,library of ,australia47 ,,astronomy ,,for ,,young ,,australians4 ,,by ,,james ,,bonwick1 ,f4,r4,g4,s41 ,,author ,,of 8,,geography ,,of ,,australia10 ,,etc41 ,,etc4 ,,melbourne3 ,,published ,,by ,,samuel ,,mullen1 ,,collins ,,street ,,east4 #ahff4 ,,preface ,,to ,,second ,,edition4 ,a cheap edition of the 8,astronomy for ,young ,australians0 having been desired1 to meet the requirements of the ,public ,schools of the colonies1 ,mr4 ,bonwick respectfully submits the present issue to the favourable attention of ,teachers4 ,,st4 ,,kilda1 ,november #a1 #ahff4 ,,astronomy ,,for ,,young ,,australians4 ,a ,fine ship was buffeting the waves1 like a strong swimmer in his sport4 ,the clouds dashed wildly to and fro1 but left many wide spaces of blue to be dotted with stars4 ,the sea was in high spirits1 throwing up spray1 as if to quench the bright lights that looked down so kindly upon it4 ,the vessel quite enjoyed the fun1 and her prow bobbed in the current1 and gathered up the foam to send it flying up the rigging1 or leave it hissing and fuming by her sides4 ,how skittish she was this evening1 as the light clouds ran over her head1 and the wind puffed her laughingly along6 ,she was young and strong4 ,her timbers were tight2 and her yards well braced4 ,she had just left port1 painted and clean1 with a new suit of sails1 and her copper as bright as a fresh-coined penny4 ,and where was she going8 ,laden with the treasures of ,english cotton and woollen mills1 of iron-works1 and other industries1 she was away to the far-off land of ,australia1 on the other side of the round globe4 ,and whom had she got on board8 ,there were sailors to manage the merry ship2 there were passengers1 going from the white cliffs of old ,england1 to dwell in the gum forests of the kangaroo home4 ,as the shore of ,britain melted away in the distance1 men and women hung over the bulwarks1 dreaming of sweet vales they left behind1 and sighing deeply as they thought of loved ones there4 ,how long would it be before they saw those vales again1 or smiled with friends beside that hearth of love6 ,the love of one's country1 as the land of our friends1 the joy of freedom1 the defence of the right and true1 is a duty as well as a delight4 ,and those born in the new land of ,australia should cherish so beautiful and healthful a home1 and help to make it happy in the virtues of its people4 ,one little intelligent fellow1 about ten years old1 hung closely against his mother's dress1 and caught hold of his father's hand4 ,james knew his parents must feel sad at leaving dear ones behind2 and he inwardly resolved to be a great comfort to them now by being a good1 loving son4 ,the last speck of land was gone1 and every body turned round to the ship1 preparing to make that a home4 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,marple thought of their only child1 for others had been left to sleep in a church-yard far away4 ,he was their hope and joy4 ,they determined to add to his happiness1 and secure him from the evil of idle ship-life1 by improving his time and his mind4 ,this very evening1 therefore1 the kind father took ,james beside him in a quiet corner on deck4 ,they spoke at first of aunts and uncles1 cousins and friends4 ,then a plunge of a porpoise turned their eyes to the sea1 or a scream of sea-fowl set them talking of natural history4 ,a sober chat followed1 and a moral lesson came4 ,a sudden unrolling of clouds brought out such a dazzle of starry splendour1 that both gazed with delight upon the ever-wondrous heavens4 ,it was then that ,mr4 ,marple determined1 among other subjects1 to make the boy understand astronomy4 ,this he was to do by leading the lad himself to observe2 and1 under his direction1 to find out the laws of the universe himself4 ,a few stars were pointed out4 ,there was the ,north ,polar star1 that keeps such a constant place4 ,there were the gentle ,pleiades4 ,there was the beautiful ,belt of ,orion to the south4 ,there was1 too1 though very near the waves to the southward1 the bright ,dog-star1 ,sirius4 ,,daily ,,motion ,,of ,,the ,,earth4 ,the following dialogue took place one evening on deck3-- 8,well1 my little fellow1 what is there which so attracts your attention8 for you have scarcely moved for this last half-hour4 ,i have been looking at the stars1 father4 ,what is so wonderful in them this evening8 ,there is something wonderful in them which ,i never noticed before4 ,what is that8 ,i will tell you4 ,when ,i first came upon deck after tea1 ,i saw a bright star rising like as if it came out of the water4 ,while looking at its pretty light1 it seemed to get higher and higher up the sky4 ,did it run away from the other stars1 and get a head of them8 ,no4 ,but ,i thought it did at first1 until ,i had watched1 and then ,i found that the stars around about kept at the same distance from my bright star1 and appeared to keep company with it while climbing the sky4 ,and what else did you see8 ,afterwards ,i thought ,i would watch the beautiful ,sirius4 ,this seemed to be moving on1 too4 ,then ,i looked at others4 ,but they all appeared to be rolling along after one another4 ,what do you make of all this8 ,i can make nothing of it4 ,what puzzles you1 my boy8 ,several things4 ,i cannot understand where all the stars are rolling to1 why they all keep together so cleverly in their motion1 or why they are moving at all4 ,did you see any stars setting as well as rising8 ,yes1 father4 ,well1 as ,i want you to find out this subject yourself1 ,i shall allow you to stay up later this evening1 to give you time to make a few more observations4 ,now1 follow your bright star a little further4 ,look at that blue one overhead1 and trace his journey4 ,have your eyes upon ,sirius1 and the band of ,orion4 ,i will1 father1 and thank you40 99 99 99 99 99 ,the boy was left at his star-gazing1 and intently was his mind fixed upon his work4 ,it was no vacant stare he gave at the heavens4 ,he had an object before him4 ,the conversation was afterwards renewed by the father3-- 8,i should think you were sleepy1 ,james4 ,no1 father3 the stars kept my eyes open4 ,how1 now1 does your star get on8 ,look up there4 ,he has got as far as that4 ,where is the blue-coloured one8 ,o1 that has gone down to the western edge4 ,what of my old friend ,sirius1 and his neighbour ,orion8 ,they have been travelling the same road4 ,well1 you must stop star-gazing to-night4 ,but will you not explain the reason of this curious motion1 my dear father1 before ,i go down8 ,no1 my lad1 you must have another look at the stars to-morrow evening first40 ,the little fellow retired slowly and thoughtfully to his berth2 and dreamed of stars and ships in mingled confusion4 ,how he longed for the sun to leave off his shining6 ,he never watched that orb so as he did that day6 ,he saw it rise1 ascend1 descend1 and set4 ,when the short twilight was over1 the little twinkling bodies came out one by one1 as a few western clouds changed from gorgeous red to colours of a darker hue4 ,he first distinguished ,sirius1 and then the band of ,orion4 ,the blue star took some time to come forth2 but when it did1 there it was right overhead1 as it had been early the last evening4 ,the bright star was again on the tip of the distant waves4 ,he stared again4 ,he remembered how he had left them all the night before1 and now the stars seemed in their old places again4 ,his kind father came up to him4 8,o1 father10 cried the boy1 8all my stars have gone back into their places again this evening4 ,did you see them travel back as you saw them travel forward8 ,no4 ,but there they are1 though ,i do not know how they got there4 ,i think ,i saw you looking pretty often at the sun1 to-day4 ,did you notice anything peculiar about his movements8 ,yes4 ,i noticed that he seemed to go the same road as my stars did the evening before4 ,but you saw him ascend in the east1 rise nearly overhead1 and then set in the west4 ,you did not observe your stars do that4 ,no1 father2 but ,i have it4 ,it took a long while for the sun to go all that distance2 and ,i fancy that if ,i had watched my bright star as long1 ,i should have seen that set in the west also4 ,certainly you would4 ,well1 but how did they get back into their places again8 ,how will the sun manage to get on the east side1 to-morrow morning8 ,ah6 ,i see4 ,what will explain the movement of the stars will explain the movement of the sun4 ,i think you will find it so4 ,there is only one way by which ,i can account for this--they must all turn round the earth4 ,is that it1 father8 ,everybody used to think so4 ,but what surprises me is this2 as the stars are turning round us1 none get before or behind the others4 ,they keep the same distance apart4 ,do you not know that all the stars are stuck in a huge mass of blue stuff1 called the sky1 and that when the sky turns all of them must turn with it1 and1 unless they tumble out1 they must keep in their places8 ,o1 father1 you are joking4 ,well1 then1 if they are not joined together1 why do they move so uniformly8 ,that ,i cannot tell4 ,no two of the stars are of equal distance from us4 ,they are all scattered through space1 like a lot of marbles in a scramble4 ,then if they had to move round the world1 ,i am sure they never would keep in such order1 especially as some would have to go so much faster than others2 for they have a much greater distance to go4 ,they cannot turn round the earth in that way4 ,but yet they seem to do so4 ,yes4 ,but just look forward4 ,do you see how the head of the vessel is dipping into the ,bay of ,biscay8 ,i do1 father4 ,but do you notice that as the bow of the ship sinks and rises1 all the stars to the southward seem to dance up and down8 ,now ,i understand4 ,like as these stars appear to dance about according to the motion of the ship1 so the apparent motion of the stars round the earth in twenty-four hours must be owing to the motion of the earth4 ,the earth must turn over once a day4 ,it is easier to imagine this1 than to imagine such extraordinary motions to take place among the stars40 ,,rotundity ,,of ,,the ,,earth4 ,it was fine fun for the healthy1 hearty ,english boy to be tossed about in the ,great ,atlantic4 ,what a noble1 towering wave was that which raised up the ship1 but only to let it down in the deep trough of the sea1 while its crest hung over it1 as if to drive it to the bottom6 ,as the day passed off1 and the sombre clouds thronged the western horizon1 ,james got toned down1 and became thoughtful and still4 ,then was his face turned from the waves to the stars1 being never tired of watching their motions and admiring their beauty4 ,he had long been regarding the heavens one evening1 when he turned1 as he heard his father's step1 and exclaimed-- 8,the more ,i study the stars1 father1 the more their motions bother me4 ,how is that1 my son8 ,when we first left ,england ,i saw the ,polar star and ,great ,bear a good height up in the heavens1 toward the north1 and ,sirius low down toward the south4 ,have they been playing any tricks with you8 ,i do not know that4 ,but as we have been sailing towards the equator1 ,i have observed the ,great ,bear going gradually down1 and ,sirius as gradually coming up4 ,i am afraid ,i shall lose the ,polar star altogether soon4 ,and now ,i have another trouble4 ,i do not know what to make of a number of new stars coming up from the southward4 ,would it be owing to the shape of the earth1 think you8 ,aye1 ,i never thought of that4 ,if we were sailing on a flat surface all this long way1 would you see these ups and downs of the stars8 ,no1 ,i think not4 ,the truth is1 it seems to me that we have been going up a hill1 if the stars do not move4 ,that will account for your ,great ,bear going down2 but what should cause these new stars to appear in the south8 ,why1 that looks as though we were getting up to the