Lesson xv.] FIXED STARS, Sec. 69 



the heavens must be carried infinitely farther than 

 we have yet extended them. 



The gems in the brilliant canopy which remain 

 to be contemplated, are the fixed stars; which 

 are chiefly distinguishable, as was suggested in 

 the Second Lesson, from their never changing 

 their relative situation with regard to each other. 



The heavens are divided into three regions, 

 called the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, 

 and the Zodiac. The Fixed Stars were classed by 

 the ancients under the outlines of certain figures 

 of birds, beasts, fishes, and other animals j and 

 these were called Constellations. The number of 

 which is, in the Northern Hemisphere, 36 j in the 

 Southern, 32; and in theZodiac,12. Stars not com- 

 prehended in any of these ancient constellations, 

 are called Unformed Stars; and others, of a 

 cloudy appearance, are called Nebula:. Of this 

 number are the Magellanic clouds near the south 

 pole, which resemble two whitish spots in the 

 heavens, and are well known to sailors *. 



The 



The Plate which is ;iven as a Frontispiece, is a projec- 

 tion of the northern and southern CELESTIAL HEMISPHERES 

 on the plans of the llqxator. The centre of the first projec- 

 tion is the North Pole of the Equator, aroand which are de- 

 scribed two circles ; the smaller is the Arctic circle, the larger, 

 the Tropic of Cancer: a little above the centre of the first pro- 

 jection is the North Poll of the Ecliptic, where all the Circles of 

 latitude drawn through every tenth degree of each Sign of the 

 Zodiac, meet and intersect each other. The centre of the 

 second projection is the South Pole of the Equator; the first 

 of the two circles, which are described about it, is the An- 

 tarctic circle, the other is the Tropic of Capricorn : a little below 



the 



