The Book of Stars: Being a Simple Explanation of the Stars and Their Uses to Boy Life - A. Frederick Collins

Zodiacal lights. A faint glowing light which may be seen above the western horizon just after twilight during the clear evenings of winter and spring. It can also be seen just before daybreak during the clear mornings of summer and autumn.

INDEX

Air, thickness of, around Earth, [125].
Air waves, [125].
Alcor, in the Big Dipper, [11].
and Mizar through a glass, [150].
Aldebaran in Taurus, [26], [28].
Almanac, [171].
how to read, [182].
Old Farmers’, [184].
signs in, [183].
use of, for finding planets, [61].
Alpha Centauri nearest star, [118].
Alphabet,
Greek, [197].
Morse, [39].
Andromeda, great nebula in, [119].
Annular eclipse of the Sun, [112].
Antares in Scorpio, [180].
Apennines on the Moon, [146].
Apparent noon, [154].
Apparent solar day, [154].
Apparent time, [152].
Aquarius, the Water Bearer,
constellation of, [63].
the Water Man, [173].
Aquila, the Eagle, [201].
Arab test for eyesight, [11].
Arc defined, [194].
Arctic day and Sun, [87].
Arcturus in Boötes, [28].
Aries, the Ram, [63], [175].
Aristarchus on the Moon, [146].
Ass’s Colts in Cancer, [176].
Asteroids, [47], [54].
Astrologer’s horoscopes, [180].
Atoms, vibration of, [123].
Auditory nerve, [125].
Autumn, [74].
Autumnal equinox, [178].
Auriga, Capella in, [24].
Auriga, the Charioteer, [23].
constellation of, [23].
of the Greeks, [24].
the Shepherd, [24].
Barometer, a simple, [35].
Barometric pressure, [35].
Belt of Orion, [21].
Beta Pegasi, [18].
Betelgeux in Orion, [28].
Big Dipper, the, [2], [4].
Alcor in the, [11].
how to tell time by the, [12].
Mizar in the, [11].
pointer stars of, [10].
position of,
in autumn, [3].
in summer, [11].
in spring, [10].
in winter, [9].
through a telescope, [149].
Boötes, the Bear Leader, [201].
Boxing the compass, [78].
Boy Scout, merit badge for, [193].
Boy Scouts’ Handbook, [193].
Brain of a genius, [192].
Bull of Light, the, [26].
Burning lens, [37].
Camera, how it is made, [185].
Cancer, the Crab, [176].
Candle flame, [30].
Canis Major, constellation of, [28], [201].
Canis Minor, the Little Dog, [201].
Capella, how to find the North with, [24].
Cardinal points of a compass, [78].
Cassiopeia of the Arabians, [16].
constellation of, [14].
Castor and Pollux in Gemini, [176].
Cave man, how he marked time, [152].
Central time, [160].
Centrifugal force, [58], [90].
Chromosphere, the Sun’s, [32].
Chronograph, how made and used, [162].
Chronometer, use of, to find longitude, [85].
Circle defined, [194].
Colored stars, [202].
Colored sun glasses, [30].
Colors, how they are made, [123], [129].
Combustion, what it is, [123].
Comet,
breaking up of, [116].
coma of a, [113].
Halley’s, [115].
how to find a, [112].
nucleus of a, [113].
tail of a, [113], [116].
Comets, laws of, [114].
number of, [116].
paths of, [113].
speed of, [115].
Compass, boxing the, [78].
cardinal points of a, [78].
dial, mariner’s, [78].
how to make a simple, [77].
mariner’s, [78].
pocket, [78].
Concave lens, [134].
Constellations:
Aquarius, the Water Bearer, [63].
Aquila, [201].
Aries, the Ram, [63], [173], [175].
Auriga, [23].
Big Dipper, [6].
Boötes, [201].
Cancer, the Crab, [176].
Canis Major, [28], [201].
Cassiopeia, [14].
Cygnus, [201].
Flying Horse, [19].
Gemini, the Twins, [63], [176].
Great Bear, [6].
Great Square of Pegasus, [17].
having first magnitude stars, [201].
Libra, the Balance, [178].
Little Bear, [16].
Little Dipper, [15].
Leo, the Lion, [177].
Lyre, [201].
Mighty Orion, [20].
Northern Cross, [202].
Pisces, the Fishes, [63], [174].
Pleiades, [26].
Plough, [6].
Sagittarius, the Archer, 180
Scorpio, the Scorpion, [180].
Taurus, the Bull, [24], [175].
Ursa Major, [6].
Ursa Minor, [17].
Virgo, the Virgin, [177].
what they mean, [14].
Zodiac, [168].
Convex lens, [133].
Copernicus on the Moon, [148].
Corona of the Sun, [33].
Crescent Moon, [93].
Cycle of the Seasons, [75].
Cygnus, the Swan, [201].
