TELESCOPIUM HERSCHELLII (HERSCHEL'S TELESCOPE).— MAP III. 92. About midway between the body of the Lynx and Gemini, may be seen the rude figure of a refracting Telescope, with its stand. It was made out of a few unformed stars, by Abbé Hell, in honor of Sir William Herschel, but is now generally discarded. It is reta. aed on the map more as a matter of history than to perpetuate it as a constellation. GEMINI (THE TWINS).-MAP III. 93. This constellation represents, in a sitting posture, the twin brothers, Castor and Pollux. It is the third sign, but fourth constellation in the order of the Zodiac, and is situated south of the Lynx, between Cancer on the east, and Taurus on the west. 94. The plane of the Ecliptic passes through the centre of Gemini; and as the earth moves round in her orbit from the first point of Aries to the same point again, the sun, in the meantime, will appear to move through the opposite signs, or those which are situated right over against the earth, on the other side of her orbit. Accordingly, if we could see the stars as the sun appeared to move by them, we should see it passing over the constellation Gemini between the 21st of June and the 23d of July; but we seldom see more than a small part of any constellation through which the sun is then passing, because the feeble lustre of the stars is obscured by the superior effulgence of the sun. When the sun is just entering the outlines of a constellation eastward, its eastern limit may be seen in the evening twilight, just above the setting sun. So when the sun has arrived at the eastern limit of a constellation, the western part of it may be seen rising in the morning twilight, just before the rising sun. Under other circumstances, when the sun is said to be in, or to enter, a particular constellation, it is to be understood that that constellation is not then visible, but that those opposite to it are. For example: whatever constellation sets with the sun on any day, it is plain that the one opposite to it must be then rising, and continue visible through the night. Also, whatever constellation rises and sets with the sun to-day, will, six months hence, rise at sun-setting, and set at sun-rising. For example: the sun is in the centre of Gemini about the 6th of July, and must rise and set with it on that day; consequently, six months from that time, or about the 4th of January, it will rise in the east, just when the sun is setting in tho west, and will come to the meridian at midnight; being then exactly opposite the sun. And as the stars gain upon the sun at the rate of two hours every month, it follows that the centre of this constellation will, on the 17th of February, come to the meridian three hours earlier, or at 9 o'clock in the evening. The sun is in the vernal equinox about the 21st of March, from whence it advances 92. What said of Herschel's Telescope? Why perpetuated on the map? 93. How is Gerini represented? Its order in the signs, &c.? Situation? 94. How with respect te Ecliptic? What result from this fact? What remarks respecting the sun and allations? through one sign or constellation every succeeding month thereafter; and that each constellation is one month in advance of the sign of that name: wherefore, reck Pisces in March, Aries in April, Taurus in May, and Gemini in June, &c., beginning with each constellation at the 21st, or 22d of the month. 95. Gemini contains 85 stars, including two of the 2d, three of the 3d, and six of the 4th magnitudes. It is readily recognized by means of the two principal stars, Castor and Pollux, of the 1st and 2d magnitudes, in the heads of the Twins, about 41° apart. There being only 11 minutes' difference in the transit of these two stars over the meridian, they may both be considered as culminating at 9 o'clock about the 24th of February. Castor, in the head of Castor, is a star of the 1st magnitude, 4° N. W. of Polux, and is the northernmost and the brightest of the two. Pollux is a star of the 2d magnitude, in the head of Pollux, and is 4% S. E. of Castor. This is one of the stars from which the moon's distance is calculated in the Nautical Almanac. "Of the famed Ledean pair, One most illustrious star