Draco (the Dragon) winds round between the Great and the Little Bear; and, commencing with the tail, between the Pointers and the pole-star, it is easily traced by a succession of bright stars extending from west to east. Passing under Ursa Minor, it returns westward, and terminates in a triangle which forms the head of Draco, near the feet of Hercules, northwest of Lyra. Cepheus lies eastward of the breast of the Dragon, but has no stars above the third magnitude.
Cassiopeia is known by the figure of a chair, composed of four stars which form the legs, and two which form the back. This constellation lies between Perseus and Cepheus, in the Milky Way.
Cygnus (the Swan) is situated also in the Milky Way, some distance southwest of Cassiopeia, towards the Eagle. Three bright stars, which lie along the Milky Way, form the body and neck of the Swan, and two others, in a line with the middle one of the three, one above and one below, constitute the wings. This constellation is among the few that exhibit some resemblance to the animals whose names they bear.
Lyra (the Lyre) is directly west of the Swan, and is easily distinguished by a beautiful white star of the first magnitude, Alpha Lyræ.
The Southern Constellations are comparatively few in number. I shall notice only the Whale, Orion, the Greater and Lesser Dog, Hydra, and the Crow.
Cetus (the Whale) is distinguished rather for its extent than its brilliancy, reaching as it does through forty degrees of longitude, while none of its stars, except one, are above the third magnitude. Menkar (Alpha Ceti) in the mouth, is a star of the second magnitude; and several other bright stars, directly south of Aries, make the head and neck of the Whale. Mira, (Omicron Ceti,) in the neck of the Whale, is a variable star.
Orion is one of the largest and most beautiful of the constellations, lying southeast of Taurus. A cluster of small stars forms the head; two large stars, Betalgeus of the first and Bellatrix of the second magnitude, make the shoulders; three more bright stars compose the buckler, and three the sword; and Rigel, another star of the first magnitude, makes one of the feet. In this constellation there are seventy stars plainly visible to the naked eye, including two of the first magnitude, four of the second, and three of the third.
Canis Major lies southeast of Orion, and is distinguished chiefly by its containing the largest of the fixed stars, Sirius.
Canis Minor, a little north of the equator, between Canis Major and Gemini, is a small constellation, consisting chiefly of two stars, of which, Procyon is of the first magnitude.
Hydra has its head near Procyon, consisting of a number of stars of ordinary brightness. About fifteen degrees southeast of the head is a star of the second magnitude, forming the heart, (Cor Hydræ;) and eastward of this is a long succession of stars of the fourth and fifth magnitudes, composing the body and tail, and reaching a few degrees south of Spica Virginis.