894 Handbook of Nature-Study 



by five stars, four of which form a lozenge, and a line connecting the two 

 stars on the side of the lozenge farthest from Cassiopeia, if extended, will 

 reach the Pole-star as surely as a line from the Big Dipper pointers. 

 Cepheus is not such a shining light in the heavens as is his wife, for his stars 

 are not so brilliant. Perhaps this is because he was only incidentally put in 

 the skies. He was merely the consort of Queen Cassiopeia, who being a 

 vain and jealous lady boasted that she and her daughter, Andromeda, were 

 far more beautiful than any other goddesses that ever were, and thus in- 

 curred the wrath of Juno and Jupiter who set the whole family "sky high" 

 and quite out of the way, a punishment which must have had its compensa- 

 tions since they are where the world of men may look at and admire them 

 for all ages. 



Lying between the Big and Little Dippers and extending beyond the 

 latter is a straggling line of stars, which, if connected by a line, make a very 

 satisfactory dragon. Nine stars form his body, three his head, the two 

 brighter ones being the eyes. 



LESSON CCXXVI 

 CASSIOPEIA'S CHAIR, CEPHEUS, AND THE DRAGON 



Leading thought To learn to know and to map the constellations which 

 are so near the Pole-star that they never rise or set in our latitude, but seem 

 to swing around the North Star once in twenty-four hours. 



Method Place on the blackboard the diagram given showing the Pole- 

 star, Big and Little Dippers and Cassiopeia's Chair, and ask for observa- 

 tions and sketches showing their position in the skies the following evening. 

 After the pupils have observed the Chair and know it, add to your diagram, 

 first Cepheus and then the Dragon. After you are sure the pupils know 

 these constellations, give the following lesson. The observations should be 

 made early and late in the same evening and at different times of the 

 month, so that pupils will in every case note the apparent movement of these 

 stars around Polaris. 



Observations i. How many stars form Cassiopeia's Chair? Make a 

 drawing showing them and their relation to the Pole-star. 



2. Is the Queen's Chair on the same side of the Pole-star as the Big 

 Dipper? Is the top or the bottom of the "W" which forms Cassiopeia's 

 Chair turned toward the Pole-star? 



3. Does Cassiopeia's Chair move around the Pole-star, like the Big 

 Dipper? 



4. How many stars mark the constellation of Cepheus ? 



5. Make a sketch of these stars and show the two which are pointers 

 toward the North Star. 



6. Does Cepheus also move around the Pole-star, and in which direc- 

 tion? 



7. Describe where the Dragon lies, and where are his tail and his head 

 in relation to the two Dippers. Make a sketch of the Dragon. 



8. Why do all the poplar constellations seem to move around the Pole- 

 star every twenty-four hours, and why do they seem to go in a direction 

 opposite the movement of the hands of a clock ? What do we mean by 

 "Polar constellations"? 



Topics for English Themes The Story of Queen Cassiopeia, King 

 Cepheus and their daughter, Andromeda; the story of the Dragon. 

 Supplementary reading Storyland of the Stars, Pratt. 



