Vol. 4. APRIL, 1888. No. 36 



A NIGHT WITH THE STARS. 



Soon after sunset we ascended Prospect Hill, on the brow of 

 which stands our new observatory, and prepared to spend a portion 

 of the night in contemplation of the heavens. It was the time of 

 early spring-, and as we looked off from the summit of the hill the 

 surface of the earth seemed very fair. We were standing upon 

 the first elevation that rose up from the level valley, and in front 

 of us the green plains stretched away to the blue waters of San 

 Francisco Bay. On the right were seen portions of three cities, 

 the great metropolis and its vigorous young neighbors, Oakland 

 and Alameda. As darkness began to settle down, the electric 

 lights flashed out sharply in the distance from many lofty towers 

 like stars of the first magnitude, while many lesser lights from gas 

 jet, lamp and candle, could be seen twinkling like the feebler 

 members of the constellations. 



On the left, the broad valley could be seen, dotted with clumps 

 of trees and checked by fences, and in the distance arose a nebu- 

 lous glimmer from thriving villages embosomed in the midst of 

 numberless orchards and market gardens; while against the 

 northern sky. as a dark and solid background, rose the everlasting- 

 hills, diversified by a dark gorge and rounded knoll, and crowned 

 by rough ledges and old trees. Just below us, in the center of 

 the campus which itself is a little paradise, surrounded by trees 

 and gardens and guarded by a merry brook on either side, stood 

 the many- windowed college, all lighted up for the evening study- 

 hour. 



Such were the scenes which met our eyes as we paused for a 

 moment before entering the neat building from whose tower we 

 were to look far off into the clear sky. Earth was indeed very 

 beautiful; but then it was very near and easy to observe. Yet as 

 the twilight faded, things around us seemed more and more in- 

 distinct, while the glories of the sky shone out brighter and 

 brighter. And so we turned away from the freshness of the spring 

 landscape, and took in the situation of the heavenly bodies. 



In the south was Orion, its chief stars keen and glittering, 

 while the minor ones were just flashing out, or winking like 

 sleepy children. Near by was Canis Major, in which shone the 



