HOW TO OBSERVE THE HEAVENS. 



333 



past astronomer, and engraved on the memory of every living observer — it will 

 be readily acknowledged that, even if a general change of stellar nomenclature 

 and symbol were practicable (which it assuredly is not), it would be neither 

 advantageous nor advisable. 



The northern constellation, to which we have referred, is called Ursa Major, 

 or the Great Bear. The seven stars are only the most conspicuous of those 

 which compose it, the entire number of stars in it being eighty-seven, most of 

 which, however, are so small as not to be visible without a telescope. Of 

 the seven principal stars one only (that marked «, fig. 1), is of the first mag- 

 nitude. Three (marked #> y, and i ), are of the second magnitude, and the re- 

 maining three (<*, «> and £ ) are of the third magnitude. As these stars, being 



Fig. 2. 



L 



