HOW TO FIND THE CONSTELLATIONS. 
95 
Pegasus, which is now nearly at the meridian, and notice the 
star which occupies the upper left hand corner. This, as was 
stated in the previous number, is Alpharatz, the brightest star 
in the constellation Andromeda. From this star looking toward 
the northeast about twelve or thirteen degrees another star is 
seen nearly as bright. Continue the line another twelve de¬ 
grees and still another is seen of about the same brightness. 
These three stars are the most prominent group in the constel¬ 
lation Andromeda, which contains in all sixty-six stars. Just 
below the group above-mentioned, perhaps twenty degrees, may 
be seen two other stars, about four degrees apart, of the second 
and third magnitude respectively, the line joining them being 
nearly parallel to that connecting the three of Andromeda. 
These comprise the distinguishing group of the zodiacal con¬ 
stellation Aries which contains the same number of stars as 
Andromeda, but the most of them are faint. The space be¬ 
tween Aquarius and Aries, embracing a quite large assemblage 
of faint stars, comprises the zodiacal constellation Pisces, mean¬ 
ing the Fishes. Below the constellation Pisces, and reaching 
at this time nearly to the horizon, is the largest constellation in 
the heavens, as it extends from Aquarius to the eastward termi¬ 
nation of Aries. There are only two stars of prominence in 
this large aggregation of ninety-seven, these being of the sec¬ 
ond magnitude. The name of this constellation is Cetus, the 
Whale. The most prominent group is a cluster of rive stars 
about, four or five degrees apart so situated that lines drawn 
from one to another in succession form a nearly regular penta¬ 
gon. This is about twenty degrees southeast of Aries and 
marks the position of the whale’s head, the brightest star Men- 
kar being in the very nose. Of course this group, or any other, 
might as well have been named the Alligator so far as any re¬ 
semblance to the animal is concerned. But the observer must 
content himself to be, for the time being, a sort of Polonius to 
the astronomer’s Hamlet, e. g.: 
“ Ham. Do you see yonder group of stars, that’s almost in 
shape of a camel ? 
Pol. By the mass, and ’tis like a camel, indeed. 