top of the hill1 and should have to go down on the other side4 ,what shape1 then1 do you suppose the world ought to be1 to account for these curious apparent motions of the stars8 ,i fancy it ought to be round1 and that is what ,i have always been told it is1 father4 ,i want to ask you whether you have noticed anything peculiar about the apparent daily motion of the stars4 ,do they all rise in the east and pass over to the west8 ,this is just the subject ,i wanted to speak about4 ,i thought at first that they did so1 and ought to do so4 ,but ,i have since found out that this is not the case4 ,they do not all describe the same sized circle4 ,what have you observed8 ,some make a regular sweep across--others only rise to pop down again4 ,yet there is a more wonderful thing4 ,the stars near the ,north ,polar star perform their circle without going under at all4 ,then the greatest puzzle is1 that the ,polar star always keeps its place without any turning4 ,you do not think that the stars describe circles each day of different sizes according to their distances from the ,polar star8 ,no4 ,i feel sure that it is all a cheat of the eye1 though ,i don't see where the cheat is4 ,i thought you were quite settled in your mind that the apparent motion of the stars was owing to the revolution of the earth4 ,true1 father2 yet ,i see no connection between the movement of the earth and the stationary place of the ,polar star4 ,what appearance would the heavenly bodies present1 were the earth like a big drum rolling over8 ,why1 ,i should fancy that then they would all rise in the east and pass over1 in an orderly1 proper manner1 to the west4 ,though ,i have been told that the earth is round ,i do not understand how that should affect the motion of all the stars1 as we see them4 ,come1 let us see4 ,if the world be round1 then some parts would describe a less circle than others in the daily revolution4 ,of course1 father4 ,would there be any portion that would not turn at all8 ,yes2 the poles1 or extremities4 ,where would be the most motion8 ,at the equator4 ,then1 if the stars be still1 and the earth move and be round1 would not-- ,o1 ,i know all about it now4 ,the stars over the pole would appear still1 because the pole is still4 ,the stars over ,england would appear to describe a larger circle than those of the ,great ,bear over ,sweden4 ,where we are now1 the stars overhead describe a very large circle4 ,and at the equator the greatest circle of all8 ,yes1 yes1--and ,i can now see why the ,great ,bear seems to go away from us1 as we get up the hill toward the equator4 ,that constellation is opposite to a part of the earth a good way to the north of us4 ,as we rise higher from that place1 we must appear to rise higher than the stars over it4 ,how ,i do long to stand under that bright ,belt of ,orion1 and under ,sirius6 ,and how ,i should like to see the pretty ,cross stretched over the mast-head6 ,wait a bit1 my lad1 and you may see all these wonders in time4 ,how delighted ,i am to make out that all those funny motions among the stars are simply owing to the world being round40 ,,size ,,of ,,the ,,world ,it was while half tired of ship life already1 and longing for the excitements of shore in a new country1 that the boy turned round to his father1 and said1 with a sort of yawn-- 8,what a long while we shall be getting to ,australia1 father4 ,it is a great distance to go1 ,james4 ,well1 ,i think the earth must be a good big ball to roll about among the stars4 ,you ought to know its size4 ,i have been told that it is #be1jjj miles round2 but who has measured it4 ,why as to that1 you and ,i might measure it some evening by the stars4 ,you know that the great space between the ,belt and ,polar ,star is one-quarter of the great circle of the heavens4 ,of course4 ,every circle is reckoned to be divided into spaces called degrees1 of which #cfj go to form the circumference2 so that one-fourth will be ninety degrees4 ,you can imagine that space divided into ninety of these portions1 called degrees4 ,what rare compasses that would take6 ,those two bright stars overhead1 which are about twice the same distance apart as the apparent diameter of the ,sun1 would be nearly equal to one of these ninety portions4 ,now1 you know that if you were at the pole1 you would have the ,polar ,star above you2 and1 if at the equator1 ,orion's ,belt would be over your head4 ,i understand all that1 father4 ,you know1 then1 that you might be in a place where one of those two bright stars would be overhead1 and you might journey on to another place further south1 where the other one would be at the zenith or overhead4 ,this is all clear to me4 ,then if you measured the ground you had gone over1 it would be equal to one-ninetieth part of the space between the pole and the equator1 or about seventy miles4 ,can you tell how many miles it would be from the pole to the equator8 ,that would be seventy times ninety--which is #fcjj4 ,but that is only one-quarter of the way round--is it not8 ,yes2 the whole distance round would be four times #fcjj1 or about #be1jjj miles4 ,well done--we have measured the circumference of the world40 ,,the ,,earth ,,not ,,quite ,,round4 8,father10 exclaimed ,james one day1 8the captain has been giving me a riddle which ,i cannot guess4 ,he asks where a pound of shot is not a pound4 ,is he joking with me8 ,not at all1 lad4 ,a bag of shot weighing a pound in ,london1 or even in ,melbourne1 will not weigh a pound on the equator4 ,what queer things you do tell me6 ,how can that be8 ,you know that the world attracts you4 ,yes2 ,i know when ,i jump up ,i am soon brought down1 and sometimes unpleasantly so1 too4 ,as the world is round1 and everywhere the world pulls things down to its surface1 it is as if it were drawing all to the centre4 ,this is called the ,attraction of ,gravitation4 ,and ,i suppose that like as fire is hotter the nearer you get to it1 so does the attraction get greater the nearer you get to the centre of the earth4 ,true2 but can you guess how this gravitation can be weight8 ,i know when ,i pull a thing1 it is as if ,i pushed it1 or put a weight on it4 ,so the pulling of the earth will make the thing attracted feel as if a weight were on it4 ,and can you not see why a pound should somewhere not be a pound8 ,no2 unless ,i made a big hole towards the centre1 and then the pound weight would be heavier4 ,but you told me the world was round1 and it must be as far from the centre at ,london and ,melbourne1 as at the equator4 ,but if from trial it be found that the pound really is less at the ,line1 what would it prove8 ,it proves what ,i can't see1 that the earth at the equator is farther off the centre than what it is at ,london or ,melbourne1 and that would make the earth not a true ,globe4 ,neither is it my son3 though the difference is but little4 ,it is about a dozen miles thicker down to the centre at the ,line than at the poles4 ,then1 as ,london and ,melbourne are each nearly half-way between the line and the pole they will be nearer by six miles to the centre than the equator is4 ,you have solved the problem1 and understand that the world is not a sphere1 but what is called an ,oblate ,spheroid1 being flattened at the poles4 ,as ,i cannot easily find out by weighing that a pound is not a pound3 can you tell me any other way of proving that the earth is not quite round1 dear father8 ,yes1 ,i can4 ,do you see the reason why the pendulum returns down when it is moved up8 ,the gravitation1 to be sure4 ,if a thing weighs heavier in one place than another through a difference of gravitation will there be a difference in the two places with the pendulum8 ,i should fancy that where the earth pulled the harder the pendulum would come down the quicker4 ,if it came down quicker it would rise quicker2 that is1 the beat would be quicker4 ,what effect would this have upon the clock8 ,the faster it beat1 the faster the wheels would be moved1 and the faster the hands would turn on the face4 ,just so3 the clock would be faster in time when the pendulum beat quicker1 and slower in time when the pendulum beat slower4 ,but how could ,i find this out1 father8 ,this way4 ,it is ascertained that in ,london a pendulum must be #ci-a_/g inches from the top to the middle of the swinging-bob to beat a true second at a time4 ,then ,i am sure the ,london pendulum will not be pulled down so hard at the equator1 and so it will be longer coming and going4 ,what must ,i do1 then1 to make my ,london pendulum beat seconds on the equator8 ,why1 shorten it a little bit4 ,yes2 or1 what is the same thing1 move up the weight at the end of the pendulum a little4 ,i must shorten it one-tenth of an inch1 or else it will lose sixteen hours in the year4 ,then all the clocks carried to ,melbourne from ,london will be wrong4 ,will they go too fast or too slowly in ,victoria8 ,they will be a little too slow1 as ,melbourne is nearer the equator than ,london is4 ,if a ,melbourne clock-maker want his second pendulum to beat seconds in ,london what directions must he give8 ,he must tell the folks in ,london to lengthen the pendulum a bit4 ,you will see that by the world being flattened at the poles the degrees of latitude will differ4 ,one close to the equator measures #fh-c_/d miles1 in ,victoria about #fi miles1 in ,england #fi-a_/h1 while in ,lapland it would be #fi-a_/d4 ,what would be the mean length of a degree8 ,about #fi-a_/bj miles4 ,let me multiply that by #cfj1 to find the mean circumference of the world2 ,i have it--#bd1heh miles40 ,,annual ,,motion4 ,the ship was much delayed in the ,region of the ,calms1 as it is called2 that is1 near the equator4 ,after a while the astronomical dialogue was resumed4 8,well1 ,james1 look now at your twinkling friends1 and tell where you are4 ,i suppose by the ,north ,polar star resting upon the waters to the north1 that we must be now nearly on the top of the hill1 by the equator4 ,we are so1 my lad4 ,but what time did the sun rise this morning8 ,at six1 and it set at exactly six this evening4 ,do you know what day of the month it is8 ,the twenty-third of ,september4 ,have you ever observed the sun to rise and set at six o'clock before1 on the voyage8 ,no1 father4 ,well1 then1 you will recollect hereafter that you were upon the equator on the twenty-third of ,september1 when there was equal day and night4 ,but did you not know of equal day and night at home8 ,yes2 about half-way between winter and summer4 ,just so2 that is1 at the end of ,september4 ,why should it be so there in ,england and here too8 ,we will try and find out4 ,i think ,i have pointed out to you the ,pleiades4 ,i know them well4 ,they are in the ,bull cluster4 ,there happens to be a band of twelve constellations forming a broad circle of the heavens4 ,is that what is called the ,signs of the ,zodiac8 ,the same4 ,can you repeat them8 ,yes1 father4 ,aries the ,ram1 ,taurus the ,bull1 ,gemini the ,twins1 ,cancer the ,crab1 ,leo the ,lion1 ,virgo the ,virgin1 ,libra the ,scales1 ,scorpio the ,scorpion1 ,sagittarius the ,archer1 ,capricornus the ,goat1 ,aquarius the ,water-bearer1 ,pisces the ,fishes4 ,over there to the eastward is one of these that rose as the sun was setting4 ,the sun is seen opposite one or other of the twelve constellations in each month of the year4 ,it is observed1 for instance1 to rise each morning for a month in the constellation of the ,ram1 and for the next month in the ,bull4 ,how can it be among those stars when you say they are so much farther off8 ,by saying it is in such a constellation1 ,i mean that it is in a line between us and that cluster of stars4 ,why1 then1 the sun appears to go a journey between the stars and us for a whole year4 ,then it will rise in the ,ram twelve months after it had been seen opposite that constellation4 ,i wonder how this can be4 ,did you not say1 father1 