166 



SCENERY OF THE HEAVENS. 



CHAPTER IX. 



NEW, VARIABLE, AND COMPOUND STARS. 



HEN we compare the present appearance of the sidereal 

 heavens with the records of former catalogues, some stars 

 are not to be found now whose places have been registered. 

 There are four in Hercules, four in Cancer, one in Perseus, 

 one in Pisces, one in Hydra, one in Orion, and two in 

 Berenice's Hair, which have apparently disappeared from 

 the sky. Of the eight stars formerly mentioned which were 

 marked in the catalogue of Ptolemy, but had been lost in 

 the time of Ulugh Beg, there were six near the Southern 

 Fish, which have not been observed since ; and, as four of 

 these were of the third magnitude, Bailly concludes that they 



were really visible in the heavens in the age of Ptolemy, and disappeared in the interval 

 between him and the Tartar prince. It is no doubt probable that apparent losses have 

 often arisen from mistaken entries ; yet, in many instances it is certain that there is no 

 mistake in the observation or entry, and that stars have really been observed, and as really 

 have disappeared. A star of the fifth magnitude, 55 Herculis, in the catalogue of Flamstead, 

 was particularly observed by Herschel in 1781 and 1782 ; but nine years afterwards it was 

 gone, nor has it since been seen. Sir John Herschel, in May 1828, missed a star in Virgo, 

 inserted in Baron Zach's catalogue, and has never been able to perceive it. " There are now 

 wanting in the heavens," Montanari observed in 1670, " two stars of the second magnitude, in 

 the stern and yard of the ship Argo. I and other^ observed them in the year 1 664, upon 

 occasion of the comet that appeared that year. When they first disappeared I know not ; 

 only I am sure that on the 10th of April, 1668, there was not the least glimpse of them 

 to be seen." 



On the other hand, there are some stars now in the heavens which are supposed to 

 have only recently become visible. No entry of them occurs in the catalogues of former 

 observers, who have registered objects of inferior magnitude in their neighbourhood, and 

 would not therefore have omitted these had they been present. Thus, a star in the head 

 of Cepheus, one in Gemini, another in Equuleus, a fourth in Sextantis, a remarkable 

 one between ft and 3 Hydrae, a sixth in Hercules, and several others, are not given in 

 Flamstead's catalogue. These are probably new, as that most accurate observer of the 

 heavens could scarcely have omitted them. Since the year 1826 a star in the nebula of 

 Orion has appeared ; and attention has been specially called to it, owing to its having 

 started as it were into existence in a situation which apparently strengthens the nebular 

 hypothesis. 



In addition to these changes, the occurrence of stars starting into temporary visibility, 

 shining with great lustre, and then entirely vanishing, however unaccountable, is so well 

 authenticated as to obtain a place in the class of unquestionable phenomena. An instance 

 of this kind occurred in the year 389 of our era. In the neighbourhood of Altair, in the 

 constellation Aquila, a star suddenly appeared, continuing as brilliant as Venus for three 

 weeks. Other stellar apparitions are recorded in the years 945 and 1264 ; but the most 

 memorable case occurred in 1572, which we had occasion to notice in tracing the career 



