Half-Hours With the Stars: A Plain and Easy Guide to the Knowledge of the Constellations

At 11 o'clock: Feb. 6. At 9 o'clock: Mar. 8. At 10½ o'clock: Feb. 14. At 9½ o'clock: Mar. 1. At 8½ o'clock: Mar. 16. At 10 o'clock: Feb. 21. At 8 o'clock: Mar. 23. Stars of the first magnitude are eight-pointed; second magnitude, six-pointed; third magnitude, five-pointed; fourth magnitude (a few), four-pointed; fifth magnitude (very few), three-pointed. For star names refer to page 4.


The Great Bear (Ursa Major), with its Dipper and Pointers, is now high up in the northeastern sky. The Pointers direct us to the Pole Star, (α of the Little Bear Ursa Minor). A line from the Pole Star to the Guardians of the Pole (β and γ) lies in the position of the minute hand of a clock 18 minutes after an hour. The Dragon (Draco) extends from between the Bears to the horizon—east of north—where its head with its two bright eyes can be seen.


Cepheus is low down, somewhat to the west of north; his Queen (Cassiopeia) the Seated Lady, beside him (α and β mark the top rail of her chair's back); while above her lies the poor constellation Camelopardus, the Giraffe.