Dark stars, [206].
Day,
solar, [154].
when it begins and ends, [152].
Definitions of words used in starcraft, [213].
Degrees,
dividing a circle into, [156].
Earth divided into, [81].
protractor for measuring, [79].
Denebola in Leo, the Lion, [177].
Dial of mariner’s compass, [79].
Diameter defined, [194].
Difference between true North Pole and magnetic North Pole, [88].
Dipping needle, how to make a, [79].
Dog Star, [8].
Double stars, [204].
Earth, [47], [54].
cross section of, [67].
divided into degrees, [81].
divided into standard meridians, [158].
from the Moon, view of, [104].
a great magnet, [77].
in the making, [66].
Moon eclipsed by, [107].
and Moon joined together, [89].
orbit of, an ellipse, [70].
precession of the, [173].
proof it is round, [67].
shadow of, [109].
thickness of air around, [125].
tilts on its axis, [69].
travels round the Sun, [70].
turning of, makes day and night, [69].
turning in orbit makes the seasons, [72].
turns on its axis, proof that, [68].
umbra of, [135].
when cooled off, [66].
Earth-shine, [93].
Eastern time, [158].
Eclipse, annular of the Sun, [112].
Eclipse,
defined, [113], [194], [195].
of the Moon, [107].
partial, of the Sun, [112].
seeing an, [107].
of the Sun by Moon, [110].
for next [30] years, [112].
total, of the Sun, [112].
Ecliptic, the, [46], [69], [72], [170].
Ellipse, [113].
Ellis seasonal twilight chart, [201].
Epsilon in Lyra through a glass, [150].
Equation of time, [155], [207].
Equator,
crossing the ecliptic, [72].
defined, [194].
Equinox,
autumnal, [178].
vernal, [178].
Ether, what it is, [123], [125], [127].
Evening star, Venus, [50].
Experiment,
Foucault’s pendulum, [68].
in centrifugal force, [90].
making star trails, [68].
showing,
eclipse of Sun, [110].
how Moon cracked, [145].
Moon eclipsed by Earth, [107].
Moon’s crescent, [95].
Moon’s day and year, [94].
Moon’s phases, [98].
reflection of light, [131].
refraction of light, [132].
with a bell, [125].
with candle to show the seasons, [73].
with cardboard zodiac, [170].
with spinning top, [72].
with water waves, [124].
Eye,
a camera, [127].
how it sees, [127].
human, [8].
light and, [129].
Eyesight, star tests for, [197].
Finding,
the North Star, [2].
the North with Pegasus, [19].
Fireballs, [116].
First magnitude stars, [200].
Fixed stars, [7].
Flying Horse, constellation of, [19].
Focal length of a lens, [134].
Focus of lens, [133].
Forecasting the weather by barometer, [35].
Forecasting weather by signs, [36].
Foucault’s pendulum experiment, [68].
Fraunhofer’s lines, [190].
Frequency of vibrating atoms, [123].
Friction, [60].
Gemini, the Twins, constellation of, [63], [176].
Geometrical figures, [195].
Gibbous Moon, [93].
Girl in the Moon, [147].
Gravitation defined, [59].
Great Bear, [5].
Great Square of Pegasus, constellation of, [17].
Greek alphabet, [197].
Greenwich time, [86].
Grimaldi on the Moon, [94], [147].
Guardian stars of the Little Dipper, [16].
Handbook of Boy Scouts, [193].
Harvest and Hunter’s Moon, [98].
Heat, how it travels, [123].
Heat, what it is, [122], [129].
Heliograph, how to make and use a, [40], [41].
Horizon, a good, [153].
Horizon glass, [84].
Horizontal line defined, [194].
Horoscopes, astrologer’s, [180].
Horse and Rider, [11].
Hours, dividing a circle into, [157].
How a camera is made, [185].
How the cave man marked time, [152].
How the eye sees, [127].
How to find,
Aries, the Ram, [174].
a comet, [113].
constellations of the Zodiac, [169].
focus of a lens, [133].
longitude [86].
the North Star, [83].
with dipping needle and protractor, [82].
with sticks and pail of water, [83].
power of a telescope, [143].
How to get Sun time, [153].
How to know,
the stars, [14].
you are at the North Pole, [87].
How to look at the Sun, [148].
How to make,
a cheap telescope, [140].
pinhole telescope, [138].
simple compass, [77].
simple dipping needle, [79].
star finder, [1].
star trails, [187].
How the Moon makes the tides, [99].