that neither the stars nor the sun really moved8 ,i did4 ,well1 then1 it must be either the stars turning about the sun1 or the sun taking an annual trip about them1 and yet the stars do not move1 and the sun does not4 ,let us leave the sun and his trip for a little1 while we have another talk about the stars4 ,notice that red star just rising there on the larboard side4 ,i have it1 father4 ,as ,i want you to remember it1 take my pocket-book and mark off with the pencil a picture of the star and its four neighbours1 putting a cross under the one that has just risen4 ,there it is1--the under one of this cluster ,i have sketched4 ,i shall know him again4 ,now1 then1 you must go below1 and resume your observations to-morrow4 ,i took the exact time--seven p4m4--when you saw the star rise4 ,you must look for it at seven to-morrow evening40 ,at four minutes before seven the next night1 up rose the pretty object1 and stole a glance at the boy across the ocean4 8,father1 father6 it's up1 it's up60 sang out the happy lad4 ,his father looked at his watch1 and said-- 8,your star did not come to his time4 ,it was four minutes to seven o'clock when he appeared1 and that is four minutes too soon4 ,how is that1 father8 ,i must ask you1 for it is of no use asking the star4 ,perhaps you will still wonder when ,i tell you that to-morrow evening it will be eight minutes to seven before it gets up at this place4 ,why1 this is like the sun among the stars--always getting out of his place4 ,but the sun gets right after a year4 ,do you think our star will ever get right--so as to rise at seven some other evening8 ,i do not know1 father4 ,if it rise four minutes earlier every day when will it be an hour earlier8 ,in half-a-month2 and twenty-four hours earlier in twelve months4 ,but that is the time when it will be visiting at night again4 ,so you have ascertained that the stars go an apparent journey round the earth in a year2 like as the sun takes a year to go his apparent course among the stars4 ,then both must have the same cause4 ,as ,i found the daily motion of the stars was owing to the real daily motion of the earth1 ,i suppose this yearly motion of the stars must be caused by some yearly motion of the earth4 ,either the sun turns round the earth once a year1 or the earth does round the sun4 ,well1 father1 the sun appeared also to turn round the earth once a day4 ,i do not think ,i could run round the deck in two minutes while ,i am two hours doing it4 ,then1 as ,i am satisfied it did not have a daily motion1 ,i am the more disposed not to trust to this apparent yearly motion4 ,it is more likely1 too1 that the little world should run round the great sun1 than that the great sun should revolve round the earth4 ,i perceive you are as settled upon the annual or yearly motion as you were upon the diurnal or daily revolution40 ,,the ,,seasons4 8,james1 my boy10 said ,mr4 ,marple 8do you know why there should be winter and summer8 ,no1 father1 ,i really cannot tell4 ,i know that in ,england the sun was higher up in the day1 and that he stopped up longer in summer than in winter4 ,but then as ,i believed that the sun ran about as he liked1 ,i was not surprised at his change of place4 ,now1 however1 ,i am very anxious to know more about this subject4 ,when were we in the circle of the ,pleiades1 that is1 the place where at some time or other of the twenty-four hours they would be overhead8 ,o1 that was long before we got to the equator4 ,yes1 it was about #aejj miles to the north of us4 ,now we are in the circle of the ,virgin cluster4 ,but the ,bull and the ,virgin belong to the twelve constellations1 of which we were talking1 forming a broad circle1 along which the sun appears to travel4 ,true4 ,but they are not in an upright circle4 ,their line will cross our equator ,line4 ,if that be it1 the sun does not appear1 then1 to go round us over the equator4 ,no2 for if it did1 it would be seen overhead at that place every day at twelve o'clock2 whereas it shifts its course continually4 ,one day it is over one part at noon1 and upon another day over another part4 ,why1 if the circle of the ,zodiac be inclined to the circle of the equator1 it will cross it in two places4 ,i suppose that is the reason why1 on the celestial globe1 one constellation1 as the ,virgin1 is over the equator circle2 others1 as the ,bull1 over some place to the north of it2 and some others1 as the ,scorpion1 to the south4 ,you guess rightly4 ,then if that be it1 the sun must appear to cross the equator twice in the year4 ,it does so on the #bast of ,march and #bcrd ,september4 ,these are the vernal or spring equinox1 and the autumnal equinox4 ,march is the vernal equinox of ,london1 or equal day and night in spring2 but it is the ,australian autumnal equinox4 ,in ,september the ,australias have the spring equinox1 and the ,english the autumnal4 ,the sun is seen overhead to the furthest north on the #bast of ,june1 and to the furthest south on the #bast of ,december4 ,why1 the first is the summer of ,england1 and the last the winter4 ,then ,i suppose that is the reason why in summer the sun looks so high up at noon4 ,then in winter1 as it is shining more over parts south of the equator1 the north would neither see nor feel so much of him4 ,that is correct4 ,you now see why the ,australian summer is at the time of the ,english winter4 ,yes1 father2 because they are on opposite sides of the equator4 ,but you know that the sun does not really move about like this4 ,i want to know what does move4 ,the earth1 to be sure4 ,i understand that2 but neither the rotundity nor motion seems to explain this mystery of the ,zodiac4 ,but let me see4 ,when the world swings round the master light1 is it obliged to keep bolt upright--north pole up and south pole down8 ,how would your equator then be1 ,james8 ,right opposite the sun4 ,but that will not do1 for it is not always opposite to the sun4 ,perhaps the world goes waddling along like a duck1 first on one side a little bit1 and then on the other4 ,this would bring the sun opposite to either place4 ,it would be a very regular waddle4 ,we will try your scheme4 ,pick up that round wooden ball there4 ,carry it round the capstan1 and see whether by twisting it from one side to the other you can keep the south pole shone upon for six months1 and the north pole shone upon for the other six months40 ,james now makes a trial4 ,but after all sorts of turns he failed in producing the ,english winter and summer in the proper time and for the proper length of time4 8,i must give it up1 father4 ,just slant your ball a little out of the perpendicular1 and carry it round your sun without moving it from its position4 ,capital6 ,it explains the whole4 ,when it was in front of the capstan1 the south pole was toward it2 that was the ,australian summer4 ,when ,i went to the right side1 neither end was inclined toward it2 this was the sun over the equator4 ,when ,i came to the back of it1 the north pole was toward it2 this was the ,english summer4 ,when ,i reached the left side1 my equator was opposite to it2 this was the sun's second crossing of the ,line4 ,when ,i got to the front again1 there was my south pole pointing to the capstan again4 ,then you really understand the seasons4 ,of course the spring in ,england is the autumn of ,australia4 ,but ,i have something else to recall to your recollection4 ,have you forgotten the old church on the hill at home8 ,no1 father1 and never shall4 ,how pretty it looked when the sun rose over it upon a fine spring morning1 with the birds all alive with their song1 and the bees down upon the flowers6 ,did the sun rise over the church at hay harvest8 ,no2 ,i remember then it came up from behind the squire's house to the left of it4 ,where was the sun first seen upon a cold winter's morning8 ,aye1 ,i fancy ,i see his red face looking lazily over the parsonage to the right of the church1 and that when we had done breakfast1 too4 ,how came the sun to jump about in that manner8 ,why1 do you see1 he did not hop from one side to the other4 ,he would get a little further from the church each morning till he rose over the squire's house3 then1 as if ashamed1 he seemed to creep back to his old place4 ,afterwards he appeared to take it into his head gradually to get on to the parsonage1 and then he would once more turn to the church4 ,which was on the north-side of the church1 ,james8 ,the squire's house4 ,now1 ,i think ,i can explain all without your questions this time1 my dear father4 ,then go on by all means4 ,the sun rose over the squire's house in summer1 for that was the north side2 the north pole was then inclined to the sun4 ,at spring it was half-way between the squire's and the parsonage2 this was the sun over the equator4 ,in winter the sun rose at the furthest part to the south2 this was where the north pole was turned away1 and the south side turned to the sun4 ,well1 then1 you have satisfactorily explained the seasons40 ,,precession ,,of ,,the ,,equinoxes4 ,it was with no little impatience that ,james had waited for the first appearance of the ,southern ,cross1 the emblem of ,australia4 ,he first noticed it when a long way north of the equator1 and each evening afterwards bestowed a considerable attention upon it4 ,as he made southing on his voyage the glorious constellation rose higher and higher in the heavens4 ,hour after hour would he sit1 marking its progress1 wondering much to see it more or less upright according to the time of night1 and more or less declining from the perpendicular at the same returning hour of evening upon different days4 ,james could understand the ,cross seeming to perform a circle round the south pole of the heavens1 as he had seen the ,bear round the north pole1 from the rotundity of the earth and its daily motion4 ,it was quite natural1 then1 that the lad should be so enthusiastic when he spoke of the constellation to his father in these terms3 8,o that pretty ,southern ,cross6 ,i like it more and more as ,i get down to the south4 ,i did feel sad to see the old ,bear drop gradually1 night after night1 till it seemed to sink for ever in the northern ,atlantic2 but ,i have a new friend here1 that keeps rising higher and higher each night1 as if to welcome us to our southern home4 ,how it would please many boys in ,europe to see the ,cross6 ,but it was seen in ,europe formerly4 ,another puzzle1 dear father4 ,did it run away from the south pole to have a look at the north one8 ,it was not a run1 but a gradual slide out of its place1 and as gradual a slide back into it again4 ,what a queer trick6 ,is it on its rambles now1 ,i wonder8 ,it is always on the move4 ,yes2 ,i know it describes a circle in the sky once in twenty-four hours1 but that is owing to the world rolling over to get its daily light4 ,yet it has another motion2 not really its own any more than the other4 ,and this leads it further away from the central point over our south pole1 and then brings it to its place again4 ,well1 ,i am glad it is here now for me4 ,will there be time for my ,london cousins to catch a glance at it when it wanders northward again8 ,o no1 no2 it does not move quite so fast as that4 ,but if ,abraham had been sojourning in southern ,europe1 instead of ,asia1 he could have seen it1 though it was then making its way back to the south4 ,how could the ,cross slip away from the other southern stars to go on such migrations8 ,not so4 ,all the stars keep their places relatively to each other1 as you see them do in the nightly progress from east to west4 ,in the daily motion none get before the other1 nor did the ,cross get before its neighbours4 ,well1 ,i am fairly done4 ,that is a riddle4 ,look at the question1 boy4 ,what makes the apparent daily motion of the stars8 ,the real daily motion of the earth4 ,and if1 then1 you observe any other peculiarity of movement