1G9 
of this observation at, or about, the 21st of March, and again at the 22nd 
of September. At these times you not only look at a point of the equi- 
noctial, but at a point of the ecliptic, for at these dates the two circles 
cut each other, and in the interval the ecliptic or circle in the heavens 
which the Sun describes in his annual progress, passes north of the 
equinoctial, while from September to March the Sun's path is south of 
the equinoctial. Now, it will be evident on a moment's thought that 
since the stars cannot be seen while the Sun is in the sky, we need not 
hope to see the point of intersection of ecliptic and equinoctial, (except 
by looking at the Sun himself,) while the Sun is at that node. But, if 
we will look at our meridian as already described at midnight on the 
21st March, we shall see there the place which the Sun will occupy on 
the 22nd of the following September ; and if we choose that date in 
September for a similar observation, we shall see the so-called, Vernal 
equinox ; and although no bright stars are situated at the region in 
question, a little careful scrutiny will enable us to fix in our memory a 
pretty numerous group of small stars the constellation Pisces. Had 
the observation been made in March, we should have found a very bril- 
liant star(Spica) in the constellation Virgo then in the meridian. This con- 
stellation marks the position of the Autumnal equinox, and the position 
of the Sun in September, from which date until March following, his 
path is south of the celestial equator. 
Astronomers have marked off in twelve groups the stars lying along 
the Sun's path, and within a zone extending about 8 degrees on each 
side of the line of his motion. These so called zodiacal constellations 
are for the most part very easy of identification but I can scarcely recom- 
mend the two which mark the Equinoctial points as the first which 
should be located, although as I have already remarked, they possess a 
very special interest to the astronomer. They happen to be less well 
defined by brilliant stars than most of the others ; and at this time of 
the year Taurus, Gemini and Leo are no doubt the most readily fixed 
in the memory. The small groups Pleiades and Hyades in Taurus can 
never be forgotten by any one who has once recognized them. While 
Aldebaran is a large red star forming one extremity of the V group 
known as Hyades. Leo is well marked by a sickle, in the handle of 