How a photograph is made, [185].
How a prism bends light, [133].
How to read the almanac, [182].
How a spectroscope is made, [191].
How the stars shine, [121].
How the stars were made, [119].
How a telescope works, [139].
How to tell, time by the Big Dipper, [12].
a true meteorite, [117].
How time is sent, by telegraph, [163].
by wireless, [165].
How to use a prism, [188].
How we see light, [126].
Hyades in Taurus, [175].
Hyperbola, [113].
Imaginary Sun time, [155].
Index mirror, [84].
Invisible stars, [206].
Jupiter, [47], [61].
nine moons of, [52].
seeing, [51].
through a telescope, [149].
Kullmer star finder, [209].
Latitude, how to find,
by protractor and dipping needle, [82].
with sextant, [84].
with sticks and pail of water, [83].
Lens,
concave, [134].
convex, [133].
how to find focus of a, [133].
Leo, the Lion, [177].
Libra, the Balance, [178].
Light,
defined, [122].
how made, [122].
how it passes through glass, [130].
how it travels, [123].
how we see it, [126], [129].
reflection of, [131], [132].
refraction of, [132].
speed of, [188].
what makes the colors in, [123].
wave-lengths of, [123], [130].
Little Bear, constellation of, [16].
Little Dipper, constellation of, [15].
Local time, [86], [155].
Longitude,
how to find it, [86].
meridians of, [86].
use of sextant to find, [84].
Lyra, the Lyre, [201].
Magellan’s voyage, [67].
Magnet, Earth a great, [77].
Magnet, steel bar, [76].
Magnetic lines of force, [76].
Magnetic North Pole and true North Pole, [76], [88].
Magnetic storms, [34].
Magnitude of stars, [199].
Man in the Moon, [93].
Mariner’s compass, [78].
Mars, [47], [49].
is it peopled? [49].
through a telescope, [149].
Mean length, defined, [154].
Mean solar time, [154].
Mean time, [152].
Mercury, [47], [48], [61].
phases of, [48].
through a telescope, [148].
Meridian defined, [18].
prime, [156].
your, [61].
zero, [156].
Meridians,
fixed, [157].
of longitude, [85].
standard, [86], [156].
Meteorites,
kinds of, [117].
tests for, [117].
Meteors, and meteorites, [116].
orbits of, [116].
Merit badge for starcraft, [193].
Milk dipper in the Milky Way, [181].
Milky Way,
stars of the, [117], [118].
through a glass, [150].
Mizar in the Big Dipper, [11], [150].
Moon, [89].
Apennines on the, [146].
aspects of the, [94].
Copernicus on the, [148].
crescent, [93].
day and year of the, [94].
and Earth joined together, [89].
eclipse of the, [107].
eclipse of Sun by the, [110].
gibbous, [93].
Grimaldi on the, [94], [147].
Harvest and Hunter’s, [99].
how it cracked, [144].
if you were on it, [101].
imitating volcanoes on the, [91].
Man in the, [93].
motions of the, [94].
old, in the new Moon’s arms, [93].
other things about the, [106].
phases of the, how made, [94], [95], [96].
photographing the, [188].
seas on the, [144].
seeing the, with the naked eye, [92].
telling time by the, [105].
through a telescope, [144].
time marked by the, [151].
a trip to the, [101].
Tycho on the, [144].
volcanoes on the, [91].
weather, and the, [105].
where it came from, [90].
Moon girl, [146].
Morning star, Venus, [50].
Morse Code, [39].
Motions of the Moon, [94].
Mountain time, [160].
Naked eye aids, [139].
Naked eye view of the Moon, [93].
Nebula, [114], [118].
of Orion, great, [119].
Nebular hypothesis, [119].
Nebulæ, different forms of, [119].
Neptune, the outpost planet, [47], [53].
seeing, [53].
through a telescope, [149].
North,
to find, by a watch, [45].
with Capella, [24].
with Orion, [23].
with Pegasus, [19].
North magnetic pole, [76].
North Pole, [8].
explorers at the, [87].
how to know you are at, [87].
shadows at, [88].
true, and magnetic North Pole, [76], [88].
North Star, [1], [2], [4].
how to find, [1], [2].
how to find latitude of, [83].
sighting the, [2].
through a glass, [150].
Northern Cross, [202].
Northern Lights, [34].
Old Farmers’ Almanac, [184].
Old Moon in the new Moon’s arms, [93].
Opera glasses, [140].
Optic nerve, [126].
Orion,
of the Arabians, [22].
belt of stars of, [21].
constellation of, [20].