adorns their sign, 96. The relative magnitude or brightness of these stars has undergone considerable changes at different periods; whence it has been conjectured by various astronomers that Pollux must vary from the 1st to the 3d magnitude. But Herschel, who observed these stars for a period of 25 years, ascribes the variation to Castor, which he found to consist of two stars, very close together, the less revolving about the larger once in 342* years and two months. Bradley and Maskelyne found that the line joining the two stars which form Castor was, at all times of the year, parallel to the line joining Castor and Pollux; and that both of the former move around a common centre between them, in orbits nearly circuiar, as two balls attached to a rod would do, if suspended by a string affixed to the centre of gravity between them. "These men," says Dr. Bowditch, "were endowed with a sharpness of vision, and a power of penetrating into space, almost unexampled in the history of astronomy.' 97. About 20° S. W. of Castor and Pollux, and in a line nearly parallel with them, is a row of stars 3° or 4° apart, chiefly of the 3d and 4th magnitudes, which distinguish the feet of the Twins. The brightest of these is Alhena, in Pollux's upper foot; the next small star S. of it, is in his other foot; the two upper stars in the line next above Gamma, mark Castor's feet. This row of feet is nearly two-thirds of the distance from Pollux to Betelguese in Orion, and a line connecting them will pass through Alhena, the principal star in the feet. About two thirds of the distance from the two in the head to those in the feet, and nearly parallel with them, there is another row of three stars about 6° apart, which mark the knees. 95. Number of stars in Gemini? Magnitudes? How recognize this constellation ? What said of the culmination of Castor, and of Pollux? 96. Are they variable? What did Bradley and Maskelyne ascertain? Remark of Bowditch? 97. What constitute the feet of Gemini ? Alhena? How situated? What mark the knees? 98. There are, in this constellation, two other remarkable parallel rows, lying at right angles with the former; one, leading from the head to the foot of Castor, the brightest star being in the middle, and in the knee; the other, leading from the head to the foot of Pollux, the brightest star, called Wasat, being in the body, and Zeta, next below it, in the knee. Wasat is in the ecliptic, and very near the center of the constellation. The two stars, Mu and Tejat, in the northern foot, are also very near the ecliptic; Tejat is a small star of between the 4th and 5th magnitudes, 2° W. of Mu, and deserves to be noticed because it marks the spot of the summer solstice, in the tropic of Cancer, just where the sun is on the longest day of the year, and is, moreover, the dividing limit between the torrid and the N. temperate zone. Propus, also in the ecliptic, 2 W. of Tejat, is a star of only the 5th magnitude, but rendered memorable as being the star which served for many years to determine the position of the planet Herschel, after its first discovery. HISTORY. Castor and Pollux were twin brothers, sons of Jupiter, by Leda, the wife of Tyndarus, king of Sparta. The manner of their birth was very singular. They were educated at Pallena, and afterwards embarked with Jason in the celebrated contest for the golden fleece, at Colchis; on which occasion they behaved with unparalleled courage and bravery. Pollux distinguished himself by his achievements in arms and personal prowess, and Castor in equestrian exercises and the management of horses; whence they are represented, in the temples of Greece, on white horses, armed with spears, riding side by side, their heads crowned with a petasus, on whose top glitters a star. Among the ancients, and especially among the Romans, there prevailed a superstition that Castor and Pollux often appeared at the head of their armies, and led on their troops to battle and to victory. "Castor and Pollux, first in martial force, One bold on foot, and one renown'd for horse. Fair Leda's twins in time to stars decreed, One fought on foot, one curb'd the fiery steed."