336 



HOW TO OBSERVE THE HEAVENS. 



Fig. 4. 



near it, at midnight during that month, and being distant from the pole about 

 30, it will be seen a little south of the zenith at all places between the lati- 

 tudes 40 and 60. 



The two most conspicuous stars which appear in the northern region of 

 the heavens are those called Capella and <* Cygni. They are both stars of the 

 first magnitude. Capella is seen in the meridian above the pole at midnight 

 in the early part of January, and Cygni in the early part of August. At New 

 York these stars pass within a few degrees of the zenith, through which they 

 both exactly pass at all places having the latitude of 45 N. 



If we turn due south arid look to that point of the celestial meridian whose 

 distance from the zenith is equal to the latitude of the place of observation, we 

 shall see the point of the heavens where the celestial equator intersects the 

 meridian. Those parts of the heavens which extend to about thirty degrees 

 above and below this point, and which stretch on either side of the meridian 

 lo the eastern and western points of the horizon, form by far the most inter- 

 esting and remarkable regions of the firmament. Not only is this region more 

 rich in constellations, and adorned by the most brilliant stars, but it is the 

 space within which the range of the planets is confined. By the diurnal mo- 

 tion of the celestial sphere, these constellations, together with such of the 

 planets as happen to be sufficiently removed from the sun and the moow, 

 when that object is not too near the sun, are passed nightly, like a moving 

 diorama before the observer. As he stands facing the south, the east will he 

 on his left, and the west on his right. He will behold the zodiacal constella- 

 tions successively coming into view from below the horizon at or near the 

 eastern point ; they will gradually rise toward that part of the meridian to 

 which we have referred, and passing it, will descend toward the western part 

 of the horizon, where they will finally disappear. 



The most remarkable of these equatorial constellations is that called ORIOX. 

 The principal stars composing it are those marked a, y, t, , *, 0, *, <, in the an- 

 nexed diagram, fig. 5. By reference to a celestial globe, or still better, to a 

 map of the stars, it will be seen that this constellation is made to form the out- 

 line of the figure of a warrior. The star <* is on the right shoulder, yon the 

 left, the stars <$, e, a, on the belt, < on the sword, # on the left foot, and * on the 

 right knee. The stars <* and & are both of the first magnitude, and both double 

 stars. The latter ( ) is better known by the name of RIGEL. The stars y, <5, 

 and , are of the second magnitude, and <J is a double star. The posiuon of 

 the constellatian with reference to the meridian will be perceived by the 

 arrow, which indicates the direction of the north. 



In the month of December, this constellation passes the meridian about 

 midnight, and is therefore visible on the eastern side of the heavens during the 



