HOW TO FIND THE CONSTELLATIONS. 127 
While the observer’s gaze is fixed on this portion of the sky it 
is well to note another region of faint stars enclosed by the 
Lynx, Auriga, Perseus, and Cassiopeia. These comprise the 
constellation Camelopardalus, the Camelopard or Giraffe. This 
group conains fifty-eight stars, of which five only are as bright 
as the fourth magnitude. This is one of the few constellations 
that have been named within historic times, having been christ¬ 
ened by Hevelius, a Polish astronomer, about the middle of the 
seventeenth century. 
Let the observer now face the east and direct his gaze to an 
altitude of about thirty five degrees and he will see, just at the 
Milky Way, two stars about five degrees apart, and the line join¬ 
ing them nearly perpendicular to the horizon. The lower of 
these is of the first magnitude and the upper of the second- 
This is the principal group of the constellation Gemini, the 
Twins, and is the third zodiacal constellation. Their names 
are Castor and Aollux, the the latter being the lower one. In 
Roman mythology Castor and Pollux were twin brothers, sons of 
Jupiter and Leda, and were noted, the former for his skill in 
horsemanship, and the latter for his physical prowess as shown 
in boxing and in the use of weapons. They accompanied Jason 
on his Argonautic expedition and during a violent storm two 
flames of fire were seen to play around their heads. Hereupon 
the tempest immediately ceased and the sea became calm. 
From this circumstance marinerr concluded that whenever 
both fires appeared in the sky it would be fair weather. After 
St. Paul had been wrecked on the island of Melita, he embark¬ 
ed for Rome in a ship whose sign was Castor and Pollux. See 
Acts, 28, n. 
“ Back comes the chief in triumph 
Who, in the hour of fight 
Hath seen the great Twin Brethren 
In harness on his right. 
Safe comes the ship to haven, 
Through billows aud through gales, 
If once the great Twin Brotheren 
Sit shining on the sails.— Macaulay. 
