before the destruction of Troy, and 43 years after the death of Solomon. Di Bryant however, rejects the history of the Argonautic expedition as a mere fiction of the Greeks, and supposes that this group of stars, which the poets denominate Argo Navis, refers to Noah's ark and the deluge, and that the fable of the Argonautic expedition is founded on certain Egyptian traditions that related to the preservation of Noah and his family faring the flood. TELESCOPIC OBJECTS. ARGO NAVIS-A star with a distant companion; R. A. Sh. 00m. 448.; Dec. 8 20 60' 8". A31⁄2, pale yellow; B 10, greyish. Other small stars in the field. 2. A SMALL GALAXY CLUSTER; R. A. 7h. 87m. 44s; Dec. S. 28* 29' 1". 3 A neat DOUBLE STAR over the ship's stern; R. A. 7h. 88m. 08s.; Dec. 8. 14° 18° 8. 7, silvery white; B7%, pale white. 4 A close DOUBLE STAR over the Argo's stern; R. A. Th. 40m. 27s.; Dec. 8. 11° 48' 8" A 71⁄2, pale yellow; B9, light blue. 5. A bright PLANETARY NEBULA; R. A. 7h. 34m. 46s.; Dec. S. 17° 59' 2". A fine object, pale bluish white, and may be identified by several small stars in its vicinity. See Map VII., Fig. 31. CANCER (THE CRAB). -МАР Ш 118. Cancer is now the fifth constellation and fourth sign et the Zodiac. It is situated in the ecliptic, between Leo on the E. and Gemini on the W. It contains 83 stars, of which one is of the 3d, and seven of the 4th magnitude. Some place the firstmentioned star in the same class with the other seven, and consider none larger than the 4th magnitude. 119. Beta is a star of the 3d or 4th magnitude, in the southwestern claw, 10° N. E. of Procyon, and may be known from the fact that it stands alone, or at least has no star of the same magnitude near it. It is midway between Procyon and Acubens. 120. Acubens, is a star of similar brightness, in the southeastern claw, 10° N. E. of Beta, and nearly in a straight line with it and Procyon. An imaginary line drawn from Capella through Pollux, will point out Acubens, at the distance of 24° from Pollux. It may be otherwise distinguished by its standing between two very small stars close by it in the same claw. 121. The southern Asellus, marked Delta, is situated in the line of the ecliptic, and, in connection with Wasat and Tejat, marks the course of the earth's orbit for a space of 36° from the solstitial colure. A few degrees S. of Cancer, and about 17° E. of Procyon, are four stars of the 4th magnitude, 3° or 4o apart, which mark the head of Hydra. The rest of this constellatiow is delineated on Map IV. TELESCOPIC OBJECTS. Iota? What cluster? Double stars? Nebula? Point cut on/ the map? 118. Place of Cancer in the Zodiac? stars? 119. Beta? How known? of Deltaf Remarks respecting Hydra? In other respects? Number and size of its The beginning of the sign Cancer (not the constellation) is called the Tropic of Can per, and when the sun arrives at this point, it has reached its utmost limit of north deciination, where it seems to remain stationary a few days before it begins to decline again to the south. This stationary attitude of the sun is called the summer solstice; from two Latin words signifying the sun's standing still. The distance from the first point of Cancer to the equinoctial, which, at present, is 23° 2733', is called the obliquity of the ecliptic. It is a remarkable and well ascertained fact, that this is continually growing 'ess and less. The tropics are slowly and steadily approaching the equinoctial, at the ate of about half a second every year; so that he sun does not now come so far north of the quator in summer, nor dectine so far south in winter, as it must have done at the Preation, by nearly a degree. HISTORY. in the Zodiacs of Esne and Dendera, and in most of the astrological remains of FgJP a Scarabæus, or Beetle, is used as the symbol of this sign; but in Sir William Jones' Oriental Zodiac, and in some others found in India, we meet with the zure of a crab As the Hindoos, in all probability, derived their knowledge of the stars from the Chal deans, it is sup sed that the figure of the crab, in this place, is more ancient than th? Beetle. In some eastern representations of this sign, two animals, like asses, are found in this division of te Zodiac; and as the Chaldaic name for the ass may be translated muddiness, it is supposed to allude to the discoloring of the Nile, which river was rising when the sun entered Cancer. The Greeks, in copying this sign, have