THE HEAVEN'S IN MARCH 



285 



The Heavens in March. 



BY PROF. ERIC DOOT.TTTI.K OF THE UNIVER- 

 SITY OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



This is the last month of the year in 

 which the brilliant winter constella- 

 tions may all be seen in the early even- 

 ing' sky. Already these bright groups 

 have, with one exception, all reached 



months has passed through the high- 

 est point of the evening heavens, now 

 begins its slow declension toward the 

 west, and in one month more will lie 

 so closely along the western horizon 

 that it can only be observed with diffi- 

 culty. 



Meanwhile the extreme western end 

 of the very large, faint constellation 



NOT5 



.SOUTH 



Figure 1. — The Constellations, March 1, 9 P. M. 



(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. 



the western part of the heavens, and 

 as April approaches the great Taurus, 

 the leader of the winter train of con- 

 stellations, will have drawn so near the 

 sun that it will be seen beginning to 

 sink below the ground in the early 

 evening. The wonderful winter branch 

 of the Milky Way, which for so many 



of the Virgin — the leader of the sum- 

 mer groups of stars — has pushed its 

 way well into the evening sky in the 

 east, while above this may be seen 

 the very beautiful golden-yellow star, 

 Arcturus, which as the months go by 

 will remain one of the most conspic- 

 uous of our summer stars, reaching 



