Astronomy with an Opera-glass: A Popular Introduction to the Study of the Starry Heavens with the Simplest of Optical Instruments — John Shaqi
Astronomy with an Opera-glass: A Popular Introduction to the Study of the Starry Heavens with the Simplest of Optical InstrumentsServiss, Garrett Putman
Science
Astronomy with an Opera-glass: A Popular Introduction to the Study of the Starry Heavens with the Simplest of Optical Instruments
Serviss, Garrett Putman
Astronomy
In the same way you will be able to find the constellations Cassiopeia,
Cepheus, Draco, and Perseus. Don't expect to accomplish it all in an
hour. You may have to devote two or three evenings to such observation,
and make many trips indoors to consult the map, before you have mastered
the subject; but when you have done it you will feel amply repaid for
your exertions, and you will have made for yourself silent friends in
the heavens that will beam kindly upon you, like old neighbors, on
whatever side of the world you may wander.
Having fixed the general outlines and location of the constellations in
your mind, and learned to recognize the chief stars, take your
opera-glass and begin with the constellation Leo and the star Regulus.
Contrive to have some convenient rest for your arms in holding the
glass, and thus obtain not only comfort but steadiness of vision. A
lazy-back chair makes a capital observing-seat. Be very particular, too,
to get a sharp focus. Remember that no two persons' eyes are alike, and
that even the eyes of the same observer occasionally require a change.
In looking for a difficult object, I have sometimes suddenly brought the
sought-for phenomenon into view by a slight turn of the focusing-screw.
You will at once be gratified by the increased brilliancy of the star as
seen by the glass. If the night is clear, it will glow like a diamond.
Yet Regulus, although ranked as a first-magnitude star, and of great
repute among the ancient astrologers, is far inferior in brilliancy to
such stars as Capella and Arcturus, to say nothing of Sirius.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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