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° S.W. of the Dragon's head. | ||
| 14. | Cygnus | [36] |
| Deneb, its brightest star, is about 20° 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° 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° 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. | Boötes | [54] |
| Located just west of the Crown. Arcturus, its brightest star, is about 30° southeast of η Ursae Majoris. | ||
| 24. | Virgo | [56] |
| Spica, its brightest star, is located by a line drawn from Antares in Scorpius through α in Libra and prolonged about 20°. | ||
| 25. | Canes Venatici | [58] |
| Cor Caroli, its brightest star, is about 17° 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 α and β 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° east of γ 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 β 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 α Pegasi through ζ and θ Pegasi and prolonged about 25°. | ||
| 35. | Aries | [84] |
| Lies just south of Triangulum. A line drawn from γ Andromedae through β Trianguli points out α Arietis. | ||
| 36. | Cetus | [86] |
| The head of Cetus lies about 20° 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°. | ||
| 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] | |