The Great Bear (Ursa Major) is low down, between northwest and north, the Pointers (a and ) directed slantingly upward toward the Pole. A line from the Pole Star (a of the Little Bear, Ursa Minor) to the Guardians of the Pole ( and ?), is in the position of the minute hand of a clock 12 minutes before an hour. Between the Great Bear and the Little Bear run the stars of the Dragon (Draco), round the Little Bear toward the north, thence toward the northwest, where we see the head of the Dragon high up, its two bright eyes, and ?, directed toward Hercules, which occupies the western mid-heaven. Above Hercules is Lyra, the Lyre, with the bright steel-blue star Vega high up toward the point overhead. Right overhead is the Swan (Cygnus). Low down in the northwest we see in the chart one star of the Hunting Dogs (Canes Venatici). Nearer the west stands the Herdsman, rather slanting forward, however, with the Crown (Corona Borealis) on his left, almost due west. The long winding Serpent (Serpens) runs from near the Crown (where we see its head due west) to farther south than southwest, high up on the western side of the Serpent Holder (Serpentarius or Ophiuchus), now standing upright in the southwest. Low down creeps the Scorpion (Scorpio), its heart Antares, rival of Mars, in the southwest, the end of its tail between south and southwest. Above and south of the Scorpion's tail we see the Archer (Sagittarius). Due south, and high up, is the Eagle (Aquila), its tail at ? and e, its head at ?, the bright steel-blue Altair marking its body. On the left, or east, of the Eagle lies the neat little Dolphin (Delphinus). Midway between the Dolphin and the horizon is the tip of the tail of the Sea Goat (Capricornus), whose head lies nearly due south. On the southern horizon is the head of the Indian (Indus); on its left a part of the Crane (Grus), and low down in the southeast lies Fomalhaut, the chief brilliant of the Southern Fish (Piscis Australis). Above lies the Water Bearer (Aquarius), in the southwestern mid-heaven. Due east, fairly high, is "the Square of Pegasus," the head of the Winged Horse, Pegasus lying close by the Water Pitcher of Aquarius (marked by the stars ?, ?, and a). The Fishes (Pisces) are low down in the east. A few stars of the Whale (Cetus) are seen on their right, very low down. On the left of Pisces we see the Ram (Aries), low down; above it the Triangle; and above that the Chained Lady (Andromeda). Low down in the northeast is the Rescuing Knight (Perseus); above whom is Cassiopeia, and on her left, higher up, the inconspicuous constellation Cepheus. Lastly, immediately below Cepheus, we find the Camelopard, below which, very low down, between north and northeast, is the Charioteer (Auriga), the brilliant Capella being just above the horizon. |