A Field Book of the Stars

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A FIELD BOOK
OF
THE STARS

BY

WILLIAM TYLER OLCOTT

_Second Edition, revised and enlarged_

WITH FIFTY DIAGRAMS

G.P. PUTNAM'S SONS
NEW YORK AND LONDON
The Knickerbocker Press

COPYRIGHT, 1907
BY
WILLIAM TYLER OLCOTT
COPYRIGHT, 1914
BY
WILLIAM TYLER OLCOTT
(For Second Edition)

[Illustration: The Knickerbocker Press, New York]

_Printed in the United States of America_

INTRODUCTION.

Considering the ease with which a knowledge of the constellations can
be acquired, it seems a remarkable fact that so few are conversant
with these time-honored configurations of the heavens. Aside from a
knowledge of "the Dipper" and "the Pleiades," the constellations to
the vast majority, are utterly unknown.

To facilitate and popularize if possible this fascinating recreation
of star-gazing the author has designed this field-book. It is limited
in scope solely to that purpose, and all matter of a technical or
theoretical nature has been omitted.

The endeavor has been to include in these pages only such matter as
the reader can observe with the naked eye, or an opera-glass.
Simplicity and brevity have been aimed at, the main idea being that
whatever is bulky or verbose is a hindrance rather than a help when
actually engaged in the observation of the heavens.

The constellations embraced in this manual are only those visible from
the average latitude of the New England and Middle States, and owe
their place in the particular season in which they are found to the
fact that in that season they are favorably situated for observation.

With this brief explanatory note of the purpose and design of the
book, the author proceeds to outline the scheme of study.

SCHEME OF STUDY.

The table of contents shows the scheme of study to be pursued, and to
facilitate the work it is desirable that the student follow the
therein circumscribed order.

A knowledge on the part of the reader of Ursa Major, or "the Dipper"
as it is commonly called, and "the Pleiades," the well-known group in
Taurus, is presupposed by the author.

With this knowledge as a basis, the student is enabled in any season
to take up the study of the constellations. By following out the order
dictated, he will in a few nights of observation be enabled to
identify the various configurations making up the several
constellations that are set apart for study in that particular season.

A large plate, showing the appearance of the heavens at a designated
time on the first night of the quarter, is inserted before each
season's work. This should be consulted by the student before he makes
an observation, in order that he may obtain a comprehensive idea of
the relative position of the constellations, and also know in what
part of the heavens to locate the constellation which he wishes to
identify.

A knowledge of one constellation enables the student to determine the
position of the next in order. In this work, the identification of
each constellation depends on a knowledge of what precedes, always
bearing in mind the fact that each season starts as a new and distinct
part to be taken by itself, and has no bearing on that which comes
before.

CONTENTS

PAGE

INTRODUCTION iii

SCHEME OF STUDY v

The Constellations of Spring.

MAP OF THE HEAVENS 9 P.M., APRIL FIRST 3

1. URSA MAJOR 4

2. URSA MINOR 6
Located by the pointer stars in Ursa Major.

3. GEMINI 8
Located by a line drawn through designated stars
in Ursa Major.

4. AURIGA 10
Located in the same manner as Gemini.

5. CANCER 12
Located by a line drawn from Auriga to Gemini
and prolonged.

6. HYDRA 14
The head of Hydra is to be seen just below Cancer.

7. LEO 16
Located by a line drawn from Gemini to Cancer
and prolonged.

8. COMA BERENICES 18
Position indicated by drawing a line through
designated stars in Leo.

9. CANIS MINOR 20
Located by a line drawn from Auriga to Gemini
and prolonged.

10. CORVUS 22
Located by a line drawn from Ursa Minor through
Ursa Major and prolonged.

11. CRATER 24
Located south of Leo and just west of Corvus.

METEORIC SHOWERS, APRIL TO JULY 26

The Constellations of Summer.

