154. The whole number of stars in this constellation is 43; its mean right ascension is 185°. It consequently is on the meridian the 13th of May. Berenice was of royal descent, and a lady of great beauty, who married Ptolemy Soter, or Evergetes, one of the kings of Egypt, her own brother, whom she loved with much tenderness. When he was going on a dangerous expedition against the Assyrians, she vowed to dedicate her hair to the goddess of beauty, if he returned in safety. Some time after the victorious return of her husband, Evergetes, the locks, which, agreeably to her oath, she had deposited in the temple of Venus, disappeared. The king expressed great regret at the loss of what he so much prized; whereupon Conon, his astronomer, publicly reported that Jupiter had taken away the queen's locks from the temple and placed them among the stars. "There Berenice's locks first rose so bright, The heavens bespangling with dishevelled light." Conon being sent for by the king, pointed out this constellation, saying, "There behold the locks of the queen." This group being among the unformed stars until that time, and not known as a constellation, the king was satisfied with the declaration of the astronomer, and the queen became reconciled to the partiality of the gods. Callimachus, a historian and poet, who flourished long before the Christian era, has these lines as translated by Tytler : "Immortal Conon, blest with skill divine, To wreak stern vengeance on the Assyrian crew." TELESCOPIC OBJECTS. 1. A TRIPLE STAR, between the tresses and Virgo's northern wing; R. A. 12h. 45m. 25s.; Dec. N. 22° 07' 0". A 5, pale yellow; B, indistinct; C 10, cobalt blue. About 7° south east of a Berenices, and 20° west of Arcturus. 2. A GLOBULAR CLUSTER, between the tresses and the Virgin's left hand, with a coarse pair and one single star in the field; R. A. 11h. 05m. 08s.; Dec. N. 19° 01' 8". A brilliant mass of minute stars from the 11th to the 15th May; compressed at center. A line through d and e Virginis, northward, meeting another from Arcturus over 7 Bootes, falls apon this magnificent object. 8. A CONSPICUOUS NEBULA between the tresses and the virgin's left arm; R. A. 12h. 48m. 52s.; Dec. N. 22° 33′ 2′′. A magnificent object, both in size and brightness, with several small stars in the field. Elongated, compressed in the centre, and was likened by Sir Charles Blagdon to a "black eye." Map VIII., Fig. 44. CORVUS (THE CROW).-MAP IV. 155. This small constellation is situated on the eastern part of Hydra, 15° E of the Cup, and is on the same meridian with 154. What number of stars? HISTORY.-Who was Berenice? Story of the loss of her hair, &c.? TELESCOPIC OBJECTS.-What triple stars? Cluster? Nebula? Point out on the Map. 155. Where is Corvus situated? Number of visible stars? Coma Berenices, but as far S. of the equinoctial as Coma Bere nices is N. of it. It therefore culminates at the same time, on the 12th of May. It contains nine visible stars, including three of the 3d magnitude, and two of the 4th. 156. This constellation is readily distinguished by means of three stars of the 3d magnitude and one of the 4th, forming a trapezium or irregular square, the two upper ones being about 34° apart, and the two lower ones 6° apart. 157. The brightest of the two upper stars, on the left, is called Algorab, and is situated in the E. wing of the Crow; it has nearly the same declination S. that the Dog Star has, and is on the meridian about the 13th of May. It is 21° E. of Alkes in the Cup, 144° S. W. of Spica Virginis, a brilliant star of the 1st magnitude, to be described in the next chapter. 158. Beta, on the back of Hydra, and in the foot of the Crow, is a star of the 3d magnitude, nearly 7° S. of Algorab. It is the brightest of the two lower stars, and on the left. The righthand lower one is a star of the 4th magnitude, situated in the neck, marked Epsilon, about 6° W. of Beta, and may be known by a star of the same magnitude situated 2° below it, in the eye, and called Al Chiba. Epsilon is 213° S. of the vernal equinox, and if a meridian should be drawn from the pole through Megrez, and produced to Epsilon Corvi, it would mark the equinoctial colure. 159. Gumma, in the W. wing, is a star of the 3d magnitude, 31° W. of Algorab, and is the upper right-hand on in the square. It is but 1° E. of the equinoctial colure. 10° E. of Beta is a star of the 3d magnitude, in the tail of Hydra, marked Gamma; these two, with Algorab, form nearly a right-angled triangle, the right angle being at Beta. HISTORY. The Crow, it is said, was once of the purest white, but was changed for tale-bearing tɔ its present color. A fit punishment for such a fault. "The raven once in snowy plumes was drest, Fair as the guardian of the capitol, Soft as the Swan; a large and lovely fowl; His tongue, his prating tongue, had changed him quive, To sooty blackness from the purest white." According to Greek fable the Crow was made a constellation by Apollo. This gol being jealous of Coronis (whom he tenderly loved), the daughter of Phlegyas and 156. How is it found? 