4292 THE BEAUTIES OF NATURE CHAP, 
father looked, and there was a faint star 
due east from the bright one, and distant 
about ten seconds. ‘This was exactly the pre- 
dicted direction for that time, though the dis- 
coverers knew nothing of it. As the news 
went round the world many observers turned 
their attention to Sirtus; and it was then 
found that, though it had never before been 
noticed, the companion was really shown under 
favourable circumstances by any powerful | 
telescope. It is, in fact, one-half of the size of 
Sirius, though only zotooth of the bright- 
ness.” ? 
Stars are, we know, of different magni- 
tudes and different degrees of glory. They 
are also of different colours. Most, indeed, are 
white, but some reddish, some ruddy, some 
intensely red ; others, but fewer, green, blue, 
or violet. It is possible that the compara- 
tive rarity of these colours is due to the fact 
that our atmosphere especially absorbs green 
and blue, and it is remarkable that almost all 
of the green, blue, or violet stars are one of 
the pairs of a Double Star, and in every case 
1 Clarke, System of the Stars. 
