At the distance of the nearest fixed star our sun would shine as a star no brighter than Polaris which is presumably about the sun's size. Polaris revolves around the true pole once in twenty-four hours in a little circle 2½° in diameter. Within this circle two hundred stars have been photographed. The North Star is always elevated as many degrees above the horizon as the observer is north of the equator. Compare the light of the four stars forming the bowl of the "Little Dipper," as they are each of a different magnitude. A standard first-magnitude star is 2½ times brighter than a standard second magnitude star, etc. [Illustration: URSA MINOR] GEMINI (jem´-i-ni)--THE TWINS. (Face West.) LOCATION.--A line drawn from β to κ Ursæ Majoris and prolonged an equal distance ends near Castor, in Gemini. Gemini is characterized by two nearly parallel rows of stars. The northern row if extended would reach Taurus, the southern one Orion. Note the fine cluster 35 M. Herschel discovered Uranus in 1781 a short distance southwest of it. Two wonderful streams of little stars run parallel northwest on each side of the cluster. Where the ecliptic crosses the solstitial colure is the spot where the sun appears to be when it is farthest north of the equator, June 21st. Castor is a fine double for a telescope, and Pollux has three little attendant stars. An isoceles triangle is formed by Castor, Aldebaran in Taurus, and Capella in Auriga. There is a record of an occultation in Gemini noted about the middle of the fourth century B.C. The Arabs saw in this group of stars two peacocks, the Egyptians two sprouting plants, and the Hindus twin deities, while in the Buddhist zodiac they represented a woman holding a golden cord. Since classic times, however, the figure has always been that of human twins. At the point indicated near θ a new star was discovered by Enebo in March, 1912. It attained a maximum of about magnitude 3.5 and has at this writing waned to the eleventh magnitude. [Illustration: GEMINI] AURIGA (â-ri´-ga)--THE CHARIOTEER. (Face Northwest.) LOCATION.--A line drawn from δ to α Ursæ Majoris, and prolonged about 45°, ends near the bright Capella, in Auriga, a star of the first magnitude, and one of the most brilliant in the heavens. It is unmistakable, having no rival in brightness near it. Auriga is a beautiful and conspicuous constellation. It is characterized by a clearly defined pentagon. Note the three fourth-magnitude stars near Capella known as "The Kids." The star β is common to Auriga and Taurus, being the former's right foot and the latter's northern horn. The field within the pentagon is particularly rich in clusters. Capella forms a rude square with Polaris, ε Cassiopeiæ, and ο Ursæ Majoris, and forms an equilateral triangle with Betelgeuze in Orion, and the Pleiades in Taurus. A line from θ to α Aurigæ prolonged about 20° ends near α Persei.