finding the North with, [23].
the Great Hunter, [20].
Great Nebula of, [119].
sword of stars of, [22].
Pacific time, [160].
Parabola, [113].
Partial eclipse of the Sun, [112].
Pegasus, the Flying Horse, [19].
Pendulum illustrating Sun’s attraction, [59].
Penumbra, [135].
Perpendicular line defined, [194].
Phases,
of Mercury, [48].
of Venus, [50].
Photograph, how made, [185].
Photographing the Moon, 188
the stars, [185].
Photographing the Sun, [187].
Photosphere of the Sun, [32].
Pinhole sunshade, [30].
Pinhole telescope, [30], [138].
Pisces, the Fishes, constellation of, [63], [174].
Plane, defined, [55].
Planet, how to plot position of a, [61].
Planetesimal hypothesis, [119], [120].
Planets,
eggshell experiment to show motions of, [57].
first aid to remembering, [57].
how held in space, [57].
how to know the, [47].
names and sizes of, [47].
path of, [170].
plane of, [55].
round the Sun, position of, [54].
the Sun’s kiddies, [46].
through a telescope, [148].
use of almanac for finding, [61].
why they spin, [60].
Pleiades,
in Taurus, [26].
through a glass, [150].
Plotting the position of a planet, [61].
Plough, the, [5].
Pointer stars of the Big Dipper, [10].
Polar nights, [71].
Polaris, the Pole Star, [4].
Pole Star, the, [4], [8].
Precession of the Earth, [173].
Prime meridian, [156].
Prism, [132].
forming a spectrum, [134].
how to use, [188].
Produce, defined, [8].
Prominences of the Sun, [31].
Protractor,
showing degrees, [81].
showing degrees latitude, [82].
Radius defined, [194].
Railroad time, [156].
Reflection of light, [131].
Regulus in Leo, the Lion, [177].
Rigel in Orion, [28].
Right angle defined, [194].
Ring defined, [194].
Sagittarius, the Archer, [180].
Saturn, [47].
seeing, [52].
through a telescope, [149].
Scorpius, the Scorpion, [180].
Seasonal twilight chart, Ellis, [201].
Seasons:
autumn, [74].
spring, [74].
summer, [75].
winter, [74].
cycle of the, [75].
Earth turning round Sun makes the, [72].
experiment to show the, [73].
Seeing,
an eclipse, [107].
the Moon with naked eye, [92].
the stars, [121].
Sextant, how to use it, [84].
Shadow of, the Earth, [109].
the Penumbra, [135].
the Umbra, [135].
Shadows, [135].
at the North Pole, [88].
Shooting the Sun, [84].
Shooting stars, [116].
Sighting the North Star, [2].
Signalling with the Sun’s rays, [38].
Signs,
in the almanac, [183].
of the Zodiac, [168].
Sirius, the Dog Star, [8], [118].
Sky, things in the, [107].
Smoked Sun glasses, [30].
Solar day, [154].
apparent, [154].
Solar noon, [153].
Solar spectrum, [189].
Solar system, in perspective, [56].
top view of, [55].
Solar time, [152].
mean, [154].
Solstice,
summer, [176].
winter, [181].
Sound waves, [125].
South Pole, [26].
Spectroscope, [189].
how made, [191].
Spectrum, [133].
solar, [189].
Spring, [74].
Spyglass, [136].
stars seen through, [144].
Standard meridians, [86], [156].
Standard time, [155].
zone system of, [156].
Standard time meridians in United States, [159].
Starcraft, merit badge for, [193].
Star finder, how to make a, [1].
Kullmer, [209].
Star tests for eyesight, [197].
Star time, [160].
Star trails, how to make, [187].
Stars,
colored, [202].
constellations having first magnitude, [201].
double, [204].
first magnitude, [200].
how made, [119].
how they shine, [121].
invisible or dark, [206].
magnitude of, [199].
near the Sun’s path, [62].
photographing, [185].
seeing, [121].
through a telescope, [149].
variable, [205].
what they are made of, [188].
of the Zodiac, [166].
Straight line defined, [194].
Summer, [75].
Summer solstice, [176].
Sun,
annular eclipse of the, [87].
arctic, [87].
attraction of, illustrated, [59].
brightest star, [29].
hot gases of, [121].
chromosphere of, [32].
core of, [32].
corona of, [33].
cross section of, [34].
eclipse of, by the Moon, [110].
how to see, [29].
layers of flame of, [31].
lighting a fire with, [37].
from the Moon, view of, [104].
stars near the, [62].
partial eclipse of the, [112].