— Virgil. "Castor alert to tame the foaming steed, And Pollux strong to deal the manly deed."-Martial. The brothers cleared the Hellespont and the neighboring seas from pirates after then return from Colchis; from which circumstance they have ever since been regarded as the friends and protectors of navigation. In the Argonautic expedition during a violent storm, it is said two flames of fire were seen to play around their heads, and immediately the tempest ceased, and the sea was calm. From this circumstance, the sailors inferred, that whenever both fires appeared in the sky, it would be fair weather; but when only one appeared, there would be storms. St. Paul, after being wrecked on the island of Melita, embarked for Rome "in a ship whose sign was Castor and Pollux;" so formed, no doubt, in accordance with the popu lar belief that these divinities presided over the science and safety of navigation. They were initiated into the sacred mysteries of Cabiri, and into those of Ceres at Eleusis. They were invited to a feast at which Lynceus and Idas were going to celebrate their nuptials with Phoebe and Telaria, the daughters of Leucippus, brother to Tyndarus. They became enamored of the daughters, who were about to be married, and resolved to supplant their rivals: a battle ensued, in which Castor killed Lynceus, and was himself killed by Idas. Pollux revenged the death of his brother by killing Idas; but being himself immortal and most tenderly attached to his deceased brother, he was unwilling to survive him; he therefore entreated Jupiter to restore him to life, or to be deprived himself of immortality; wherefore, Jupiter permitted Castor, who had been slain, to share the immortality of Pollux; and consequently as long as the one was upon earth, so long was the other detained in the infernal regions, and they alternately lived and died every day. Jupiter also further rewarded their fraternal attachment by changing them both 98. What other remarkable rows of stars in Gemini? Situation of Wasat? Of Tejat? Of Propus? HISTORY.-Myth of the parentage of Gemini? Their achievements? Roman super sulior? That of sailors? Allusion of St. Paul? Story of the fatal wedding? into a constellation under the name of Gernini, Troins, which, it is strangely pretended, never appear together, but when one rises the other sets, and so on, alternately. "By turns they visit this ethereal sky, And live alternate, and alternate die."-Homer. "Pollux, cffering his alternate life, Could free his brother, and could daily go By turns aloft, by turns descend below."-Virgil. Castor and Pollux were worshiped both by the Greeks and Romans, who sacrificed white lambs upon their altars. In the Hebrew Zodiac, the constellation of the Twing refers to the tribe of Benjamin. TELESCOPIC OBJECTS. 1. a GEMINORUM (Castor)-A neat DOUBLE STAR; R. A. 7h. 24m. 23s.; Dec. N. 82° 14': A 3. bright white; B 3%, pale white; with a third star of the 11th magnitude about 72° distant. A Binary System, with a probable period of 232 years. A beautiful object, and easily found. Map VIII., Fig. 4. 2. GEMINORUM -A QUADRUPLE STAR in the eye of Pollux, R. A. 7h. 85m. 81s.; Dec N. 28° 25' 4". A 2, orange tinge; B 12, ash-colored; C 11, pale violet, with another minute companion visible with the best instruments. 8. Y GEMINORUM (Athena)-A coarse TRIPLE STAR, in the right foot of Pollux: R. A. 6h. 28m. 28s.; Dec. N. 16° 81' 8".; A 3, brilliant white; B 13, and C 12, both pale plum color. It is on a line from Rigel to ß Geminorum, and nearest the former. 1. ♂ GEMINORUM (Wasat)-A DOUBLE STAR on the right hip of Pollux; R. A. 7h. 10m. 84s.; Dec. N. 22° 16' 3". Á 8%, pale white; B 9, purple. 5. E GEMINORUM (Melucta)—A star with a distant companion, on Castor's right knee, R. A. 6h. 34m. 05s.; Dec. N. 25° 16' 9". A 3, white; B 9%, cerulean blue. 6. GEMINORUM-A coarse TRIPLE STAR on the right knee of Pollux; R. A. 6h. 54m. 37s. ; Dec. N. 20° 47' 9". A 4, pale topaz; B 8, violet; C 18, grey. 7. A CLUSTER, near the right foot of Castor; R. A. 5h. 59m. 01s.; Dec. N. 24° 21′ 8′′. A gorgeous field of stars from the 9th to the 16th magnitudes. 8. A CLUSTER in the calf of Pollux's right leg; R. A. 6h. 45m. 56s.; Dec. N. 18° 10′ 5′′. A faint angular group of extremely small stars, in a rich region, but seen with difficulty. See Map VIII., Fig. 35. 