MAP OF THE HEAVENS 9 P.M., JULY FIRST 31

12. DRACO 32
Lies between Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, coiling
about the latter.

13. LYRA 34
Vega, its brightest star, is 12[deg] S.W. of the Dragon's
head.

14. CYGNUS 36
Deneb, its brightest star, is about 20[deg] east of Vega.

15. AQUILA 38
Located by a line drawn from the Dragon's head
through Vega and prolonged.

16. DELPHINUS 40
Located about 10[deg] northeast of Altair in Aquila.

17. SAGITTARIUS 42
Located by a line drawn from Cygnus to Aquila
and prolonged.

18. OPHIUCHUS AND SERPENS 44
Located by a line drawn from Delphinus to Aquila
and prolonged.

19. SCORPIUS 46
Located just under Ophiuchus, and west of Sagittarius.

20. LIBRA 48
Located about 15[deg] west of the head of Scorpius.

21. CORONA BOREALIS 50
Located just above the head of Serpens.

22. HERCULES 52
Located by lines drawn from either Vega or Altair
to Corona.

23. BO[:O]TES 54
Located just west of the Crown. Arcturus, its
brightest star, is about 30[deg] southeast of [[^e]] Ursae
Majoris.

24. VIRGO 56
Spica, its brightest star, is located by a line drawn
from Antares in Scorpius through [a] in Libra and
prolonged about 20[deg].

25. CANES VENATICI 58
Cor Caroli, its brightest star, is about 17[deg] south
of Alioth in Ursa Major.

METEORIC SHOWERS, JULY TO OCTOBER 60

The Constellations of Autumn.

MAP OF THE HEAVENS 9 P.M., OCTOBER FIRST 65

26. CASSIOPEIA 66
Located by a line drawn from Ursa Major through
the Pole star, the position of which is indicated
by the pointer stars [a] and [b] Ursae Majoris.

27. CEPHEUS 68
Located by pointer stars in Cassiopeia.

28. PEGASUS 70
The great square of Pegasus is located by a line
drawn from Polaris to Cassiopeia and prolonged.

29. ANDROMEDA 72
The star Alpheratz in Andromeda is at the northeast
corner of the great square of Pegasus.

30. PERSEUS 74
Lies 9[deg] east of [g] Andromedae.

31. PISCES 76
The Circlet in Pisces is to be seen just below
Pegasus.

32. TRIANGULUM 78
A line drawn from Pegasus to Perseus passes through
[b] in Triangulum.

33. AQUARIUS 80
The position of the water jar of Aquarius is determined
by pointer stars in Pegasus.

34. CAPRICORNUS 82
The head of the Sea Goat is located by a line drawn
from [a] Pegasi through [z] and [th] Pegasi and prolonged
about 25[deg].

35. ARIES 84
Lies just south of Triangulum. A line drawn
from [g] Andromedae through [b] Trianguli points
out [a] Arietis.

36. CETUS 86
The head of Cetus lies about 20[deg] southeast of
Aries.

37. MUSCA 88
Located between Triangulum and Aries.

METEORIC SHOWERS, OCTOBER TO JANUARY 90

The Constellations of Winter.

MAP OF THE HEAVENS 9 P.M., JANUARY FIRST 95

38. TAURUS 96
Contains the celebrated and unmistakable group,
The Pleiades, to be seen almost overhead in
the early evening during the Winter months.

39. ORION 98
The tips of the horns of the Bull are pointer stars
to Betelgeuze, in Orion.

40. LEPUS 100
Located just below Orion.

41. COLUMBA 102
Located south of Lepus, close to the horizon.

42. CANIS MAJOR 104
Located by a line drawn from the stars forming
Orion's girdle.

43. ARGO NAVIS 106
Located by a line drawn from Orion to Canis
Major and prolonged 18[deg].

44. MONOCEROS 108
Located just east of Orion.

45. ERIDANUS 110
Located just west of Rigel, in Orion.

METEORIC SHOWERS, JANUARY TO APRIL 112

THE PLANETS 115

THE MILKY WAY 124

THE MOTIONS OF THE STARS 126

METEORS, OR SHOOTING STARS 130

NAMES OF THE STARS AND THEIR MEANINGS 133

INDEX 159

THE DIAGRAMS.

The diagrams, it will be observed, are grouped under the seasons, and
they indicate the positions of the constellations as they appear at 9
o'clock P.M. in mid-season.

To facilitate finding and observing the constellations, the student
should face in the direction indicated in the text. This applies to
all constellations excepting those near the zenith.

The four large plates are so arranged that the observer is supposed to
be looking at the southern skies. By turning the plate about from left
to right, the eastern, northern, and western skies are shown
successively.

On many of the diagrams the position of nebulae is indicated. These are
designated by the initial letter of the astronomer who catalogued
them, preceded by his catalogue number, as for instance 8 M. signifies
nebula number 8 in Messier's catalogue.

