3d and 4th magnitudes, arching up in a semi-circular form, and marking the first bend of the northern stream. About 8° below these, or 19° W. of Rigel, is a bright star of the 2d magnitude, in the second bend of the northern stream, marked Gamma. This star culminates 13 minutes after the Pleiades, and one hour and a quarter before Rigel. Passing Gamma, and a smaller star west of it, there are four stars nearly in a row, which bring us to the breast of Cetus. 8° N. of Gamma, is a small stai named Kied, which is thought by some to be considerably nearer the earth than Sirius.

Theemim, in the southern stream, is a star of the 3d magnitude, about 17° S. W. of the square in Lepus, and may be known by means of a smaller star 1° above it. Achernar is a brilliant star of the 1st magnitude, in the extremity of the southern stream; but having 58° of S. declination, can never be seen in this latitude.

83. The whole number of stars in this constellation is 84; of which, one is of the 1st magnitude, one of the 2d, and eleven are of the 3d Many of these cannot be pointed out by verbal description; they must be traced from the map.

HISTORY Origin of this constellation?

$1. What said of Eridanus?

stream? Gamma? Theemim?

Length?
Achernar?

How divided?

82. Trace the Northern 83. Whele number of stars in Eridanus?