157. What said of Algorab? Al Chiba? What said of the Pole, Megrez, and Epsilon? triangle? 158. Of Beta? Epsilon? 159. Of Gamma? What HISTORY.-Story of the original color of Corvus ? Greek fable of the origin of the ccastellation? What other account? mother of Esculapius, sent a crow to watch her behavior; the bird perceived her criminal partiality for Ischys the Thessalian, and immediately acquainted Apollo with he conduct, which so fired his indignation that he lodged an arrow in her breast, and killed ker instantly. "The god was wroth; the color left his look, The wreath his head, the harp his hand forsook: To reward the crow, he placed her among the constellations. Others say that this constellation takes its name from the daughter of Coronæus, king of Phocis, who was transformed into a crow by Minerva, to rescue the maid from the pursuit of Neptune. The following, from an eminent Latin poet of the Augustan age, is her own account of the metamorphosis as translated into English verse by Mr. Addison : "For as my arms I lifted to the skies, I saw black feathers from my fingers rise; I strove to fling my garment on the ground; My garment turned to plumes, and girt me round; My hands to beat my naked bosom try; Nor naked bosom now, nor hands had I. Lightly I tripp'd, nor weary as before Sunk in the sand, but skimm'd along the shore; Till, rising on my wings, I was preferr'd To be the chaste Minerva's virgin bird." TELESCOPIC OBJECTS. 1. CORVI-A fine bright star nearly midway between two distant companions. A 24, raddy yellow; B7, greenish yellow; C 8, dull grey. ẞ is actually the lucida, or brightest star of the constellation. 2. 5 CORVI-A DOUBLE STAR in the right wing; R. A. 12h. 21m. 35s.; Dec. S. 15° 87′ 04′′ A 3, pale yellow; B 8%, purple. VIRGO (THE VIRGIN).-MAP IV. 160. This is the sixth sign, and seventh constellation in the ecliptic. It is situated next east of Leo, and about midway between Coma Berenices on the N. and Corvus on the S. It occupies a considerable space in the heavens, and contains, according to Flamsted, one hundred and ten stars, including one of the 1st, six of the 3d, and ten of the 4th magnitudes. Its mean declination is 5° N., and its mean right ascension is 195°. Its center is therefore on the meridian about the 23d of May. The sun enters the sign Virgo, on the 23d of August, but does not enter the constellation before the 15th of September. When the sun is in this sign, the earth is in Pisces; and vice versa. 161. Alpha, or Spica Virginis, in the ear of corn which the virgin holds in her left hand, is the most brilliant star in this constellation, and situated nearly 15° E. N. E. of Algorab in the Crow, about 35° S. E. of Denebola, and nearly as far S. S. TELESCOPIC OBJECTS.-Beta? Delta? 160. Order and position of Virgo? Extent? declination of Virgo? Remark in fine print? Number of stars? Magnitudes? Mean 161. What said of Alpha, or Spica Vir W. of Arcturus-three very brilliant stars of similar magnitude that form a large equilateral triangle, pointing to the S. Arcturus and Denebola are also the base of a similar triangle on the north, terminating in Cor Caroli, which, joined to the former, constitutes the Diamond of Virgo. 162. The length of this figure, from Cor Caroli, on the north, to Spica Virginis on the south, is 50°. Its breadth, or shorter diameter, extending from Arcturus on the east to Denebola on the west, is 354°. Spica may otherwise be known by its solitary splendor, there being no visible star near it except one of the 4th magnitude, situated about 1° below it, on the left. The position of this star in the heavens, has been determined with great exactness for the benefit of navigators. It is one of the stars from which the moon's distance is taken for determining the longitude at sea. Its situation is highly favorab'e for this purpose, as it lies within the moon's path, and little more than 2° below the ear 'h's orbit. Its right ascension being 199°, it will come to our meridian at 9 o'clock about the 28th f May, in that point of the heavens where the sun is at noon about the 20th of October. 163. Beta, called also Zavijava, is a star of the 3d magnitude, in the shoulder of the wing, 7° W. of Eta, with which and Gamma it forms a line near the Earth's orbit, and parallel to it. Beta, Eta, Gamma and Spica, form the lower and longer side of a large spherical triangle whose vertex is in Beta. 164. Vindemiatrix, is a star of the 3d magnitude, in the right arm, or northern wing of Virgo, and is situated nearly in a straight line with, and midway between Coma Berenices and Spica Virginis. It is 19 S. W. of Arcturus, and about the same distance S. E. of Coma Berenices, and forms with these two a large triangle, pointing to the south. It bears also 18° S. S. E. of Denebola, and comes to the meridian about 23 minutes before Spica Virginis. 