The magnitudes assigned to the stars in the diagrams are derived from
the Harvard Photometry. When a star is midway between two magnitudes
the numeral is underlined, thus _2_, indicates a star of magnitude
2.5.

If a star's magnitude is between 1 and 1.5 it is regarded as a
first-magnitude star. If it lies between 1.5 and 2 it is designated
second magnitude.

THE CONSTELLATIONS OF SPRING.

[Illustration: Map showing the principal stars visible from Lat. 40[deg]
N. at 9 o'clock April 1st.]

URSA MAJOR (er'sa m[=a]'-jor)--THE GREAT BEAR. (Face North.)

LOCATION.--Ursa Major is probably the best known of the constellations,
and in this work I presuppose that the reader is familiar with its
position in the heavens. It is one of the most noted and conspicuous
constellations in the northern hemisphere, and is readily and
unmistakably distinguished from all others by means of a remarkable
cluster of seven bright stars in the northern heavens, forming what is
familiarly termed "The Dipper."

The stars [a] and [b] are called the pointers, because they always
point toward the Pole Star, 28-3/4[deg] distant from [a].

Alioth is very nearly opposite Shedir in Cassiopeia, and at an equal
distance from the Pole. The same can be said of Megres, in Ursa Major,
and Caph, in Cassiopeia.

The star [o] is at the tip of the Bear's nose. A clearly defined
semicircle begins at [o] and ends in the pair [i] and [k] at the
extremity of the Bear's right fore paw. This group of stars resembles
a sickle. Note little Alcor close to Mizar. This star was used by the
Arabs as a test of good eyesight.

Mizar and Alcor are known as the horse and his rider.

This plate shows the Bear lying on his back, his feet projected up the
sky; three conspicuous pairs of stars represent three of his four
feet.

The Chaldean shepherds and the Iroquois Indians gave to this
constellation the same name. The Egyptians called it "The Thigh."

[a] and [[^e]] are moving through space in a contrary direction to the
remaining five stars in "The Dipper."

[Illustration: URSA MAJOR]

URSA MINOR (er'-sa mi'-nor)--THE LITTLE BEAR. (Face North.)

LOCATION.--The two pointer stars in Ursa Major indicate the position
of Polaris, the North Star, which represents the tip of the tail of
the Little Bear, and the end of the handle of the "Little Dipper." In
all ages of the world, Ursa Minor has been more universally observed
and more carefully noticed than any other constellation, on account of
the importance of the North Star.

Polaris is a little more than 1-1/4[deg] from the true pole. Its light
takes fifty years to reach us.

A line joining [b] Cassiopeiae, and Megres, in Ursa Major, will pass
through Polaris.

At the distance of the nearest fixed star our sun would shine as a
star no brighter than Polaris which is presumably about the sun's
size.

Polaris revolves around the true pole once in twenty-four hours in a
little circle 2-1/2[deg] in diameter. Within this circle two hundred stars
have been photographed.

The North Star is always elevated as many degrees above the horizon as
the observer is north of the equator.

Compare the light of the four stars forming the bowl of the "Little
Dipper," as they are each of a different magnitude. A standard
first-magnitude star is 2-1/2 times brighter than a standard second
magnitude star, etc.

[Illustration: URSA MINOR]

GEMINI (jem'-i-ni)--THE TWINS. (Face West.)

LOCATION.--A line drawn from [b] to [k] Ursae Majoris and prolonged an
equal distance ends near Castor, in Gemini. Gemini is characterized by
two nearly parallel rows of stars. The northern row if extended would
reach Taurus, the southern one Orion. Note the fine cluster 35 M.
Herschel discovered Uranus in 1781 a short distance southwest of it.
Two wonderful streams of little stars run parallel northwest on each
side of the cluster. Where the ecliptic crosses the solstitial colure
is the spot where the sun appears to be when it is farthest north of
the equator, June 21st. Castor is a fine double for a telescope, and
Pollux has three little attendant stars. An isoceles triangle is
formed by Castor, Aldebaran in Taurus, and Capella in Auriga. There is
a record of an occultation in Gemini noted about the middle of the
fourth century B.C.

The Arabs saw in this group of stars two peacocks, the Egyptians two
sprouting plants, and the Hindus twin deities, while in the Buddhist
zodiac they represented a woman holding a golden cord. Since classic
times, however, the figure has always been that of human twins.

