11. Apus vel Avis Indica,* the Bird of Pa

radise,

9. Ara, the Altar,

64. Argo Navis, the Ship Argo, Canopus 1,

3. Brandenburgium Sceptrum, the Sceptre

RD

252 75 S 255 55 S 115 50 S

of Brandenburgh,

31. Canis Major, the Great Dog, Sirius 1,

67 15 S.

105 20 S.

14. Canis Minor, the Little Dog, Procyon 1,

110 5 S.

35. Centaurus, the Centaur,

200 50 S.

97. Cetus, the Whale, Mencar 2,

25 12 S.

10. Chamæleon, the Chameleon,

175 78 S.

4. Circinus, the Compasses,

222 64 S.

10. Columba Noachi, Noah's Dove,

85 35 S

12. Corona Australis, the Southern Crown,

278 40 S.

9. Corvus, the Crow, Algorab 3,

185 15 S

31. Crater, the Cup or Goblet, Alkes 3,

168 15 S

6. Crux, the Cross,

183 60 S

13. Grus, the Crane,

7. Doroda, or Xiphias,* the Sword Fish,

S. Equuleus Pictorius, the Painter's Easel,

84. Eridanus, the River Po, Achernar 1,

14. Fornax Chemica, the Furnace,

12. Horologium,* the Clock,

60. Hydra, the Water Serpent, Cor Hydra 1, 189 S S.

75 62 S

84 55 S

60 10 S.

42 30 S.

330 45 S.

40 60 S.

3. Machina Pneumatica, the Air Pump,

10. Microscopium,* the Microscope,

31. Moneceros,* the Unicorn,

30. Mons Mensæ,* the Table Mountain,

150 32 S.

915 35 S.

110 00 S.

76 72 S.

4. Musca Australis, vel apis,* the Southern

Fly or Bee,

185 68 S.

12. Norma vel Quadra Euclidis,* Euclid's

Square,

43. Octans Hadleianus,* Hadley's Octant, 12. Officina Sculptoria, the Sculptor's Shop, 78. Orion, Betelguez 1, Rigel 1, Bellatrix 2,

242 45 S. 310 80 S.

24. Piscis Notius, vel Australis, the Southern

Fish, Fomalhaut 1.

8. Piscis Volans,* the Flying Fish.

16. Praxiteles, vel cela Sculptoria,* the En

graver's Tools.

R. D.

335 30 S.

127 68 S.

68 40 S.

4. Pyxis Nautica,* the Mariner's Compass. 130 30 S.

10. Reticulus Rhomboidalis,* the Rhomboidal

Net.

12. Robur Caroli, * Charles's Oak.

41. Sextans, the Sextant.

9. Telescopium, the Telescope.

9. Touchan,* the American Goose.

5. Triangulum Australis, the Southern Tri

angle.

---Xiphias,* Vide Dorado.

62 62 S.

159 50 S.

145 00 S.

278 50 S.

359 66 S.

238 65 S.

75 62 S.

Modern astronomers have also added to the preceding list of southern constellations, Solitaire, an Indian Bird; the Georgian Psaltery or Harp; Tubus Herschelii Minor, Herschel's Less Telescope; Montgolfier's Balloon; the Press of Guttenberg; the Cat, &c.

QUESTIONS.

What are fixed stars ?

What are planets, and how are they distinguished from the fixed stars?

How are the fixed stars classed, and what are telescopic stars?

How many stars are supposed to be visible to the naked eye at one time?

What is the poetical rising and setting of the

stars called?

What is the zodiac?

What is a constellation, and what are the unformed stars?

How are particular stars distinguished?

How are the stars of each constellation distinguished?

What is the milky way, and what is a nebulous star?

Into how many classes are the constellations divided? Name the zodaical constellations. Name the northern and southern constellations.

CHAPTER HI.

Of the zodaical constellations, and fables relative to

them.

1. In the twelve zodaical constellations, there are five stars of the first magnitude, called Aldebaran, Castor, Regulus, Spica Virginis, and Antares; and five remarkable stars of the second magnitude, called Arietis, Pollux, Deneb, Vindemiatrix, and Zuberich Meli. The Pleiades and the Hyades are also in these constellations.

