535 



SCIENTIFIC RECREATIONS. 



CANCER, the Crab, is the next in order, and the only derivation we can 



find for this is that Juno sent a crab to attack 

 Hercules when he was busily engaged with 

 the many-headed Hydra. The crab was 

 directed to pinch the hero's foot, but it ap- 

 pears rather a lame device for the Queen to 

 adopt. The crab, however, was killed by 

 Hercules, and placed amongst the stars by 

 Juno as a reward ; so he gained immortality 

 cheaply. He, Cancer, contains more than 

 eighty stars, but none of them of any par- 

 ticular note. Some writers explain the sign 

 "the retrograde movement of the sun to the 

 north"; but as a crab does not move "backwards," we will still adhere to 

 mythology as equally satisfactory at any rate. Cancer, however, was termed 

 the " northern gate of the sun." 



Fig. 599. Cancer. 



ancients of 



as reminding the 



The next is LEO, the Lion, which came 

 period of much heat, so this fierce animal 

 may have been chosen to represent that sea- 

 son. But mythology will have us credit the 

 Nemsean Lion sent against Hercules by Juno 

 as the origin of this constellation. The lion 

 was, like the crab, placed amongst the stars 

 when he was killed. He is a very brilliant 

 constellation, and a very bright star called 

 Regulus is to be seen in his chest " Cor 

 Leonis." Another very fine star of the 

 second magnitude is observable in, the tail. 



round in summer and at the 



Fig. 600. Leo. 



The Lion consists of ninety-five stars, the 

 principal ones being of the first and second 

 magnitudes. 



VIRGO is supposed to be outlined by a 

 very rich cluster of stars, and one of the 

 first magnitude. The Virgin is by some 

 supposed to be Astraea, the goddess, but is 

 more likely referable to a girl gleaning, or 

 holding an ear of corn in semblance of 

 the harvest. This constellation contains 

 more than one hundred stars. One of them 

 in the wheat-ear is a particularly brilliant 

 one, and noted for its " solitary splendour," 



as no star of large magnitude is near it. The Arabs used to call it the 



Solitary Simak ; Spica Virginis is the modern name. 



Fig. 601. Virgo. 