At the point indicated near [th] a new star was discovered by Enebo in
March, 1912. It attained a maximum of about magnitude 3.5 and has at
this writing waned to the eleventh magnitude.

[Illustration: GEMINI]

AURIGA ([^a]-ri'-ga)--THE CHARIOTEER. (Face Northwest.)

LOCATION.--A line drawn from [d] to [a] Ursae Majoris, and prolonged
about 45[deg], ends near the bright Capella, in Auriga, a star of the
first magnitude, and one of the most brilliant in the heavens. It is
unmistakable, having no rival in brightness near it. Auriga is a
beautiful and conspicuous constellation. It is characterized by a
clearly defined pentagon. Note the three fourth-magnitude stars near
Capella known as "The Kids." The star [b] is common to Auriga and
Taurus, being the former's right foot and the latter's northern horn.
The field within the pentagon is particularly rich in clusters.
Capella forms a rude square with Polaris, [e] Cassiopeiae, and [o] Ursae
Majoris, and forms an equilateral triangle with Betelgeuze in Orion,
and the Pleiades in Taurus.

A line from [th] to [a] Aurigae prolonged about 20[deg] ends near [a]
Persei.

Capella is visible at some hour of every clear night throughout the
year. Of the first-magnitude stars it is nearest to the Pole, and it
rises almost exactly in the northeast.

To the Arabs Capella was "The Driver," because it seemed to rise
earlier than the other stars and so apparently watched over them, or
still more practically as "The Singer" who rode before the procession
cheering on the camels, which last were represented by the Pleiades.

[Illustration: AURIGA]

CANCER (kan'-ser)--THE CRAB. (Face West.)

LOCATION.--Cancer lies between Gemini and Leo. A line drawn from Nath
in Auriga to Pollux in Gemini, and prolonged about 15[deg], ends in
Praesepe, the Manger, the great star cluster in Cancer, which is also
called "The Bee Hive." It contains 300 stars. The stars [g] and [d]
are called the Aselli--the ass's colts feeding from the silver manger.

The star [b] lies about 10[deg] northeast of Procyon. Acubens, [a] lies on
the same line the same distance beyond [b]. These two stars form the
tips of the inverted "Y" which distinguishes Cancer.

An imaginary line from Capella through Pollux will point out Acubens.
Close to it are two faint stars. The Bee Hive lies within an irregular
square formed by [g], [d], [[^e]], and [th], and looks like a nebula to
the naked eye.

In June, 1895, all the planets except Neptune were in this quarter of
the heavens, and Halley's comet was in this constellation on its first
appearance in 1531.

The dimness of [g] and [d] is an infallible precursor of rain, and if
the Bee Hive is not visible in a clear sky, it is a presage of a
violent storm.

[Illustration: CANCER]

HYDRA (hi'-dra)--THE SEA-SERPENT. (Face South and Southwest.)

LOCATION.--The head of Hydra, a striking and beautiful arrangement of
stars, lies just below the Bee Hive, in Cancer, 6[deg] south of Acubens in
that constellation, and forms a rhomboidal figure of five stars.

Hydra is about 100[deg] in length and reaches almost from Canis Minor to
Libra. Its stars are all faint except Alphard, or the Hydra's heart, a
second-magnitude star remarkable for its lonely situation, southwest
of Regulus, in Leo. A line drawn from [g] Leonis through Regulus
points it out. It is of a rich orange tint. Castor and Pollux, in
Gemini, point southeast to it.

The constellations Crater, the Cup, and Corvus, the Crow, both stand
on the coils of Hydra, south of Denebola, the bright star in the tail
of the Lion.

Hydra is supposed to be the snake shown on a uranographic stone from
the Euphrates, 1200 B.C.

The little asterism Sextans, the Sextant, lies in the region between
Regulus and Alphard. It contains no stars brighter than the fourth
magnitude.

[Illustration: HYDRA]

LEO (le'o)--THE LION. (Face South.)

LOCATION.--A line drawn from Pollux, in Gemini, to [g] in Cancer, and
prolonged about 12[deg], strikes Regulus, the brilliant star in the heart
of the Lion. Regulus lies about 9[deg] east of Acubens, in Cancer, and
about 12[deg] northeast of Alphard, in the heart of Hydra.