placed two asses as the appropriate symbol of it, which st.. remain. They explain their reason, however, for adopting this figure, by saying that these are the animals that assisted Jupiter in his victory over the giants. Dopuis acounts for the origin of the asses in the following words:-" Le Cancer on sont les étoiles appellées les ânes, forme l'empreinte du pavillon d' Issachar que Jacob assimile à l'âne." Mytholog sts give different accounts of the origin of this constellation. The prevai. ing opinions, that while Hercules was engaged in his famous contest with the dreadful Lernæan monster, Juno, envious of the fame of his achievements, sent a sea-crab to bite and annoy the hero's feet, but the crab being soon dispatched, the goddess, to reward Its services placed it among the constellations. "The Scorpion's claws here clasp a wide extent, TELESCOPIC OBJECTS. 1. O CANCRI-A very delicate DOUBLE STAR, under the Crab's mouth; R. A. Sh. 35m. 5s.; Dec. 1. 18° 44′ 04′′. A 4%, straw color; B 15 blue, only seen by glimpses. 2. & CANCRI-A star with a distant companion, on the Crab's body; R. A. 8h. 31m. 16s.; Dec. N. 20°06′02′′. A 61⁄2, and B 7, both pale white; and a third star in the field of nearly the same magnitude. 3. CANCRI-A fine TRIPLE STAR, just below the after claws of the Crab; R. A. Sh. 03m. 02s.; Dec N. 18° 07 05". A 6, yellow; B 7, orange tinge; C 71⁄2, yellowish. Supposed to be a Ternary system. 4. About 7o northeasterly from Tegumine, is a nebulous cluster of very minute stars, in the crest of Cancer, sufficiently luminous to be seen by the naked eye. It is situated in a triangular position with regard to the head of the Twins and the Little Dog. It is about 20° W. of each. It may otherwise be discovered by means of two conspicuous stars of the 4th magnitude, lying one on either side of it, at the distance of about 2°, called the northern and southern Aselli. By some of the Orientalists, this cluster was denominated Presepe, he Manger, a contrivance which their fancy filled up for the accommodation of the Aselli or Asses; and it is so called by modern astroncu.ers. The appearance of this group to the unassisted eye, is not unlike the nucleus of a comet, and it was repeatedly mistaken for the comet of 1832, which, in the month of November passed in ita neighborhood. Map VIII., Fig. 38. 5. A P'CH BUT LOOSE CLUSTER in the Crab's southern claw, where a line from Rige through Procyon, into the east-northeast, will find it about 5° north of & in the Hyades, R. A. Sh. 42m. 26s.; Dec. N 12° 23′06′′. Stars mostly of the 9th and 10th magnitudes. See Map VIII., Fig. 39. Нато.-What other figures for Cancer? Egyptian? Hindoo? Greek? Origin his cor ellation? TELESCOPIC OBJECTS.-Delta? Epsilon? Zeta? What Clusters? Point out on the Mar CHAPTER VI. CONSTELLATIONS ON THE MERIDIAN IN APRIL LEO (THE LION).-MAP IV. 122 LEO is one of the most brilliant constellations in the inter hemisphere, and contains an unusual number of very bright stars. It is situated next E. of Cancer, and directly S. of Leo Minor and the Great Bear. The Hindoo astronomer, Varaha, says, "Certainly the southern solstice was once in he middle of Asleha (Leo); the northern in the first degree of Dhanishta" (Aquarius). Since that time, the solstitial, as well as the equinoctial points, have gone backward on he ecliptic 75°. This divided by 504", gives 5373 years; which carry us back to the year of the world 464. Sir W. Jones says, that Varaha lived when the solstices were in the first degrees of Cancer and Capricorn; or about 400 years before the Christian era. 123. Leo is the fifth sign, and the sixth constellation of the Zodiac. The mean right ascension of this extensive group is 150°, or 10 hours. Its center is therefore on the meridian the sixth of April. Its western outline, however, comes to the meridian on the 18th of March, while its eastern limit does not reach it before the 3d of May. This constellation contains 95 visible stars, of which one is of the 1st magnitude, one of the 2d, six of the 3d, and fifteen of the 4th. "One splendid star of highest dignity, 124. The principal star in this constellation is of the 1st magnitude, situated in the breast of the animal, and named Regulus, from the illustrious Roman consul of that name. It is situated almost exactly in the 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 2° S. of it, and one of the 3d magnitude 5o N. of it, which will serve to point it out. 