The description and use of the globes and the orrery / To which is prefix'd, by way of introduction, a brief account of the solar system

by Joseph Harris

The constellations within the Zodiac are, 1. Aries, the Ram; 2. Taurus, the Bull; 3. Gemini, the Twins; 4. Cancer, the Crab; 5. Leo, the Lion; 6. Virgo, the Virgin; 7. Libra, the Balance; 8. Scorpio, the Scorpion; 9. Sagittarius, the Archer; 10. Capricornus, the Goat; 11. Aquarius, the Water-Bearer; and, 12. Pisces, the Fishes.

Northern constellations.

The constellations on the North side of the Zodiac are Twenty-one, viz. the Little Bear; the Great Bear; the Dragon; Cepheus, a king of Ethiopia; Bootes, the keeper of the Bear; the Northern Crown; Hercules with his Club, watching the Dragon; the Harp; the Swan; Cassiopeia; Persius; Andromeda; the Triangle; Auriga; Pegasus, or the Flying Horse; Equuleus; the Dolphin; the Arrow; the Eagle; Serpentarius; and the Serpent.

Southern constellations.

The constellations noted by the ancients on the South side of the Zodiac, were fifteen, viz. the Whale; the river Eridanus; the Hare; Orion; the Great Dog; Little Dog; the Ship Argo; Hydra; the Centaur; the Cup; the Crow; the Wolf; the Altar; the Southern Crown; and the Southern Fish. To these have been lately added the following, viz. The Phœnix; the Crane; the Peacock; the Indian; the Bird of Paradise; the Southern Triangle; the Fly; Cameleon; the Flying Fish; Toucan, or the American Goose; the Water Serpent, and the Sword Fish. The ancients placed those particular constellations or figures in the Heavens, either to commemorate the deeds of some great man, or some notable exploit or action; or else took them from the fables of their religion, &c. And the modern astronomers do still retain them, to avoid the confusion that would arise by making new ones, when they compare the modern observations with the old ones.

Unformed Stars.

Some of the principal Stars have particular names given them, as Syrius, Arcturus, &c. There are also several Stars that are not reduced into constellations, and these are called Unformed Stars.

The Galaxy, or Milky Way.

Besides the Stars visible to the naked eye, there is a very remarkable space in the Heavens, called the Galaxy, or Milky Way. This is a broad circle of a whitish hue, like milk, going quite round the whole Heavens, and consisting of an infinite number of small Stars, visible thro’ a telescope, tho’ not discernable by the naked eye, by reason of their exceeding faintness; yet with their light they combine to illustrate that part of the Heavens where they are, and to cause that shining whiteness.

The places of the fixed Stars, or their relative situations one from another, have been carefully observed by astronomers, and digested into catalogues. The first among the Greeks, who reduced the Stars into a catalogue, was Hypparchus, who, from his own observations, and of those who lived before him, inserted 1022 Stars into his catalogue, about 120 years before the Christian Æra: This catalogue has been since enlarged and improved by several learned men, to the number of 3000, of which there are a great many telescopical, and not to be discerned by the naked eye; and these are all ranked in the catalogue as the Stars of the seventh magnitude.