The constellations in the zodiac, which now seem so whimsical and uncouth, were not however the offspring of unsystematic fancy; they appear to have been intended to relate to the motion of the sun, or to signify the state of the earth at the different seasons of the year; the figures of these constellations are supposed by astronomers to be Egyptian or Chaldean hieroglyphics, intended to represent some remarkable occurrence in each month. Among these figures there are some that have, as it were, a common relation to every portion of the globe, while others seem to relate to circumstances or events merely local. Thus, Aries is said to signify that the lambs begin to follow the sheep about the time of the vernal equinox, when the sun enters this sign; and that the cows bring forth their young about the time he approaches the second constellation, Taurus. The third sign now called Gemini, was originally two kids, and signified the time of the goats bringing forth their young, which are usually two at a time, while the former (the sheep and the cow,) commonly produce only one.

The fourth sign, Cancer, an animal that goes sideways and backwards, was placed at the northern tropic, or that point of the ecliptic where the sun begins to return back again from the north to the southward. The fifth sign, Leo, as being a furious animal, was thought to denote the heat and fury of the burning sun after he had left Cancer, and entered the next sign Leo. The sixth sign, Virgo, received the sun at the time of the ripening of corn, and the approach of harvest; which was aptly expressed, by one of the female reapers, with an ear of corn in her hand.

The next sign, Libra, evidently denotes the equality of days and nights, which takes place at that season; and Scorpio, the next sign in order, the time of gathering in the fruits of the earth, which being generally an unhealthy season, is represented by this venomous animal, extending his long claws, threatening the mischief which is to follow.

The fall of the leaf was the season of the ancient hunting; and for this reason the constellation Sagittarius represents a huntsman with his arrows and his club; the weapons of destruction employed by huntsmen at that time.

The reason of the goat being chosen to mark the farthest south point of the ecliptic, is obvious enough, for when the sun has attained his extreme limit in that direction, he begins to return, and mounts again to the northward, which is very well represented by the goat, an animal which is always found climbing and ascending some mountain as it browses. As the winter has always been considered a wet and uncomfortable season, this was expressed by Aquarius, the figure of a man pouring out water from an urn.

The last of the zodaical constellations was Pisces, a couple of Fishes tied together, which had been caught, which signified that the severe season was over, and though the flocks did not yield their store, yet the seas and rivers were open, and fish might be caught in abundance.

2. Although these signs might have served to distinguish the seasons of the year when they were first formed, or employed for that purpose, yet this is not altogether the case at the present day. For owing to the retrograde motion of the equinoctial points, the constellations of the zodiac have now so far changed their positions, as to be found more than a sign advanced.

The constellation Aries, for example, is now three or four degrees within the sign Taurus, or the first point of Aries, which used to coincide with the vernal equinoctial point, is now about thirty-four degrees farther advanced; however, the first point of the sign Aries still continues to be reckoned from the equinoctial point. The signs of the zodiac must therefore now be distinguished from the constellations, the signs merely being ideal, and serving only to designate the course of the sun in the ecliptic, while the constellations continue to signify a group or cluster of stars designated by a particular name.

3. ARIES: Arietis, a star of the 2nd magnitude, ẞ of the 3d, and two stars of the 4th, are the principal stars which form this constellation.

Aries is thought by some to be the ram with the golden fleece, that carried Phryxus and Helle through the air on his back, when they fled from their father Athamus, who was going to immolate them, at the instigation of their stepmother Ino. Helle, in this aerial passage, fell into the Hellespont, where she was drowned.

Phryxus continued his flight, and arrived safe at Colchis, an ancient country of Asia, east of the Black Sea, now Mingrelia, Guriel, and a part of Georgia; where he sacrificed the ram to Mars, the god of war. The fable of the flight of Phryxus from Bœotia to Colchis, on a ram, has been explained by some, who observe, that the ship in which he embarked was called by that name, or carried on her prow the figure of that animal, which ensign may probably be called the golden ram.

The fleece of gold is explained by the immense treasures which he carried from Thebes. He was afterwards murdered by his father-in-law Ætis, which gave rise to a celebrated expedition which was achieved under Jason and many of the princes of Greece, and which had for its object the recovery of the golden fleece, and the punishment of the king of Colchis for his cruelty to the son of Athamus.

4. TAURUS: Aldabaran, a star of the first magnitude, the Pleiades, and the Hyades, are in this constellation. Seven remarkable stars in the neck of Taurus, are called the Pleiades; there are now only six of these stars visible to the naked