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 1⁄2°; kut its declination, or dis ce from the equinoctial, is nearly 18° N.; so that its meridian altitude will be just 122. Describe Leo. Its situation? What remarkab e statement of Varaha? Calcula tions upon it? 123. Position of Leo in the Zodiac? When on the meridian? Numbe and size of its stars? 124. Its principal star? Situation? How distinguished? What ise made of Regulus? When on the meridian, where are Castor and Pollux? LEO. equal to that or the sun on the 19th of August. Its right ascension is very nearly 150°. It therefore culminates about 9 o'clock 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. 125. The next considerable star is 5° 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. 126. 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 toward the west; and it is the first in the blade of the sickle. 127. Adhafera is a star of the 3d magnitude, situated in the neck, 4° 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. 128. Ras al Asad, situated before the ear, is a star of the 3d or 4th magnitude, 6° 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 24° S. W. of Ras al Asad, and a little within the curve of the sickle. About midway between these, and a little to the E., is a very small star hardly visible to the naked eye. 129. Lambda, situated in the mouth, is a star of the 4th magnitude, 34° 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 44° apart, and form the longest side of a triangle, whose vertex is in Kappa. 130. Zozma, situated in the back of the Lion, is a star of the 3d magnitude 18° N. E. of Regulus, and midway between it and Coma Berenices, a fine cluster of small stars, 18° N. E. of Zozma 131. 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 125. Next principal star-size and position? 127. Adhafera? 128. Ras a Asad? Epsilon? Of Kappa? 180. Of Zozma. 181. Of Theta? mentioned? 126. Al Gieba? How known! 129. Situation and size of Lambda! What triangle? What other starı makes a right-angled triangle with Zozima on the N. and Dene bola 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. 4° or 5° apart, which mark one of the legs. 132. Denebola is a bright star of the first magnitude, in the brush of the tail, 10° S. E. of Zozina, and may be distinguished by its great brilliancy. It s 5° 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 25° W. of it, and Phad, in the square of Ursa Major, bears 39° 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 35%" 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 form of a Rhombus, called by some, the DIAMOND OF VIRGO. A line drawn from Denebola through Regulus, and continued 7 or 8° further in the same direction, will point out Xi and Omicron, of the 3d and 4th magnitudes, situated in the foreclaws, and about 3o apart. There are a number of other stars of the 3d and 4th magmasa 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 neighborhood. HISTORY. According to Greek fable, this Lion represents the formidable animal which infested the forests of Nemæa. 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 labors 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 labor, 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 seen, moreover, according to the fable itself, that Hercules, who represented the sun, actually slew the Nemæan 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 occasioned 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 haunted the banks of the Nile, which had then reached its greatest elevation. It was therefcre 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 Egyptian 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 pa'd 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. In the Hebrew Zodiac, Leo is assigned to Judah, on whose standard, according to "d traditions, a Lion is painted. This is clearly intimated in numerous passages of the Hebrew writings: Ex.-"Judah is a Lion's whelp; he stooped down, he couch id as t 132. Size and position of Denebola? How known? When does it come to the meri dian as compared with Regulus? What sail of its meridian altitude? When on the meridian where is Regulus seen? Phad? What triangle? with respect to Arcturus and Spica Virginis? To Cor Caroli? HISTORY. Greek fable? Egyptian? Hebrew Zodiacs? Lion? How is Derebolo situated What other large figures Scripture allusions to th |