HOW TO OBSERVE THE HEAVENS. 



with, invectives against the pluviosus et tristis Orion ; with 

 Horace, lie is the " nautis infestus ; " with Propertius, the 

 u aquosus ; " and with Pliny, the " horridus sideribus." 



Two of the four principal stars, those marked and in the 

 figure, are of the first magnitude, the former being generally 

 called by the proper name, Betelgeux, and the latter, Rigel. 



The three stars forming the belt are of the second magnitude, 

 and have been popularly known by different names, such, as 

 "Jacob's staff," the "yard wand," and the " three kings." 



28. The star marked 6 in the figure, situate midway between 

 the three stars of the belt and the two stars of the feet, proves to 

 be a very remarkable object when submitted to examination with 

 adequate telescopic power. It is not one, but five stars, combined 

 in close juxta-position ; and is moreover surrounded by one of the 

 most remarkable nebulaa in the firmament. These are points, 

 however, which do not fall within the limits of this Tract, but to 

 which we will return on another occasion. 



29. To present to the student a collective view of the conspi- 

 cuous stars and constellations which have been above described, 

 we have given, in fig. 8, a view of a portion of the firmament 

 within which they are included. If the student imagine himself 

 directing his view to the heavens, with his face to the north, on 

 any night about the middle of June, at or near the hour of mid- 

 night, he will see above him the stars and constellations indicated 

 in the upper half of the figure ; and, if he turn with his face to 

 the south, he will see those included in the lower half. Imme- 

 diately above his head, and close to the zenith, he will see the 

 splendid star Capella ; if he carry his eye from the pole star 

 through Capella, towards the south, he will recognise at once the 

 constellation of Orion, which we have just described. The centre 

 star of the belt will be due south. The bright star Betelgeux will 

 be to the right, and Rigel to the left of the meridian ; that is, the 

 former will be west and the latter east of the meridian. If he carry 

 his eye in a direct line from the stars e and 8 of Ursa major, he 

 will arrive at the bright star Pollux in the constellation Gemini, 

 and beside it will see the still brighter star Castor, of the same 

 constellation, the latter being of the first, and the former of the 

 second, magnitude. 



30. If the same line, directed from the stars of Ursa major 

 through Pollux, be continued nearly in the same direction, it will 

 arrive at Procyon, a star of the first magnitude in the constellation 

 of Cam's minor. 



If an equilateral triangle be imagined to be formed upon the 

 south side of the line joining Procyon with Betelgeux, its vertex 

 will fall upon Sirius, a star of the first magnitude and the 

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