among your bright friends up there1 to what may you reasonably ascribe it8 ,i should imagine some peculiar twist1 roll1 or slipping of this world of ours4 ,true4 ,and if there be seen among the polar stars1 north as well as south1 a slight but regular movement1 a sort of a swing round1 so that some stars get farther off the spot we call the south pole of the heavens1 while others approached it nearer1 and yet so swung round that at last all find their old places again1 how could you get a motion of the earth to make up for all that8 ,ah6 ,i must contrive that the world should do three things4 ,it must roll over once a day1 roll round the sun once a year1 and yet wriggle about in another way at the same time4--,stop a bit--,i have it4 ,my top turns round itself1 and pretty quickly1 too2 it shifts about on the floor almost in a circle as it turns round2 and ,i see it1 especially when it is quietly spinning1 have a slow roll of the head1 like a sailor when walking ashore1 as if its head were a little giddy4 ,you have hit it exactly1 my good fellow4 ,the three motions of your top are much like the three motions of the world4 ,that top-heavy slow swinging of your top while it is spinning in full force is like a sort of head-rolling of the earth4 ,the poles seem to have a roll of their own1 independent of the regular roll4 ,yes2 and that would make the ,polar stars seem as though they were swinging4 ,but how long are they before they are in their regular places again8 ,astronomers calculate #be1hej years4 ,but will not this changing make the star-charts of the ancients all wrong8 ,indeed it does4 ,aries the ,ram1 for instance1 as a sign1 is the first thirty degrees on the celestial globe2 but as a constellation it has shifted to between the thirtieth and sixtieth degree on the ecliptic4 ,this is called the precession of the ,equinoxes4 ,how is that8 ,i know when the equinoxes are--,march #bast and ,september #bcrd--when it is equal night all over the world4 ,the ,european vernal equinox took place at the first point of ,aries4 ,but by this precession1 or more properly recession1 or going backward of the stars1 the ,equinox takes place when the sun is in ,taurus the ,bull1 two thousand years after it was in the ,ram4 ,i see4 ,the stars not only get earlier four minutes a-day to accommodate the earth in its annual motion1 but make a change to accommodate the swinging of its pole4 ,can you tell me1 ,james1 how much the stars slip back in a year8 ,let me calculate it4 ,there are #cfj degrees in a circle1 and sixty times as many minutes2 that is1 #ba1fjj4 ,as it is #be1jjj years in the circle1 the stars would not shift one minute of distance1 and the sun's apparent size in the heavens is thirty minutes1 or half-a-degree4 ,by this ,precession a star comes to the same spot about twenty minutes later every year4 ,it is1 as it were1 sliding back4 ,in ,europe1 ,james1 one effect has been to bring what we call the ,polar star within one degree of the north pole of the heavens2 whereas1 a few thousand years ago it was twelve degrees off it4 ,the bright star of the ,lyre ,constellation will some day be the ,north ,polar star4 ,ah1 but in #be1jjj years the present ,polar star will be in its old place4 ,the end of the little ,bear's tail seems now fastened on the north pole2 but it must be a sort of greasy pole for the stars to slip off it as soon as they get near it40 ,,fixed ,,stars ,,not ,,fixed4 ,it had been a sultry day4 ,the sun rose with a fiery glance1 and the sea blushed with a deep red as his hot beams glided over the heaving surface4 ,the clouds hung heavily and gloomy in one part of the horizon1 sending back to the sun a glowing1 angry look in exchange for his fierce gaze4 ,it was not long before the massive clouds came rolling up1 as they were pressed forward by the western breeze1 which was rushing forward as hastily as the rest4 ,the sun tried to frighten the advancing vapours1 but could not4 ,they came onward till they covered the sky1 and drove the bright rays from the gilding of the waters4 ,the wind1 rejoicing in its power to drive the clouds1 now flew upon the ocean and buffeted the waves4 ,affrighted at its blows1 they fled hither and thither in their distress1 and mingled their roar of terror with the shrill shrieks and cries of their invisible foe4 ,it was a storm4 ,the captain1 who had been attentively watching the signs1 and losing his breakfast1 saw what was coming1 and prepared for it4 ,the sails were taken in1 and the ship made snug and safe4 ,the storm came with a wild burst all at once1 and reeled the vessel almost upon its side4 ,but the officer was there1 the helmsman was awake to his duty1 and the lounging barque kept on her course in spite of her erratic movements4 ,james was not insensible to fear4 ,he was but a boy4 ,and when1 in addition to the noise of wind and billows1 the thunders came pealing from the heavens1 he instinctively clapped his fingers to his ears1 as if to drown the sound and his fears4 ,the vivid stream of lightning1 as it darted from cloud to cloud1 played round the ship1 or plunged madly into the sea1 added to the interest and the terror4 ,but the echoes died away to whispers4 ,the clouds put on their snowy robes4 ,the ripples gently laughed on the bosom of the ocean4 ,the sun1 no longer angry1 smiled kindly upon the scene4 ,in the evening1 a few lines of vapour were motionless in the sky2 and the long1 uncertain heavings of the waters told that a calm was softly ruling all4 ,the boy was found by his father looking at the placid face of the heavens4 8,what1 boy6 at your old post1 staring at ,orion again4 ,i'll tell you what ,i was thinking of1 father4 ,you see the world is like this ship--always on the rock1 never really still--and ,i was thinking how pleasant rest is1 and what a lot of it they must get up there in the fixed stars4 ,not so2 we are now learning that they are1 like some boys1 not so steady as they look4 ,you surely don't mean to say that such respectable old folks as ,sirius and his bright friends ever go dancing about in the heavens like giddy ,venus and ,mercury8 ,i know they appear to tumble about over our masts in a storm at night1 but that is because the ship is rolled over by the winds and waves4 ,it is really true that they do not keep to their places1 though the change of position is so very slight as not easily to be discovered4 ,your friend ,sirius1 for instance1 has been closely watched1 ,dog as he is1 for two thousand years4 ,we know what his place was that time ago1 and what it is now2 and it has shifted to the southward half-a-degree4 ,that is as much as the apparent diameter of the sun4 ,but has he any company in his rambles8 ,yes2 the ,bull's ,eye1 ,aldebaran1 has kept up pace with him4 ,quite right to have an ,eye upon the ,dog4 ,but has any exact difference of position been observed since we have had good telescopes8 ,the star sixty-nine of the ,swan has been well watched for fifty years1 and found to have gone on four minutes--the eighth part of the moon's face4 ,a star in the ,indian has moved seven seconds in the year4 ,they are not fixed1 like the ancients thought they were1 in a crystalline sphere2 or riveted1 as ,aristotle taught4 ,pray1 is our sun no more fixed than the rest of them8 ,he1 too1 is on the move4 ,but where are they all going to8 ,that has been a matter of dispute4 ,some thought the stars were dancing round ,sirius4 ,but ,mdler1 the ,german astronomer1 would have us believe that they have a greater fancy for some spot near the ,pleiades4 ,others think of ,hercules4 ,but all would take many millions of years40 ,,distances ,,and ,,sizes ,,of ,,the ,,stars4 ,james had a long talk with the captain one day about the telescope1 and got a capital lesson about the magnifying power being according to the character and size of the glasses used4 ,the sailors called the instrument the 8,bring 'em near20 and it does make distant objects look as if near4 ,it was explained to the boy that the stars were of different magnitudes or sizes1 first1 second1 third1 c41 according to their relative distances4 ,the following conversation followed between the father and son3-- 8,now1 my boy1 ,i must try and give you some idea of the penetrating power of light1 that you may get an idea of the enormous distances of the stars4 ,you are aware that the more distant they are the less their light4 ,a star of the first or nearest magnitude will have one hundred times the light of one of the sixth magnitude4 ,a telescope1 therefore1 gathering one hundred times the ordinary light1 will make the sixth look as near as the first4 ,and will it be one hundred times further off8 ,no2 light increases or diminishes according to the square of the distance4 ,i know4 ,if the light be one hundred times less1 the star will be ten times further off1 for the square of ten is one hundred4 ,i can understand now that a thing is only seen by the help of light4 ,i do not see many stars1 because their light is too little for my eyes to take in4 ,the telescope has bigger eyes to take in the light of the distant stars and nebul4 ,the pupil of the eye is but one-eighth of an inch in diameter4 ,an object glass of twelve inches diameter is1 therefore1 ninety-six1 or say one-hundred times as long4 ,as the light seen is according to the square of the diameter1 the telescope of twelve inches will receive one hundred times one hundred1 or ten thousand times more light4 ,but is there a way of measuring the quantity of light8 ,there is4 ,we find that the sun has twenty-two thousand millions of times more light than the nearest of the fixed stars4 ,then1 the square root of this ought to tell how much further off it is4 ,let me see4 ,it will be about #aej1jjj4 ,yes4 ,if the sun were put back #aej1jjj times further than it is1 it ought to look as brightly as that star4 ,if it does not1 it is because it is really smaller than the star4 ,what6 #aej1jjj times #ie millions6 ,but that is nothing2 for it is only to the first rank4 ,what of the twentieth magnitude8 ,yes4 ,but you say the nebul are further off than that4 ,i may tell you that if the sun moved three times as fast as the world does1 in its six hundred millions of miles a year1 it would take two hundred and fifty millions of years to get to as far as ,lord ,rosse's telescope could see4 ,that takes my breath away4 ,hear a little more4 ,light comes from the sun to us in eight minutes4 ,it will take sixty thousand years to come from one of those stars ,lord de ,rosse saw4 ,in fact his telescope has enlarged our universe one hundred and twenty-five million times4 ,then ,i think religious people ought to thank astronomers for showing them more of the greatness of ,god4 ,those who only thought of him as the ,creator of the three thousand stars1 to be seen by the naked eye1 could not have such a notion of his vast power as those who know of millions upon millions of suns40 99 99 99 99 99 ,after this1 ,james was left to digest such wonderful lessons4 ,when his first astonishment had passed away1 his curiosity was excited to know more about the distances of the stars1 so that he might form a simpler idea of the thing4 ,he took1 therefore1 another occasion of bringing up the subject in these words3-- 8,father1 do you really believe the stars are so far off8 ,i am obliged to believe many things ,i do not understand1 upon the testimony of trustworthy witnesses2 but in this case ,i can form a good guess of the truth4 ,do you remember what ,i once told you of the parallax1 or angle of observation of the sun or moon8 ,yes4 ,that of the moon was #eg minutes1 and the sun #h-c_/d seconds4 ,a degree is #fj minutes1 and a minute #fj seconds4 ,very well4 ,then #eg minutes1 or #cdbj seconds1 will be four hundred times as much as the other4 ,if the moon be #bdj1jjj miles off1 the sun will be four hundred times further or #if1jjj1jjj4 ,but how do you get this parallax8 ,distances are calculated by the angle made in looking at an object from two places4 ,the two lines of sight cross one another4 ,a great base is needed to view a distant object1 or else no angle can be observed4 ,astronomers take the diameter of the earth's orbit4 ,that is twice ninety-five millions of miles4 ,with that base--that is1 looking at a star from both sides of our orbit1 or at six months' interval--we could get the two lines crossing one another1 and so making an angle4 ,the further the object1 the more minute the angle4 ,only a few of the fixed stars could be observed in this way1 as they generally are too far off to give an angle4 ,i know an equilateral triangle has its three angles equal to two right angles2 and with ninety degrees for one right angle1 each angle of the triangle will have sixty degrees4 ,but ,i suppose no star parallax could be one degree4 ,no2 nor a minute1 the sixtieth part of one degree4 ,when the object makes an angle of a second1 or sixtieth of a minute1 from a base line of one hundred and ninety millions of miles1 the distance of the star will be about twenty millions of millions of miles4 ,is there any star making the second angle8 ,the alpha of the ,centaur is about that1 and is one of the nearest of fixed stars4 ,that the nearest to us1 and yet so far6 ,do tell me the distance of some others4 ,there is one1 #fa ,cygni1 of the ,swan1 with one-third of a second2 and1 therefore1 three times the distance of the alpha ,centaur4 ,there is a star in the ,lyre which is one-fifth of a second4 ,grand ,arcturus is one-eight4 ,the ,north ,polar ,star is one-tenth4 ,pretty ,capella1 of the ,kid1 is one-twentieth2 that is1 twenty times farther back than a ,centaur4 ,as it looks one of the brightest stars1 it must be very large4 ,what of old ,sirius8 ,the angle he makes with our orbit diameter is one-fourth of a second2 so that he is about #hj1jjj1jjj1jjj1jjj miles4 ,thank you1 dear father1 for these terrible long figures4 ,their great distance may give us a good guess of their great size4 ,i know the size of the sun to be half-a-degree in the heavens1 at a distance of ninety-five millions of miles1 and yet it is really eight hundred and eighty-six thousand miles diameter1 ,i have been told4 ,when1 then1 a star is millions of millions of miles away1 ,i am sure it must be a big one to be seen at all4 ,it is so4 ,if the sun were thrust back as far as the star a ,centaur1 it is calculated that it would not shine with more than one-third of the light that star now gives us2 it must1 therefore1 be not more than one-third its size4 ,but you said ,sirius was four times farther off than the ,centaur1 father4 ,yes2 and it gives four times as much light4 ,it is1 then1 probably four times as large4 ,it must be1 therefore1 many times larger than the sun4 ,i am sure it ought to have more planets turning round it than the sun has1 or else have them much larger in size40 ,,constellations4 ,it was a calm1 still1 moonless night1 which closed in with raven wings a glorious sunset in the ,south ,atlantic ocean4 ,the gay clouds1 in brilliant dress1 that hung about the sun as he glowed to his evening rest1 had gradually changed their garments for those of more sombre hues2 and then1 as gradually1 had changed from mountain shapes to feathery forms1 till softening night dissolved them into invisible vapour4 ,the stars came stealthily forth2 a few bolder ones rushing first to the front1 while the more modest stars feared to show themselves till the last sign of daylight fled4 ,first1 second1 third1 fourth1 and other magnitudes thus successively gleamed from the cloudless arch1 above and around the boy4 ,after a time he said-- 8,why were the ,ram1 ,bull1 ,lion1 ,scorpion and others so called8 ,i have often wondered at their odd names1 and have tried to make out a bear in the ,great ,bear1 or a dog about the stars near ,sirius1 but never could see any resemblance to the animals4 ,i don't wonder at your surprise4 ,some learned astronomers of our day pretend that the ancients by the ,nile and ,euphrates had no meaning in the names they gave to the constellations4 ,this is not likely1 especially as we know that the signs of the ,zodiac were pictured in their temples4 ,but who gave the names to the other stars that are not signs of the ,zodiac8 ,the ancients4 ,but it is time now to sleep away all thought of the stars in the care of ,him who cares for the stars40 99 99 99 99 99 ,during the night our young friend had a disturbed rest4 ,the constellations kept circling round him2 while lions1 bulls1 fish and crabs were mingled1 in strange confusion4 ,they glared at him with their hollow eyes till the boy was quite frightened1 and cried out in his sleep4 ,the morning sun awoke the boy1 and put to flight the stars4 ,when sweet evening came the twinkling lights stole forth again1 and the astronomical dialogue was renewed by ,james4 8,please1 father1 ,i want to know the various constellations4 ,we will class them1 my son1 into ,north ,polar1 ,south ,polar1 and ,equatorial4 ,the ,north ,polar star1 at the end of the ,little ,bear's tail1 is a capital guide for the north pole2 but ,i don't see any ,little ,bear southward1 walking round his tail-tip1 like a horse tethered in a paddock1 so that ,i may discover the south pole4 ,no1 we have not a ,south ,polar star1 and no bright stars at all near the south pole of the heavens4 ,let us have a little more about the ,zodiac first1 father4 ,i know the twelve signs are constellations over the tropics2 but ,i don't know why you call them the ,zodiac4 ,zodiac is from a ,greek word1 meaning a small figure of an animal1 as they are nearly all animal figures4 ,how many northern and southern constellations are there8 ,in the ancient celestial atlases we find twenty-one northern and fifteen southern1 besides the ,zodiac2 then more were added of new ones named or old ones subdivided1 till we have1 including the ,zodiac1 sixty-two northern and fifty-five southern constellations4 ,of course1 the old astronomers of ,egypt and ,babylon could not have seen all the south polar stars8 ,we should hardly fancy it4 ,strange tricks have been played with the names of the constellations4 ,only think of ,english writers1 sixty years ago1 wanting to have your ,orion called ,nelson2 and the ,university of ,leipsic1 to please the ,french emperor1 proposed to steal the belt and sword from ,orion1 and call them the constellation of ,napoleon4 ,i am glad they didn't1 though4 ,but how is the line drawn to distinguish the spaces of the constellations8 ,their sizes vary4 ,orion1 for instance1 takes up a great space in the heavens1 while others occupy little room4 ,how many stars go to make up a constellation8 ,you mean those seen by the naked eye4 ,these differ in number4 ,i will run over some of the ,zodiac4 ,aries has #ff1 ,taurus #ada1 ,gemini #hc1 ,cancer #he1 ,leo #ie1 ,virgo #aaj1 ,libra #ea1 ,scorpio #dd1 ,sagittarius #fi1 ,capricornus #ea1 ,aquarius #ajh1 ,pisces #aac4 ,but there must be a lot more seen in them by the telescope4 ,yes4 ,the six stars of the ,pleiades turn out to be #ahh4 ,in ,orion there are #bjjj stars easily distinguished4 ,your three in the belt are #hj1 and the star in the sword you find to be a dozen4 ,will you kindly show me1 dear father1 how ,i can find the south pole of the heavens1 as there is no bright star near it8 ,i will try and give you a rough chart4 ,look at the ,southern ,cross4 ,draw an imaginary line from the top star through the one at the foot2 and four times that distance in the same line will bring you to the south pole of the heavens4 ,yes2 and if ,i had that point over my head ,i should be where no one else has been--at the south pole of the earth4 ,now ,i have my centre1 ,i would like to describe a circle at the distance of the ,cross and know the stars inside of it4 ,begin1 then4 ,look at the two bright ones pointing toward the ,cross beside it4 ,they are the ,pointers to the ,cross4 ,a lot of bright stars together1 on the other side of the ,cross1 are in the ,ship1 ,argo4 ,follow on the circumference that way1 and you arrive at a large star1 a little north of our course1 called ,canopus4 ,from the ,cross to ,canopus is one-quarter of the circle round the pole1 and it is filled up with the ,ship4 ,what a ship6 ,it goes northward1 too1 to ,sirius1 the ,dog-star4 ,canopus is half-way between ,sirius and the south pole1 and is in the line between the two4 ,that is a capital point1 for ,i know them4 ,south of the ,ship1 between it and the pole1 are the little ,flying ,fish4 ,the ,table ,mountain and ,chameleon1 with feeble stars1 are between the ,fish1 again1 and the poles4 ,now ,i have that quarter of the circle1 well4 ,keep on to the right1 still away from the ,cross and beyond ,canopus1 nearly as far again1 and you see a bright star in our circle1 which is called ,achernar1 at the bottom of the long ,river ,po4 ,not the ,italian river1 but the ,celestial one4 ,that heavenly stream runs northward to ,orion4 ,now1 between ,canopus and ,achernar we see but few stars1 although we pass the constellations of the ,painter's ,easel1 ,rhomboidal ,net1 and ,clock4 ,between ,achernar and the ,pole are the tiny stars of the ,little ,hydra4 ,but between the ,little ,hydra and the ,flying ,fish1 resting like on the ,table ,mountain1 is the beautiful ,nubecular ,major1 the great ,magellanic ,cloud4 ,now ,i know where ,i am again4 ,the ,rhomboidal ,net is on one side of the ,cloud1 and the ,flying ,fish on the other4 ,the ,table by the ,pole is south of it4 ,but what is north of it1 for ,canopus is not quite in a line with the ,cloud and the ,pole8 ,the ,sword ,fish is on the ,cloud4 ,but go again to ,achernar1 and draw a line thence to the ,pole4 ,why1 it goes right through the ,little ,magellanic ,cloud4 ,that ,cloud is between the ,hydra and the ,toucan4 ,that bird's head beyond ,achernar is in our circumference of the ,cross4 ,a little further on that round line is the bright star in the ,peacock's head2 though the ,indian1 with his arrows1 stands between the ,peacock and the ,toucan4 ,the very place for a hunter4 ,but go on1 please1 for you are fast completing the circle1 by getting back to the ,cross4 ,the end of the ,peacock's tail brings us three-fourths round2 and above it1 from the ,pole1 is the ,southern ,crown4 ,i see it2 but it ought to hang over something better than a ,peacock's tail4 ,it so happens that the ,telescope comes between them4 ,below the ,peacock1 and close round the south pole1 is the constellation ,octant4 ,now for the last quarter1 between the ,cross and the ,peacock4 ,i know part of that--the ,cross's ,pointers4 ,but what are those three stars a little below the ,pointers1 toward the ,peacock8 ,they are the ,southern ,triangle4 ,between the ,cross and the ,pole is the ,fly2 while between the ,triangle and the ,pole is the ,bird of ,paradise4 ,what a cold place to put so delicate a bird6 ,but to what constellation do the two ,pointers to the ,cross belong8 ,to the ,centaur's two fore feet4 ,the last of my circumpolar stars are those of the ,altar1 lying north of the ,triangle1 a little to the left of the ,pointers4 ,you may see them on the edge of the ,milky ,way--two stars close together1 and four others to the right further apart4 ,the ,compasses1 hardly to be noticed1 are between the ,altar and the ,pointers40 99 99 99 99 99 ,this was a long lesson1 requiring much study afterwards4 ,when ,mr4 ,marple thought the lad knew the southern stars near the pole1 he was ready to advance with the constellations again1 and proposed to take a fresh round4 8,we will10 said he1 8take another sweep round the heavens1 embracing the space between our old circle of the ,cross and that over the equator1 though ,i will not take equatorial stars now4 ,may we begin at the ,crown1 