THE 'HEAVENS IN SEPTEMBER 



135 



The Heavens in September. 



BY PROF. ERIC DOOLITTLE OF THE UNI- 

 VERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



As the summer draws to its close 

 we again witness the gradual but 

 steady transformation of the face of 

 the heavens into the autumn and 

 early winter sky. The characteristic 



way to the zenith in the east, and again 

 we welcome the royal star, Fomalhaut, 

 which this month reappears to pursue 

 its short course across the southern 

 heavens after an absence of nearly a 

 3'ear. 



THE SEPTEMBER STARS. 



If the observer will face toward the 



north 



SOUTH 



Figure 1. — The Constellations at 9 P. M., September 1. (If facing south, hold the map upright; if facing 

 east, hold "east" below; if facing west, hold "west" below; if facing north, hold the map inverted.) 



summer group of the Scorpion has 

 half disappeared in the southwest ; the 

 great constellation of the Virgin has 

 wholly gone, while the Balances, the 

 Serpent and the brilliant, golden 

 Arcturus have sunk nearly to the 

 western horizon. Meanwhile the beau- 

 tiful groups of Andromeda and Pe- 



gasus 



have already climbed half 



north on any clear, moonless evening 

 of September, he will readily find the 

 Great Dipper, now lying in a nearly 

 upright position, slightly above the 

 ground, while above this he may 

 with somewhat more difficulty trace 

 out the inverted and far fainter Little 

 Dipper. Between the two groups there 

 lie the coils of the Dragon, which entire 