9. A COMPRESSED CLUSTER under the left shoulder of Pollux; one-third the distance. from B Geminorum, to 3 Canis Minoris; R. A. 7h. 28m. 57s.; Dec. N. 21° 55' 7". A faint object about 12 in diameter, with a small star near the centre. Map VIII., Fig. 36. CANIS MINOR (THE LITTLE DOG).-MAP III. 99. This small constellation is situated about 5° N. of the equinoctial, and midway between Canis Major and the Twins. It contains 14 stars, of which two are very brilliant. The brightest star is called Procyon. It is of the 1st magnitude, and is about 4° S. E. of the next brightest, marked Gomelza, which is of the 3d magnitude. These two stars resemble the two in the head of the Twins. Procyon, in the Little Dog, is 23° S. of Pollux in Gemini, and Gomelza is about the same distance S. of Castor. 100. A great number of geometrical figures may be formed of the principal stars in the vicinity of the Little Dog. For example: Procyon is 23° S. of Pollux, and 26° E. of Betel TELESCOPIC OBJECTS.-Alpha? Beta? Gamma? Delta, &c.? Clusters? Which shown on the map? 99. Where is Canis Minor situated? Number of stars? itude? Next brightest? What do these two resemble? rical figures? Of the name Procyon? Its import? Name of brightest? Mag100. What said of gecue. guese, and forms with them a large right-angled triangle Again, Procyon is equi-distant from Betelguese and Sirius, and forms with them an equilateral triangle whose sides are each about 26°. If a straight line, connecting Procyon and Sirius, be produced 23° farther, it will point out Phaet, in the Dove. Procyon is often taken for the name of the Little Dog, or for the whole constellation, as Sirius is for the greater one; hence it is common to refer to either of these constellations by the name of its principal star. Procyon comes to the meridian 53 minutes after Sirius, on the 24th of February; although it rises, in this latitude, about half an hour before it. For this reason, it was called Procyon, from two Greek words which signify (Ante Canis) "before the dog." HISTORY. The Little Dog, according to Greek fable, is one of Orion's hounds. Some suppose it refers to the Egyptian god Anubis, which was represented with a dog's head; others to Diana, the goddess of hunting; and others, that it is the faithful dog Mæra, which belonged to Icarus, and discovered to his daughter Erigone the place of his burial. Others, again, say it is one of Acteon's hounds that devoured their master, after Dians had transformed him into a stag, to prevent, as she said, his betraying her. "This said, the man began to disappear By slow degrees, and ended in a deer. But as by chance, within a neighb'ring brook, He tried to speak, but only gave a groan; Tore the sad huntsman groveling on the ground." It is not difficult to deduce the moral of this fable. The selfishness and caprice of lunan friendship furnish daily illustrations of it. While the good man, the philanthropist, or the public benefactor, is in affluent circumstances, and, with a heart to devise, has the power to minister blessings to his numerous beneficiaries, his virtues are the general theme; but when adverse storms have changed the ability, though they could not shake the will of their benefactor, he is straightway pursued, like Acteon, by his own hounds; and, like Actæon, he is "torn to the ground" by the fangs that fed upon his bounty. It is most probable, however, that the Egyptians were the inventors of this constellation, and as it always rises a little before the Dog Star, which, at a particular season, they so much dreaded, it is properly represented as a little watchful crea. *ure, giving notice like a faithful sentinel of the other's approach. TELESCOPIC OBJECTS. 1. a CANIS MINORIS (Procyon)-A bright star in the loins of the dog with a distan ompanion, R. A. 7h. 30m. 55s; Dec. N. 5° 87′ 8′′. A 1%, yellowish white; B 8, orange int. Several small stars in the field. HISTORY.-What is the Little Dog supposed to represent? Fable of Actun? Its moral ? Who probably invented this constellation? To represent what? TELESCOPIC OBJECTS.-Alpha? Beta? Double star? Triple? |