CHAPTER XYIII. 
THE CONSTELLATIONS. 
The star-clusters known as the constellations are 
fanciful groupings of stars so arranged that the out¬ 
line of an animal or other object can be imagined. 
In remote times, when man was wont to observe the 
heavens he thought he saw outlines of figures in the 
sky. He traced these outlines with much interest. 
Later they were mentioned in astrological writings, 
and poetry has in all times abounded in allusions 
to these star-clusters. Partly for information, but 
chiefly because they afford us opportunity for much 
observation in any part of the world, a brief descrip¬ 
tion of the more important constellations is here given. 
The prominent constellation generally known as 
the Great Dipper, or the Great Bear, is a good start¬ 
ing-point, and from this we may easily trace the 
others by means of illustrations (see Fig. 76). 
As the stars follow the sun in their apparent west¬ 
ward course, it is evident that all the clusters will 
pass overhead in the course of a year, as far as they can 
be seen by us from our latitude. Every month one- 
twelfth of 360° passes into view, and as many pass 
out of view. Those about the north pole never go 
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