path of the, [46], [170].
photographing the, [187].
photosphere of, [32].
positions of planets round the, [54].
prominences of, [31].
rays of, signalling with, [38].
shooting the, [84].
surface of, [32].
time marked by, [151].
through a telescope, [148].
weather and, [34].
what it is made of, [30].
Sun dial, how to make a simple, [42].
Sun spots, [31].
effects of, on the Earth, [33].
Sun time, [152].
how to set, [153].
imaginary, [155].
Sword of Orion, [22].
Tangent defined, [58], [194].
Taurus,
Aldebaran in, [26].
constellation of, [24], [63], [175].
of the Egyptians, [26].
Telescope, [136].
astronomical, [138].
with convex lenses, [142].
defined, [136].
discovery of, [136].
equatorial, [188].
how to make a cheap, [140].
how to make a pinhole, [138].
how it works, [139].
kinds of, [137], [139].
magnifying power of, [143].
Mars through a, [149].
Mercury through a, [148].
Moon through a, [144].
Neptune through a, [149].
opera glass, [141].
pinhole, [30].
planets through a, [148].
Saturn through a, [149].
seeing the stars through a, [144].
of sextant, [84].
simple, [140].
stars through a, [149].
Sun through a, [148].
Uranus through a, [149].
Venus through a, [148].
Telescope lens, mounting for, [140].
Test for eyesight, Alcor, [11].
Tides,
high and low, [100].
how the Moon makes, [99].
spring and neap, [101].
Time,
apparent, [152].
at different cities, [161].
by the Moon, telling, [105].
by the stars, [160].
central, [160].
to change star, into solar, [163].
correct, [161].
how obtained, [162].
distributed by telegraph, [161].
by wireless, [161].
eastern, [158].
equation of, [155], [207].
Greenwich, [86].
how sent by telegraph, [163].
how to tell, by the Big Dipper, [12].
imaginary Sun, [155].
local, [86], [155].
marked by the Moon, [151].
by the Sun, [151].
mean, [152].
solar, [154].
mountain, [160].
o’ day, [151].
Pacific, [160].
railroad, [156].
standard, [155].
Sun, [154].
what is it? [151].
zone system of standard, [156].
Time ball, how made and worked, [164].
Time meridians in United States, standard, 159
Total eclipse of the Sun, [110].
Transit of a star, [162].
Transit instrument, [162].
Trapezium defined, [20], [21].
True North Pole, [76].
Tycho on the Moon, [144].
Umbra of the Moon, [135].
Uranus, Herschel’s planet, [47], [53].
seeing, [53].
through a telescope, [149].
Ursa Major, constellation of, [6].
Ursa Minor, constellation of, [16].
Vanishing Man in the Moon, [146].
Variable stars, [205].
Venus, [47], [61].
phases of, [50].
seeing, [50].
through a telescope, [148].
Vernal equinox, [178].
Vertical line defined, [194].
Vesta, an asteroid, [54].
Vibrating atoms, [123].
Vibrations of bell, number of, [125].
Virgo, the Virgin, [177].
Volcanoes,
how they were made, [91].
on the Moon, [91].
Waves,
air, [125].
in the ether, [127].
length of light, [123].
sound, [125].
speed of, [126].
of water, experiment with, [124].
Weather, forecasting,
by the barometer, [35].
by signs, [37].
Weather,
and the Moon, [105].
Sun and the, [34].
Winter, [74].
Winter solstice, [181].
Wireless, time distributed by, [161].
Wireless receiving sets, [165].
Zero meridian, [156].
Zodiac,
as invented by the ancients, [167].
as we know it today, [167].
constellations of, [168].
experiment with a cardboard, [170].
how to find the constellations of the, [169].
signs of the, [168].
stars of the, [166].
what it is, [166].
Zone system of standard time, [156].

Footnotes:

[1] Aristarchus was a Greek who lived 200 years before Christ. He taught that the earth was round.

[2] Copernicus—Polish, astronomer. Born 1473. Before his time it was believed that the Sun, Moon and stars revolved round the Earth. Copernicus showed that the Earth was a planet and, with the others, that it revolved round the Sun.

Transcriber’s Notes:

The illustrations have been moved so that they do not break up paragraphs and so that they are next to the text they illustrate.

Typographical and punctuation errors have been silently corrected.