165. Zeta, is a star of the 3d magnitude, 114° N. of Spica, and very near the equinoctial. Gamma, situated near the left side, is also a star of the 3d magnitude, and very near the equinoctial. It is 13° due west of Zeta, with which and Spica it forms a handsome triangle. Eta, is a star of the 3d magnitude in the southern wing, 5° W. of Gamma, and but 24° E. of the autumnal equinox. The other stars in this figure may be easily traced by means of the map. About 18° E. of Spica, there are two stars of the 4th magnitude, 3° apart, which mark the foot of Virgo. These two stars are on nearly the same meridian with Arcturus, and culminate nearly at the same time. The lower one, marked Lambda, is on the south, and but 8° W. of the principal star in Libra. Several other stars of the 3d magnitude lie scattered about in this constellation, and may be traced out by the map. ginis? Diamond? Note in fine print? 162. Length of Virgo? Breadth? How may Spica be known! 163. Describe Beta? What triangle? 164, V.ndematrix? 165. Zeta, Gamma and Eta? What other stars and how found? "Her lovely tresses glow with starry light; HISTORY. According to the ancient poets, this constellation represents the Virgin Astræa, he goddess of justice, who lived upon the earth during the golden age; but being offended at the wickedness and impiety of mankind during the brazen and iron ages of the world, she returned to heaven, and was placed among the constellations of the zodiac, with a pair of scales (Libra) in one hand and a sword in the other. Hesiod, who flourished nearly a thousand years before the birth of our Saviour, and later writers, mention four ages of the world; the golden, the silver, the brazen, and the iron age. In the beginning of things, say they, all men were happy, and all men were good; the earth brought forth her fruits without the labor of man; and cares, and wants, wars and diseases, were unknown. But this happy state of things did not last long. To the golden age, the silver age succeeded; to the silver the brazen; and to the brazen, the iron. Perpetual spring no longer reigned; men continually quarreled with each other; crime succeeded to crime; and blasphemy and murder stained the history of every day. In the golden age, the gods did not disdain to mix familiarly with the sons of men. The innocence, the integrity and brotherly love which they found among us, were a pleasing spectacle even to superior natures; but as mankind degenerated, one god after another deserted their late beloved haunts; Astræa lingered the last; but finding the earth steeped in human gore, she herself flew away to the celestial regions. "Victa jacet pietas; et virgo cæde madentes "Faith flees, and piety in exile mourns; And justice here oppress'd, to heaven returns." Some, however, maintain, that Erigone was changed into the constellation Virgo. The death of her father Icarus, an Athenian, who perished by the hands of some peasants, whom he had intoxicated with wine, caused a fit of despair, in which Erigone hung herself; and she was afterward, as it is said, placed among the signs of the zodiac. She was directed by her faithful dog Mæra to the place where her father was slain. first bough on which she hung herself breaking, she sought a stronger, in order to effect her purposc. "Thus once in Marathon's impervious wood, When hastening to discharge her pious vows, LEWIS' Statius, B. xi. The The famous zodiac of Dendera, as we have already noticed, commences with the sign Leo; but another zodiac, discovered among the ruins at Esne, in Egypt, commences with Virgo; and from this circumstance, some have argued, that the regular precession of the equinoxes established a date to this at least 2000 years older than that at Dendera. The discoveries of Champollion, however, render it probable that this ancient relic of astrology at Esne was erected during the reign of the Emperor Claudius, and consequently did not precede the one at Dendera more than fourteen years. Of this, however, we may be certain: the autumnal equinox now corresponds with the first degree of Virgo; and, consequently, if we find a zodiac in which the summer solstice was placed where the autumnal equinox now is, that zodiac carries us back 90° on the ecliptic; this divided by the annual precision 504" must fix the date at about 6450 years ago. This computation, according to the chronology of the Sacred writings, carries us back to the earliest ages of the human species on earth, and proves, at least, that astronomy was among the first studies of mankind. The most rational way of accounting for this zodiac, says Jamieson, is to ascribe it to the family of Noah; or per haps to the patriarch himself, who constructed it for the benefit of those who should live after the deluge, and who preserved it as a monument to perpetuate the actual state of the heavens immediately subsequent to the creation. HISTORY.-Account of the poets? Hesiod's account? What other supposition? godiacs mentioned, and what calculations, &c.? Wl.a. |