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ASTRONOMICAL NOTES FOR MARCH 1881. 693 
41”. It is in conjunction with Saturn on the 1st, being north of that planet 
5° XY 
Mars will show for a short time before sunrise in the southeast, but being 
quite small is hard to find. 
Jupiter will still adorn the western sky after sunset. It is gradually approach- 
ing Saturn, but will not be in conjunction with it during this month. 
Saturn sets a short time after Jupiter; its rings are opening out to view, but 
it is too near the sun to be observed to advantage. 
Uranus is favorably situated for observation, being in the constellation Leo, 
the Lion. It passes the meridian on the 4th, at midnight. 
Neptune on the 22d will be 7° 9‘ south of Venus. 
The Moon, on the evening of the 3d, will approach very near to Venus, 
being within less than its own diameter of that planet at the time of its setting. 
° 
Position of the Constellations on the 14th, at 6 h. 30 m. in the Evening. 
Auriga, the Charioteer, occupies the zenith. In this constellation is situ- 
ated the bright star Capella, now a short distance northwest of the zenith. 
The Milky Way spans the celestial vault like an arch of nebulous light, rest- 
ing on the horizon in the north northwest and south southeast, and passes 
through the zenith. 
Cygnus, the Swan, is sinking below the horizon where the Milky Way rests 
upon it in the north northwest. It has nearly disappeared from view. Follow- 
ang the Milky Way we come to Cepheus, the King, and then to Cassiopea, the 
Lady, in her chair. Next come Perseus and Auriga in the zenith. Continuing 
in the same path toward the south southeast, we will touch the eastern edge of 
Taurus, the Bull. It may be recognized by the Pleiades, or Seven Stars, as the 
group is commonly called. . There are only six stars in the group visible to ordi- 
nary eyes. An eye which is good enough to see seven will be likely to see four 
others—eleven in all. A telescope of moderate power will show from fifty to 
sixty. Another group in this constellation is the Hyades, the principal stars of 
which are in the form of the letter V, one part of the V being formed by Alde- 
baran, a red star of nearly the first magnitude. 
Gemini, the Twins, lies east of Taurus, across the Milky Way. The bright- 
est stars in this constellation are Castor and Pollux. Castor, the most northern 
and western of the two, isa double star when viewed with a telescope of moder- 
ate power. 
Cancer, the Crab, lies east of Gemini. It contains no bright star. The 
only remarkable object within its confines is Preesepe, a group of stars too faint 
to be seen singly with the naked eye, and only appears as a spot of milky light. 
Keeping on along the milky way toward the south southeast, we will pass 
along the western edge of Canis Minor and through Monoceros and by the east- 
ern edge of Canis Major, which contains Sirius, the brightest star in the heavens. 
A number of bright stars south and southeast of Sirius belong to this constella- 
tion, making it one of great brilliancy. 
