140 LIST OF TREBLE AND MULTIPLE stars. 1st and 2d: 58° 8' north fol. 2d and 4th: 2d and 3d: 749 0' north pre. 44 Orion, preceding the two t's, or below 1, 2,0; of the third or fourth magnitude. The preceding set of this doubletriple star consists of three equal stars, forming a triangle, and are all dusky. The distance of the two nearest, with a power of 227, is about 3 diameters. The following set consists of three stars of different sizes, forming a circle. The middle star is the largest; the one to the south is pretty large; and the third is very small. The two largest are white, and the smallest pale red. Distance, 361". These stars are east by north from the bright star Rigel, at the distance of about 5o. 12 Lynx, below the eye; about 18° or 19° northeast of Capella, and 16° north of ẞ Auriga. The two nearest of this curious treble star are pretty unequal. The larger is white, and the smaller white inclining to a rose colour: With a power of 227, their distance is the diameter of the smaller one. The first and third are considerably unequal; the second and third pretty unequal; the colour of the third being pale red, and its distance from the first 9". , or 51 Libra; of the fourth or fifth magnitude. This star appears at first double, but the larger of the two will be found to consist of two stars. They are nearly unequal, and both white. With a power of 460, their distance is 4th the diameter of the larger. 4° south of 58 Auriga, in a line parallel to ẞ and 0, southeast of the bright star Capella. This a cluster of stars, containing a double star of the second class and one of the third. The two of the second are very unequal, and both red. Their distance with 460 is 2 diameters of the larger. Those of the third class are equal, and both red. Distance, 17". Above 20 stars are in view with a power of 227. A large star 10 preceding towards 41 of the Swan. The two nearest are extremely unequal. The largest is white, and the smallest pale red. Their distance with 460 is 2 diameters of the largest. The third and the largest are extremely unequal, and belong to the fifth or sixth class. South preceding 27 Swan, the middle of three, the most southern of which is the 27. This star is quadruple and sextuple. In the quadruple of north preceding set, the two nearest are very unequal. Their distance with 278 is 11". The LIST two largest In the sex ty unequal stars are as north line paral magnitude stars in th two neare equal. I third clas cross. Betwe stars are nearest Nea est of > two largest are almost equal, and both red. Distance, 291". In the sextuple or south following set, the two largest are pretty unequal, and both red. Their distance is 19". The other stars are as small as the smallest of the quadruple set. north preceding H Gemini (of the fifth magnitude), in a line parallel to the 65 Orion (in the club, and of the fifth magnitude), and 5 Taurus, the middle of the three. The stars in this quintuple star are in the form of a cross. The two nearest, or the preceding of the five, are extremely unequal. Distance, 20". There is a very obscure star of the third class near the last of the three, in the obscure star of the cross. Other five stars are dispersed about the quintuple one. Between B and Dolphin, but nearer to ß. All the three stars are whitish red, and nearly equal. Distance of the two nearest, with a power of 278, 211⁄2". Near 27 Cepheus, near d. The distance of the two near est of this treble star is about 20". B, or 10 Lyra (of the third magnitude, and about 7° southeast of the bright star Vega). The stars of this quadruple star are all white, the second, third, and fourth inclining to red. The first and second are considerably unequal; the first and third very unequal; and the first and fourth unequal. Distance of the first and second, 44". B, or 78 Gemini (Pollux). The stars of this multiple star are extremely unequal. The nearest distance is 1' 57"; the next distance is 3' 17". In the Unicorn's head. This multiple star consists of one star with about twelve around it. 16° west of Procyon. 5, or 16 Cancer. This very minute treble star requires very favourable circumstances to be distinctly seen. The two stars of which the preceding one consists are considerably unequal. The largest of these is larger than the single star, and the least of the two is less than the single star. The first and second largest are pretty unequal, and the second and third pretty unequal. The two nearest are pale red. They are just separated with a power of 278, and with 460 their distance is 4th the diameter of the smaller one. Zeta Cancri is situated about 12 or 13 degrees southeast of Pollux, nearly in a line parallel to that which joins Castor and Pollux, and nearly the same distance north by east from Procyon. It appears as a star of the fifth or sixth magnitude, and is sometimes distinguished by the name Tegmine. As a 142 GRANDEur of the sIDEREAL HEAVENS. double star, it is easily distinguished by a power of 140, with a 3 feet achromatic telescope, whose aperture is 24 inches, and might, perhaps, be seen with a power of 100. But it requires a much higher power to distinguish it as a treble star. Most of the above stars may be found by consulting large planispheres of the heavens, or a common celestial globe. To facilitate the finding out of their positions, I have inserted in the above list some special directions, which may, perhaps, be of use to the astronomical tyro who is furnished with a moderately good telescope. It is to be regretted that, even on some of our latest 18-inch celestial globes, several of the stars above referred to are not distinctly marked, either with their number or with the Greek letters by which they are generally distinguished, and some of them are altogether omitted; such, for instance, as the celebrated star 61 Čygni, which is a double star, and whose proper motion is greater than that of any other star yet discovered in the heavens. CHAPTER X. ON THE MILKY WAY. As we advance in our survey of the distant regions of the universe, the astonishing grandeur and extent of the sidereal heavens gradually opens to our view. We have hitherto considered only a few objects on the outskirts of the heavens, in respect to their distance, magnitude, and the wonderful complication of systematic motions which prevails among them. Had we no other objects to engage our attention, ages might be spent in contemplating and admiring the economy and magnificence of those starry groups which appear to the unaided eye on the nearer boundary of our firmament. But all that is visible to man's unassisted vision is as nothing when compared with the immensity of august and splendid objects which stretch themselves in boundless perspective towards infinity. The discoveries of modern astronomy have enlarged the sphere of our conceptions far beyond what could have been formerly surmised, and opened to view a universe boundless |