father8 ,between the ,cross and ,crown is the ,altar4 ,north of and near the ,crown is ,sagittarius the ,archer1 beside which is the ,scorpion4 ,how can ,i tell that8 ,the ,scorpion has a line of bright stars coming down south to the ,altar1 with a twist like a curl in its tail4 ,what is that bright red star at the upper end of it8 ,antares of the ,scorpion4 ,the bright star near it further north is in the ,libra or ,scales4 ,the fine star as far from the ,pointers as they are from the ,pole is in the shoulder of the ,centaur1 half horse and half man4 ,is he fighting anything8 ,yes2 he is running his spear through the mouth of the ,wolf1 which is stretched between ,antares and the ,pointers4 ,the ,centaur comes down to the ,cross1 and goes up north to the great ,hydra1 on which the ,crow is perched4 ,what a beautiful star that is over ,centaur1 about twice as far from the ,cross as that from the ,pole6 ,that is ,spica in the ,virgin1 close to the ,crow4 ,that makes up one quarter of our second circle4 ,looking still to the right1 and north of the ,cross1 do you see any good-sized stars8 ,no1 father1 there is nothing worth looking at for the next quarter beyond the ,cross and ,ship till we get to ,sirius4 ,yet there are the ,pneumatic ,pump and the ,mariner's ,compass4 ,the great ,hydra stretches itself all from the ,scorpion1 under the ,crow1 the ,cup1 and the ,sextant1 from near ,antares to ,canis ,minor1 the ,little ,dog4 ,where is the ,little ,dog8 ,to understand that we must go on to our third quarter of the circle4 ,you know ,sirius and the three starred belt of ,orion4 ,the ,belt is exactly over the equator4 ,the three stars lead you down south to ,sirius1 and a line at right angles brings you to ,procyon of the ,little ,dog1 which thus forms a triangle with ,sirius and the ,belt4 ,get the ,pole1 ,canopus1 and ,sirius in a line1 and a little further to the north1 on the one side you have the ,belt1 and on the other ,procyon4 ,though ,i see no stars of any consequence between the ,great and ,little ,dogs1 is there any constellation there8 ,monoceros1 the ,unicorn1 keeps them apart4 ,the ,hare and ,noah's ,dove are on the other side of ,canis ,major4 ,they are both south of ,orion4 ,in the ,dove1 a little out of the line half-way from ,canopus to ,sirius1 is the pretty ,phact4 ,the five stars in a line between ,canopus and ,sirius are in ,canis ,major1 the ,great ,dog ,constellation4 ,what a gay show of stars between the ,pole and ,orion6 ,but what a blank beyond to the right4 ,i see one1 however1 opposite to ,sirius1 forming a parallelogram with it1 the ,belt1 and ,phact4 ,that is ,zaurack1 in the ,river ,po2 and the great space beyond that1 to the right1 far north of ,achernar1 is ,cetus the ,whale4 ,the star ,menkar or ,menhab1 a little north of ,zaurack1 is in the ,whale's head1 while ,diphda is in its tail4 ,achernar is about half-way from ,diphda to the ,pole4 ,between the two are the ,chemical ,furnace1 the ,sculptor1 and the ,phoenix4 ,i don't care about these4 ,have you not nearly got round1 father8 ,the last quarter of our circle lies between the ,southern ,crown and the ,whale's tail4 ,that will be north of the ,peacock and ,indian4 ,what is the bright star between the ,whale's tail and ,achernar8 ,the head of the ,phoenix4 ,and forming a triangle with it and the tail is the noble ,fomalhaut of the ,southern ,fish1 under the sign ,pisces and near the toe of ,aquarius4 ,the ,goat ,capricornus is to the right of ,fomalhaut4 ,why1 there is nothing hardly between ,fomalhaut and the ,crown4 ,between the ,peacock and the ,crown are the two stars close together1 forming the foot of ,sagittarius1 whose body stretches from the ,crown to ,capricornus2 while the ,crane and the ,microscope lie between the ,peacock and ,fomalhaut4 ,it would require a good telescope to see that faint-looking ,microscope4 ,you will see seven stars in a line1 left of the ,peacock1 dipping down toward the ,pole--these form the ,crane4 ,and a long-necked fellow it is1 too40 99 99 99 99 99 ,another rest was necessary here1 to enable ,james to connect in his mind the last collection of constellations with his circumpolar ones4 ,his father then took him to those about the equator and north of it1 and thus introduced him to the twelve signs of the ,zodiac4 8,you have learned1 my dear boy1 the names of these signs2 ,i want now to teach you their positions4 ,yes2 ,i would like to know how big the ,bull is4 ,do his horns poke the polar star1 while he hangs his tail over the equator8 ,our ,bull is a funny one1 for he has no tail1 because he has no hind quarters4 ,if he reached from the pole to the equator1 a few ,bulls would fill up the sky1 and leave no room for ,bears1 ,swans1 ,hunters1 and other creatures up there4 ,now look at the ,orion's ,belt1 and run down the line of the three stars as you did to ,sirius1 but in the opposite direction1 as far north as the other is south4 ,i have it--a beautiful star between the ,belt and the pretty ,pleiades4 ,that is ,aldebaran1 the ,bull's eye4 ,your ,pleiades are in the ,bull's neck4 ,the ,hyades are the cluster near the eye4 ,what is the great star1 a little out of the road1 between ,aldebaran and the ,belt8 ,that is ,betelgeux1 in the shoulder of ,orion1 who is looking up to the ,bull4 ,betelgeux is on the north side of the ,belt2 and ,rigel1 of ,orion's heel1 is at the same distance to the south of the ,belt4 ,aldebaran1 ,rigel1 and ,menkar1 of the ,whale's nose1 form an equilateral triangle4 ,aries the ,ram is to the right of the ,bull1 near where his tail should be1 and ,orion is to the left or east1 but a little southerly4 ,but now for the ,twins4 ,are they the two right north of ,procyon1 and forming the corner of a right-angled triangle with ,betelgeux and ,procyon8 ,they are the ,twins1 ,castor and ,pollux1 though the latter is the larger4 ,cancer the ,crab is to the left of the ,twins4 ,i cannot see so much as the claw of him4 ,but ,i see a splendid star further to the left1 with ,procyon between it and the ,belt4 ,that is ,regulus in ,leo the ,lion4 ,it is one of his forepaws1 and beyond to the left is ,deneb1 of the ,lion's tail4 ,the little lion is north of ,leo1 and between it and the ,great ,bear1 the favourite constellation of ,england4 ,virgo the ,virgin should come next4 ,i can see ,spica1 which is twice as far from the ,cross northward as the ,cross is from the ,pole4 ,spica is in the ear of corn held in the ,virgin's hand4 ,the ,virgin's head touches the ,lion's tail at ,deneb4 ,what a tall lady she must be6 ,but what is that staring star forming the head of a triangle with ,deneb and ,spica8 ,the ,arcturus of ,job1 in the knee of ,bootes the ,husbandman1 standing on ,mount ,moenalus4 ,the small stars between ,arcturus and ,deneb are in the hair of ,berenice4 ,the ,northern ,crown1 between ,hercules and ,bootes1 is seen nearly overhead in ,england4 ,you have got a long way from us now1 father4 ,please come back to the ,virgin4 ,well1 then1 you know the ,southern ,crown1 at any rate4 ,sagittarius is right over it northward1 while ,antares of ,scorpio is to the right a little4 ,the stars of ,libra the ,balance must be somewhere between ,spica and ,antares1 ,i suppose4 ,the two stars together in the equator1 just north of ,scorpio1 are in the old man ,ophiuchus1 who is south of ,hercules4 ,there is a serpent on each side of him4 ,what nice company6 ,yes1 with the club of ,hercules shaking over his head1 and ,poniatowski's ,bull ready to toss his shoulder4 ,but he has the shield of the ,polish hero ,sobieski behind him1 which hangs1 too1 over the head of ,sagittarius4 ,how shall ,i find ,aquarius8 ,he has his foot on ,fomalhaut1 he leans back on ,capricornus1 and has ,pisces1 the ,fishes1 on the other side4 ,what is the great star north of ,capricornus8 ,that is ,altair1 in ,aquila the ,eagle1 whose wings are spread over the equator4 ,aquila is between ,ophiuchus and ,aquarius4 ,as we have got over ,aquarius1 and come to ,pisces1 which are over ,cetus the ,whale1 ,i suppose we are at ,aries again4 ,we are4 ,but ,i should like you to know that ,pegasus1 the ,flying ,horse1 is over ,aquarius1 and that the ,swan and ,lyre are between that and ,hercules1 and north of the ,eagle4 ,taking a line from the south pole through the ,whale's tail1 we have a bright star in the back of ,pegasus1 called ,algenib1 not far from the junction of the equator and ecliptic in ,pisces4 ,the star beyond ,algenib1 further north1 is larger1 though4 ,alpherat is its name1 and it is one of the eyes of ,andromeda1 the lady with the chains on her hands4 ,o1 ,i know all about that story1 father4 ,the ancients said she was fastened to a rock in the sea1 and a monster was gnawing at her4 ,but a warrior1 called ,perseus1 came with his sword and delivered her4 ,then1 as you have ,andromeda's eye1 you can fancy the ,zodiacal ,fish biting her1 and ,perseus with his sword to the left4 ,there is a triangle between ,aries and ,andromeda4 ,what a dazzling star that is1 forming the north corner of a triangle with ,aldebaran and the ,twins4 ,yes1 ,capella1 or the ,little ,kid1 in the arms of ,auriga1 is certainly very fine4 ,auriga's foot is on the ,bull's head4 ,half-way from ,alpherat of ,andromeda to ,capella1 is ,medusa's ,head1 just over the ,pleiades4 ,we have gone round1 ,i think1 father1 but ,i do wish ,i could see the old ,bear again4 ,you have only to imagine yourself following out a line from the ,belt through ,castor and ,pollux4 ,yes1 but ,i should have to dive down into the ocean to reach his claws40 ,,double ,,stars4 8,that wonderful tell-tale1 the #8telescope1' reveals the double character of some stars10 said ,mr4 ,marple4 8,there are six thousand stars which are thus double4 ,that is singular4 ,there are some in the ,pleiades1 in the ,dog1 in ,orion1 and in the ,southern ,cross and ,crown4 ,but the most wonderful part of my story is yet to come4 ,some of these double stars revolve round each other4 ,what6 ,great suns at a tremendous distance from one another1 walk round one another8 ,why1 if they have planets round them1 like our sun has1 these must have a fine double journey to make4 ,how many of these strange stars are there8 ,about #fej of them are ,binary or revolving4 ,but which stands still to have the other revolving round it8 ,they both move1 each one round the other4 ,a regular polka in the heavens1 father4 ,and yet ,i suppose they are not just like a gentleman and his lady partner4 ,i don't know that2 for it has been observed that a number have different colours to their companions4 ,while one is blue1 the other will be yellow4 ,one shall be green1 and its mate will be orange4 ,one-half are white1 and one-tenth are both blue4 ,that does please me4 ,how ,i should like to be in a planet where my sun should be blue1 and its companion sun red4 ,it would be so funny to get up in the morning and see my sun blue1 throwing a blue tint on everything4 ,then1 when the other sun rose1 a rich red would steal over the blue1 and change everything4 ,but when the blue sun had set1 the red one would have it all its own way1 and bathe my world in its ruddy light4 ,that fancy is good1 and not very improbable either2 especially if the other sun should come pretty near your sun at times1 as it is likely they move in an ellipse4 ,can you tell me1 dear father1 how long these pleasant binary stars take in performing their polka8 ,one in ,hercules takes thirty-one years4 ,in our old ,great ,bear1 a binary pair take sixty-one1 and in ,leo eighty-two4 ,in the ,swan we have #agh years1 and in the ,virgin #ahb4 ,in the ,crown we have two several times given of #fjh and #gcf years4 ,it is believed that one pair are #abjj years4 ,the ,north ,polar ,star is double1 and is thought by some to revolve in #fjjj years4 ,please1 father1 tell me some more about the colours of the double folk4 ,the ,polar double stars are red and white4 ,in ,scorpion1 there is a white one and a lilac one2 in the ,centaur1 we have both orange2 in ,andromeda1 crimson and green2 in the ,lion1 gold and green2 in one of ,scorpio1 ,white and plum2 in ,castor1 yellow and green2 in ,antares1 both are bright red2 ,arcturus was all red in #ahda1 and yellow in #aheb4 ,i wonder how far these partners are from each other4 ,that is difficult to ascertain4 ,the binary stars of the ,swan are thought to take #dej years going their circuit1 and yet to be billions of miles away from each other4 ,there is little danger of quarrelling at that distance apart1 father4 ,astronomers talk of stars running against one another4 ,there are also triple stars4 ,three stars polkaing in and around each other6 ,that is odd4 ,where are there any8 ,in the ,lyre and ,scorpion4 ,in the latter the colours are white1 grey1 and yellow4 ,in the ,swan the largest star is very yellow1 and its two mates are blue4 ,but more wonderful still1 in ,orion there are four stars thus rolling round each other40 ,,periodical ,,and ,,variable ,,stars4 ,it was upon a lovely evening1 when off the coast of ,south ,america1 ready to slip across by the side-help of the ,south-east ,trades to the ,cape of ,good ,hope1 that ,mr4 ,marple found his son at his old post4 8,now then10 said he1 8my star-gazing boy1 are you quite sure that none of them have run away since last night8 ,i am not sure of that1 father2 for ever since you proved that the ,fixed stars were not fixed1 ,i think ,i might some day find a bright friend gone on a visit to another universe somewhere2 perhaps1 getting into such agreeable society as to have no wish to come back again to our visible universe2 or1 maybe1 to pop back again in his place4 ,it so happens1 ,james1 that what you have imagined1 really takes place4 ,some stars do really disappear1 to return1 or not2 and others1 wholly strangers to us1 come within observation4 ,that is the queerest thing you have told me yet4 ,what droll fellows the stars are1 after all6 ,how they do wriggle about1 polkaing here1 doubling there1 and fielding about like boys at cricket4 ,i shall never be surprised at any funny trick you ascribe to them4 ,to begin with the ,variable stars1 of which there are known about one hundred4 ,there is ,mira1 which is invisible five months in the year4 ,it goes and comes again4 ,where could it have got to8 ,some think it revolving round a dark object2 and1 of course1 becoming invisible when on the other side from us4 ,one passes through three magnitudes in one month4 ,but ,i must give you the history of such a curious star in the ,whale4 ,for two weeks you might see it a noble star of the second magnitude4 ,it gradually dims1 till it goes fairly out of sight in three months4 ,for five weeks you see nothing of it4 ,it then reappears4 ,altogether it seems to have a revolution of #cbb days2 and is1 therefore1 one of the ,periodical stars4 ,i should call it a variable periodical4 ,there is another in ,cepheus1 which grows to its full light in thirty-eight hours only4 ,there is one in the ,lyre taking ninety-one hours4 ,some fancy that the dark appearance may be owing to huge spots on the suns coming into view as the suns turn round4 ,but there is still another sort of star--the ,temporary4 ,do they come and have a look at us in their birth1 and then disappear never to return8 ,i will tell you the history of one4 ,in #aegb an astronomer saw it shining in the daytime4 ,he could not find it in his star catalogue at home4 ,day after day it grew brighter and brighter1 till it blazed far more than either ,sirius or ,jupiter1 and could be plainly seen in the noontide sun4 ,it then grew dim gradually1 and in two years went away altogether1 without returning since4 ,that is temporary1 and no mistake4 ,but still ,i guess they will find him turning up some day and becoming a regular ,periodical4 ,there is a wonderful star1 ,argus1 in ,argo4 ,two hundred years ago it was of the fourth magnitude only4 ,in #ahcd1 ,sir ,john ,herschel1 when at the ,cape of ,good ,hope1 found it a second magnitude4 ,the light was three times stronger at the end of #ahcg4 ,next month it was brighter than any star here but ,sirius4 ,it faded awhile1 and then increased1 till1 in #ahdd1 it was equal to ,sirius itself4 ,have they looked over the old catalogues of stars1 made1 as you told me1 two thousand years ago1 just to see what ones have dropped out of sight1 father8 ,yes1 and several have disappeared which were on that list40 ,,milky ,,way4 ,the stars were out in their very best humour1 looking so clear and merry in their twinkling2 while the ,milky ,way stole out to view in all its maiden1 lily beauty4 ,can we wonder1 then1 that our young voyager sang out-- 8,o what a splendid starlight night6 ,there seems to be ever so many more stars than usual4 ,can any one count them all8 ,yes2 those you now see are about #bjjj4 ,but the telescope shows us far more4 ,there are #ej1jjj regularly catalogued4 ,a magnifying power of #ahj would give #bj1jjj1jjj4 ,a small patch of the ,milky ,way has revealed millions of stars4 ,milky ,way1 father6 ,o that is that serpent-like twisting of white stuff across the heavens4 ,but why should it look so white and all other parts so black8 ,because it is there that most of the stars lie1 and give out the brightest light4 ,but ,i don't see that the milk is all stars4 ,take up the telescope and look at that white patch near that red star4 ,what a pretty sight6 ,why1 a lot of the milk has turned into stars already4 ,i am sure there must be a tremendous lot to be seen through the telescope of an astronomer4 ,do you remember the ,milky ,way on the northern side of the equator8 ,yes1 father1 and ,i think it a prettier looking white snake in the sky than this one up here1 for it had more spangling stars about it4 ,i must say that the northern constellations are more brilliant than those of the south4 ,and what a great bit of the south side has hardly any stars at all4 ,just look1 father1 there to the westward1 and there to the eastward4 ,they both look as if lighted up with a few children's toy-candles1 compared to the dazzling light of the north1 and right overhead toward the south4 ,the ,milky ,way is narrowest near the ,southern ,cross1 and widens both ways after4 ,near the ,scorpion's tail it is very broad--about twenty degrees1 while at the ,cross it is about four degrees4 ,there is a curious opening in it near ,sirius1 like a long1 narrow1 dark lake among the mountains of snow4 ,and ,i can see one star at the end1 like a ship in full sail upon the lake4 ,the ,milky ,way runs up in threads near the ,scorpion4 ,from the ,swan down to the ,southern ,cross it is in two bright lines1 enclosing a long dark space4 ,but look at the two pretty bridges over the black waters1 connecting the two shining walks at the sides4 ,you remember1 then1 that the ,milky ,way1 seen in the north and south1 is a great ring of different breadths going round the heavens1 and passing at some little distance from both poles4 ,it is like the ,egyptian story you told me1 father1 of the people worshipping a serpent with his tail in his mouth4 ,how singular that this milk-stream should be poured right round the heavens in a huge broad circle6 ,the ,galaxy1 or ,milky ,way1 is seen to great advantage near the ,cross4 ,it is about the milkiest in that quarter4 ,and ,i can make a good guess now about the two ,magellanic clouds1 as the captain called them--these two clouds of light not far from the ,cross4 ,why1 they are only places where the shining stuff is thickest4 ,you would1 then1 really believe there might be lots of stars in those clouds4 ,yes2 but what are the two black clouds8 ,look at them attentively1 and tell me what you think of them8 ,there is no milk there1 anyhow4 ,i suppose they look black by contrast with the bright clouds near4 ,how cold and dreary they seem6 ,and yet now ,i can make out a few stars scattered about1 like ships on a big sea at a great distance from one another4 ,the early navigators southward used to call them the ,coal ,sacks1 because so black4 ,why1 the ,southern ,cross seems to rise from that pear-shaped ,coal ,sack1 and all at once to get crowned with a blaze of light4 ,true1 my dear boy4 ,the ,cross of our faith has often brought man from the darkness of doubt and misery into the glorious light of freedom and hope4 ,thank you1 kind father1 for saying that4 ,i do trust ,i may always have the cross shining on my way through life40 ,,the ,,nebul4 ,how wondrous a sight did ,james think the ,milky ,way6 ,evening after evening would he stare at the weird-looking object4 ,moonlight eclipsed it1 as sunlight the stars4 ,the atmosphere through which we contemplate the heavens at times obscures their glory4 ,that dreamy radiance is easily concealed from view4 ,the bold planet looks down upon us with an unblinking eye4 ,the fixed stars peep more coyly1 with an uncertain lustre4 ,the ,milky ,way1 yet more retiring1 seldom deigns to do more than glance timidly at us here4 ,with our magnificent climate in ,australia1 we are favoured beyond most countries with its soft1 peculiar light4 8,what is a ,nebula1 father8 said ,james4 ,a white1 cloudy patch in the heavens4 ,there are about five thousands of them scattered about space4 ,you said the ,milky ,way was made up of stars and ,nebul1 and that many patches of white1 when looked at with a good telescope1 turn out to be only lots of stars4 ,yes4 ,these are the ,resolvable ,nebul4 ,but there are ,irresolvable1--that is1 some of them still look cloudy with our best telescopes4 ,can you find me a ,nebula in ,orion8 ,what must ,i look for8 ,a small1 distinct1 white patch of light4 ,no2 ,i don't see it4 ,look again4 ,do you see the ,belt1 with a bright star over it1 and one about the same distance below it8 ,i see all that clear enough1 but not your ,nebula4 ,look1 boy1 steadily and closely between the ,belt1 and that top bright star ,rigel1 where on the ,atlas is pictured the sword-handle of the great hunter4 ,i don't feel very sure1 but ,i fancy ,i can distinguish something that ought to be it4 ,many folks1 my boy1 can see what they are told to expect4 ,well1 that white irregular patch of light has had telescopes looking at it a good while1 without anything being seen beyond a dreamy-looking cloudy matter4 ,i'll be bound ,lord ,rosse solved the riddle4 ,he did not for some time4 ,he was able at last to think he could see stars2 then by more patient watching he resolved the ,nebula into sandheaps of stars--millions upon millions4 ,what6 millions upon millions where other telescopes could not distinguish one star4 ,what shape is ,orion's ,nebula8 ,it is rather patchy1 with innumerable streamers of light1 as if wind were blowing the gauze stuff about in all directions4 ,you might fancy in it the jaws and head of a monster1 with an elephant's proboscis4 ,what a nice little nose that must be4 ,one part rises like a conical cloud in the midst of the black sky4 ,in the part which had appeared mottled ,rosse found a blaze of stars4 ,can all the ,nebul be observed by the naked eye8 ,no1 my lad1 very few4 ,but after all they are only lots of stars got crowded together like1 because they are so far from us4 ,yet there are ,nebul not to be resolved into stars even by ,rosse's six feet mirror4 ,just turn round to the ,southern ,cross4 ,you see the two bright ,pointers to the ,cross1 a part of the ,centaur4 ,look now to the other side of the ,cross1 where there is a collection of stars scattered about4 ,that is the ,argo or ship4 ,ah6 ,i can see a sort of light there4 ,is that the ,argo ,nebula8 ,yes1 and a very large one it is4 ,thousands of stars can be observed in it by the telescope2 but beyond these is still the same filmy light1 as irresolvable as ever4 ,there must be a lot of ,nebul by the ,cross1 judging by the blaze of light4 ,there is a very fine one there1 of a blue colour4 ,one near ,spica1 of the ,virgin1 is quite round1 and of enormous size4 ,but there is a very odd ,crab ,nebula between ,orion and the ,bull's eye4 ,it branches out like the claws of a crab4 ,what an enormous ,crab6 ,we have a ,dumb-bell ,nebula near the ,lyre4 ,oh6 who could swing that about8 ,pray tell me some more about these queer creatures1 father4 ,many in the south are planetary ,nebul1 as they are in the midst of a cluster of stars4 ,they are always of a pale blue colour4 ,some are double ones4 ,about a dozen ,nebul are annular1 or ring-shaped4 ,some are double or treble ringed4 ,others have rings within rings1 and star-like eyes in the darkness4 ,a few have a long1 parsnip form4 ,there are solid ,nebul1 and hollow ones4 ,one near ,castor was found by ,rosse to be arched like eyebrows above and below1 with a curious1 crab-like form in the middle4 ,i wonder what it would look like should a better telescope reach it6 ,wonder1 indeed6 ,some ,nebul seen by ,herschel get quite another shape with ,rosse4 ,the six-feet mirror gives another look to that by the three-feet one4 ,then ,i can scarcely believe the present shapes1 as a better instrument may resolve the thing into another creature altogether4 ,but is there any other sort beside the globular and annular8 ,yes2 a good many are spiral1 or corkscrew form4 ,something like a shaving that a plane fetches off a plank1 father4 ,but some of your celestial shavings have a wild look4 ,clever men have fancied that the star-dust is rolling up that way by a sort of gravitation into a regular form4 ,what of the two clouds in the heavens opposite to the ,southern ,cross1 down in the south8 ,they look uncommonly like monster ,nebul4 ,and monsters indeed they are4 ,in the larger one of them three hundred ,nebul and globular clusters of stars have been distinguished1 and fifty in the smaller one4 ,then there is room enough in the ,cloud for a whole universe8 ,yes1 when we find the larger ,magellanic ,cloud1 or ,nubecula ,major1 as it is called1 taking up many times the space occupied by the sun in the sky4 ,the ,nubecula ,minor1 or ,little cloud1 is about one-fourth the size of the larger4 ,what do you mean by ,nubecula8 ,a little cloud4 ,they are called the ,magellanic clouds because first noticed in the voyages of ,magellan the ,portuguese1 three hundred years ago4 ,what a space they must take up in reality6 ,especially if1 as astronomers believe1 the clusters of stars and patches of nebulous matter in the two clouds there are as far off from each other as from this earth4 ,what is known about the ,coal-,sacks8 ,the larger ,coal-,sack1 or black empty space not far from the two clouds1 is of a pear shape1 and occupies a space of eight degrees long by five broad4 ,its darkness is only comparative1 as two hundred stars have been noticed therein by a good telescope4 ,are the ,nebul of the ,clouds peculiar8 ,one in the centre is very large1 and has an odd dark space in its middle4 ,it is also surrounded by a circle of ten other ,nebul4 ,like bright guards around a king4 ,another consists of four starry centres1 or nuclei1 which are curiously united by a very faint nebulous matter4 ,do1 father1 tell me more of these ,nebul4 ,then ,i will talk about some singular filaments1 or threads of light1 seen around the nebul1 which have much puzzled astronomers4 ,those filaments about the ,nebul of ,orion and ,argo are wonderfully strange4 ,they are the arms1 ,i suppose1 pointing into the dark space near1 as much as to say1--#8,you know nothing about us1 or of what we can see around us1 looking so black to you1 and so bright to us4' ,not a bad idea1 boy4 ,when ,sir ,john ,herschel had a look at our southern hemisphere1 he observed beyond the ,nebul a few scattered1 faint bits of light in the dark region1 too fine for him to turn into ,nebul by his glass1 and looking like some more distant light blushing through the darkness4 ,they are like telegraphic messages1 father4 ,about forty of these strange glimmerings of future universes yet to be revealed were seen by ,sir ,john4 ,well1 dear father1 you can't go further than that4 ,if it take #fj1jjj years for some of the stars to send us their light1 just to say #8,how do you do8' how long would it take for these faint1 modest blushes of the distant sky8 ,how great1 then1 is ,god1 my son1 and how grateful should we be for ,his notice6 ,let us so please ,him here1 that after death our souls may fly to that heaven of joy ,he has prepared1 wherever in the vast universes of ,his it may be40 ,,the ,,sun ,,and ,,planets4 ,the planet ,venus had been shining brilliantly evening after evening4 8,why1 father10 said the boy1 8does ,venus shift her place so rapidly among the stars8 ,because she has to travel round the sun1 as the world and other planets do4 ,and is the world really a planet1 looking like a star to the people of ,venus8 ,yes2 and not visible at all to those of the distant planets1 which are all so much nearer to us than the nearest of the fixed stars4 ,some of the planets you could not see without the telescope1 and you see none of the asteroids4 ,what are they8 ,little planets1 over eighty in number1 perhaps the shattered parts of an exploded planet1 travelling along the old road1 and keeping a circle between ,mars and ,jupiter4 ,then they are not like the comets1 which run everywhere1 getting in everybody's way8 ,you are slandering the comets4 ,these shadowy bodies1 with tails of light1 travel in longer ovals or ellipses than the planets4 ,we see them when they turn round the sun1 which is near one end of their orbit1 but they disappear afterwards in the great distance of their curve4 ,well1 ,i can see some use in the sun to us1 but very little in the planets and other stars1 and none in the comets4 ,you must not selfishly judge of the good of things by the use you can make of them4 ,the extensive granite ranges were not made merely for man's building materials1 nor the stars for a gaze through a telescope4 ,as the world existed many millions of years without man1 so have the stars4 ,in another world we may know more of the why and because of ,god's creation4 ,may not the planets and other stars be inhabited by folks like ourselves8 ,not quite1 my son1 replied ,mr4 ,marple1 though ,god can make intelligent beings to praise ,him1 who would be adapted to any atmosphere or condition of the stars40 ,in the evening the captain lent ,james a book1 from which he copied the following table of the ,eight ,planets--their distance from the sun1 their times of revolution round the sun1 and their size3-- ,distance4 ,time4 ,diameter4 ,miles4 ,miles4 ,mercury #cg1jjj1jjj #b months #cajj ,venus #fi1jjj1jjj #g-a_/b 0 #gijj ,earth #ic1jjj1jjj #a year #gibj ,mars #adf1jjj1jjj #b years #djjj ,jupiter #did1jjj1jjj #ab 0 #ib1jjj ,saturn #ijf1jjj1jjj #cj 0 #ge1jjj ,herschel #ahbj1jjj1jjj #hj 0 #cf1jjj ,neptune #bhej1jjj1jjj #afd 0 #cc1fjj ,,reviews ,,of ,,mr4 ,,bonwick',s ,,colonial ,,works4 ,,robertson1 ,,publisher4 ,geography of ,australia and ,new ,zealand4 #crd ,edition4 8,mr4 ,bonwick is entitled to great credit for this attempt to create an ,australian school literature1 and as his book is used by the educational boards of ,melbourne1 a better testimonial to its value is afforded than any general expression of approbation by the press could yield40--,sydney ,morning ,herald4 8,mr4 ,bonwick has been for many years resident in these colonies2 he has access to the best sources of information2 he has been indefatigable in his efforts to produce a book which might be a standard one on the subject he treats2 and he has succeeded40--,melbourne ,argus4 8,it is the work of a man thoroughly familiar with his subject1 a colonist of fourteen years' standing1 a traveller1 and a practical teacher4 ,the book does not contain a superfluous word2 it is what a book for schools should be1--compact and simple40--,london ,athenum1 ,october1 #ahef4 8,from what we know of ,mr4 ,bonwick's antecedents1 he is the person best adapted to prepare such a work4 ,a man of education1 liberal and enlightened views1 a resident of many years' standing in these southern lands1 and a person possessed of much experience in tuition1 must have been well adapted for the task he has executed40--,sydney ,freeman's ,journal4 ,discovery and ,settlement of ,port ,phillip4 8,future historians will turn to it as a repertory of valuable facts1 lucidly1 systematically1 and chronologically stated2 for the most part well authenticated1 and all of them of the deepest interest1 because bearing upon the infancy and rapidly maturing youth of a country whose splendid destinies have yet to be revealed1 and whose future greatness may transcend both our hopes and our belief40--,melbourne ,argus1 #ahef4 8,my chief object being to depict ,victoria1 not as she was1 but1 as she is now1 ,i shall not trouble the reader with long narrations of early history4 ,these have been earnestly and copiously given by the industry of ,mr4 ,bonwick in his recent publications40--,mr4 ,westgarth's 8,victoria40 ,the ,wild ,white ,man and the ,blacks of ,victoria4 ,two ,shillings4 8,mr4 ,james ,bonwick1 late ,inspector of ,schools in ,victoria1 and whose name will be familiar to very many of our readers1 has just published a second edition of his very interesting book1 #8,the ,wild ,white ,man and the ,blacks of ,victoria4' ,mr4 ,bonwick is too highly respected in this colony to need further aid from us now than the statement that he has issued this new edition1 and that the publishers are ,messrs4 ,fergusson and ,moore1 ,flinders lane east40--,melbourne ,argus1 #fth ,november1 #ahfc4 8,the style is always terse and pointed1 and it has uniformly the most resistless charm of playful ease and the utmost simplicity4 ,australian scenery is painted with the pencil of an enthusiast1 and the imaginative portions of the work are treated with rare descriptive power40--,age4 8,mr4 ,bonwick is thoroughly in earnest1 and tells his story with an air of generous enthusiasm1 which alone invests what he has to say with an uncommon amount of interest40--,ballaarat ,star1 ,oct4 #cj4 ,astronomy for ,young ,australians4 8,this is ,written in a thoroughly popular style1 and has received the benefit of ,mr4 ,ellery's revision4 ,this little work will doubtless enjoy1 as its merits deserve1 a large sale40--,argus4 8,we have met with no work which is so suitable for teaching ,astronomy to our ,australian youth as the one before us40--,chronicle4 8,the book is written in a most captivating style4 ,it makes the story of our brilliant southern skies almost as interesting as a fairy tale4 ,we hope this very meritorious book will be at once introduced into all our common schools1 as it well deserves to be1 since it supplies a want--a felt want40--,weekly ,review4 ,grammar for ,australian ,youth4 8,the ,grammar is a superior book40--,adelaide ,examiner4 ,the ,bushrangers2 illustrating ,early ,days of ,van ,diemen's ,land4 8,it exhibits a correct position of the state of society in earlier days40--,hobart ,town ,colonial ,times4 ,western ,victoria3 its ,geography1 ,geology1 and ,social ,conditions4 8,he has something to tell us2 does it in easy1 graceful1 purpose-like style that is charming to us3 ,a man who knows his work and does it40--,christian ,times4 8,a most charming1 readable book40--,portland ,guardian4 ,,also ,,published1 ,geography for ,young ,australians4 #dth edition4 ,sixpence4 ,ninepence ,cloth4 ,,twentieth ,,thousand6 ,botany for ,young ,australians4 ,early ,days of ,melbourne4 ,western ,victoria2 an ,educational ,tour4 ,early ,days of ,england4 ,bible ,stories for ,young ,australians4 c4 c4 c4 ,,transcriber',s ,,notes3 ,text in italics is surrounded by underscores3 italics4 ,obvious typographical errors have been corrected4