Leo is one of the most beautiful constellations in the zodiac. It lies
south of the Great Bear, and its principal stars are arranged in the
form of a sickle which nearly outlines the Lion's head. This group is
so striking as to be unmistakable. Regulus is in the handle of the
sickle. It is one of the stars from which longitude is reckoned, lies
almost exactly on the ecliptic, and is visible for eight months in the
year.

Denebola, the bright star in the Lion's tail, lies 25[deg] east of
Regulus, and about 35[deg] west of Arcturus, in Bo[:o]tes. It is the same
distance northwest of Spica, in Virgo, and forms with Spica and
Arcturus a large equilateral triangle.

[z] is double, and has three faint companion stars.

[e] has two seventh-magnitude companion stars, forming a beautiful
little triangle.

Regulus is white in color, [g] yellow, [p] red.

[g] is a beautiful colored telescopic double star and has a companion
visible in an opera-glass.

The figure of Leo very much as we now have it appears in all the
Indian and Egyptian zodiacs.

[Illustration: LEO

THE SICKLE]

COMA BERENICES (k[=o]'-ma ber-e-ni'-sez)--BERENICE'S HAIR.

LOCATION.--A line drawn from Regulus to Zosma, in Leo, and prolonged
an equal distance, strikes this fine cluster, which is 18[deg] northeast
of Zosma, [d] Leonis.

The group lies well within a triangle formed by Denebola, Arcturus, in
Bo[:o]tes, and Cor Caroli, in Canes Venatici, which triangle is the upper
half of the Diamond of Virgo.

Twenty or thirty stars in this group can be counted with an
opera-glass, and the group can be easily distinguished with the naked
eye, when the moon is not visible.

The first half of the month of April can be called the most brilliant
sidereal period of the year. At this time eleven first-magnitude stars
are visible in this latitude at 9 P.M. From east to west they are:
Vega, Arcturus, Spica, Regulus, Pollux, Procyon, Sirius, Capella,
Aldebaran, Betelgeuze, and Rigel, truly a glorious company, an
incomparable sight.

[Illustration: COMA BERENICES]

CANIS MINOR (k[=a]'-nis mi'-nor)--THE LESSER DOG. (Face West.)

LOCATION.--Procyon, the Little Dog Star, lies about 23[deg] south of
Pollux, in Gemini. A line drawn from Nath, in Auriga, to Alhena, in
Gemini, and prolonged about 18[deg], reaches Procyon.

Procyon is equidistant from Betelgeuze in Orion, and Sirius in Canis
Major, and forms with them an equilateral triangle. It forms a large
right-angled triangle with Pollux and Betelgeuze.

The light from Procyon is golden yellow. Four degrees northwest of it
is the third-magnitude star Gomeisa. The glass shows two small stars
forming a right-angled triangle with it.

Procyon was distinctly mentioned by Ptolemy. It rises in this latitude
a little north of east about half an hour before Sirius, the Dog Star,
hence it was called Procyon from two Greek words which signify "before
the dog."

Procyon is one of our nearest neighbors in space, at a distance of ten
light years, and is attended by a very faint companion which is only
visible in the largest telescopes.

[Illustration: CANIS MINOR]

CORVUS (k[^o]r'-vus)--THE CROW. (Face South.)

LOCATION.--A line drawn from the Bee Hive, in Cancer, through Regulus,
in Leo, and prolonged about 40[deg], ends near the conspicuous
quadrilateral which distinguishes Corvus. The brightest star in this
region of the sky is Spica, in Virgo. It lies about 10[deg] northeast of
Algorab.

[z] is a double star for an opera-glass. A faint pair of stars lie
close below and to the west of [b]. The Crow is represented as
standing on, and pecking at, the coils of Hydra. The star Al Chiba is
in the Crow's bill.

Corvus was known as the Raven in Chaucer's time.

[d] is an interesting telescopic double.

A line drawn from [g] to [b] Corvi and prolonged twice its length
locates the third-magnitude star [i] Centauri in the right shoulder of
the Centaur. The brightest stars in this constellation are not visible
in this latitude.

[Illustration: CORVUS]

CRATER (kr[=a]'-ter)--THE CUP. (Face South.)

LOCATION.--Crater is situated 15[deg] west of Corvus, and due south of
[th] Leonis. It is easily distinguished by reason of a beautiful and
very striking semicircle of six stars of the fourth magnitude, forming
the bowl of the cup.

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