24 Star anfr Meatber Oosstp 



sprang up almost as far round eastward as Capella, 

 which at that moment was blazing with great splendour. 

 Simultaneously, a dazzling meteor flashed through 

 Cygnus. This soundless display of heaven's wonders 

 was impressive in the last degree. And its impressive- 

 ness was aided by the brilliance of the starlight. 



Rising in the east, low enough to be dimmed by the 

 vapours, were the Pleiades, with Capella and the 

 attendant Kids almost level with them in the north- 

 east, and the head of Aries to the south of them. 

 These stars shone just above a silhouetted belt of 

 distant elms, whose blackness contrasted markedly 

 with the brightness and vivacity of the overhanging 

 orbs. 



Among the uppermost branches of some adjacent 

 sycamores glowed the planet Saturn, as restful as the 

 branches themselves. A few degrees above it was the 

 Square of Pegasus. Overhead, in unsurpassed grandeur, 

 stretched the mighty zone of the Milky Way, with 

 Cygnus, Cassiopeia, Perseus and Lyra glittering 

 upon it. 



Shortly before nine o'clock a fan-shaped series of 

 streamers appeared under the western side of Bootes 

 and the tail of the Bear. One inexpressibly beautiful 

 beam immersed Cor Caroli, which almost had its light 

 extinguished. 



For nearly an hour afterwards the northern sky 

 remained quiescent. Yet there was still that fasci- 

 nating, mystical glow. The display ended at five 

 minutes past ten with a superb streamer which pierced 

 Corona Borealis. It was but a momentary apparition, 

 and when it faded from view the glow departed with 

 it. The September night-sky became itself again. 



