332 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE 



less passage. The use of a telescope pro- 

 duces the sensation of being projected 

 into ispace in the guise of. a softly flitting 

 spirit. It is the nearest approach imagin- 

 able to what we might expect would be 

 the sensation of the spirit after its release 

 from its mortal habitat. 



I have found that definite work is a 

 great stimulus to one's interest in the 



Canst thou liinil tlie sweet influencrf 

 Job xxxviii, 31. 



of Pleiades 



stars. There are many notable objects to 

 'be investigated. These are all classified 

 and many different fields are available for 

 study. My interest at present is among 

 the variable stars. I have a little stellar 

 family which varies in magnitude from 

 month to month. These stars I must ex- 

 amine critically each month to determine 

 by certain comparisons whether they have 

 become less or more brilliant, and to re- 

 port any change in their magnitude. The 

 work becomes a sort of adventure. The 

 field must be located and the star found. 

 Sometimes a star that was bright when 

 last observed is not visible, having'appar- 

 ently totally disappeared. At another 

 time where no star was visible at the last 

 observation, will appear a beautiful speck 

 of red or orange light. 



It is unfortunate that the best time for 

 observing the heavens is during Decem- 

 ber. January and early February — co- 



incident with the coldest nights of the 

 year. At nine degrees above zero I have 

 stood in my observatory for two hours in 

 the course of my regular monthly work, 

 but even cold feet and numb fingers can 

 scarcely abate the enthusiasm, when the 

 stars seem almost to speak in their scin- 

 tillating brilliancy. 



I have mentioned as one of the striking 

 convictions of astronomy the element of 

 infinity. The Psalmist has said, "A thous- 

 and years in thy sight are but as yester- 

 dan when it is past." A look into the 

 heavens conveys a similar idea in regard 

 to the Creator's indifference to space. We 

 cannot conceive of anything that is not 

 in some way limited, yet just above our 

 heads, on any clear night, there is a view 

 that is absoKitely free from any limita- 

 tions of which the human mind has ken. 

 No telescope, in combination with that 

 other marvelous aid, the camera, has yet 

 probed this evidence of the infinite, and 

 as we contemplate man's constantly 

 changing theories of the significance of 

 the various stellar phenomena' we are 

 forced to conclude in devout admiration 

 that surely, "The heavens declare the 

 glory of God ; and the firmament showeth 

 his handvwork." 



(from the editor). 

 This question of the lack of popular 

 interest in the subject of astronomy has 

 been discussed by a variety of publica- 

 tions and educators. In explaining its 

 banishment from the schools, it is not 

 enough to say that it is a mental and not 

 a utilitarian science. The schools include 

 many things that are not directly related 

 to life. If one were to venture to cross 

 out everything that is not utilitarian, I 

 fear that the schedule would be left pretty 

 nearly Ijlank. ]\Iuch arithmetic would be 

 eliminated, with considerable grammar, 

 and such studies as algebra, geometry, 

 foreign history, with some geography, as 

 well as a number of others. But the 

 schools very commendably do not elimi- 

 nate studies that pertain to strictly mental 

 training. They have, let it be to their 

 credit, not commercialized the whole 

 thing. I am inclined to think that the 

 trouble, especially in the low'er grades, is 

 the difficulty of having the child grasp 

 the subject. In the high school, it has 

 been made, as it has been made in college- 

 nlmost wholly a mathematical pursuit. 

 One feels like deciding- that astronomv 



