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
Next look at Cassiopeia, which is distinctly marked out by the zigzag
row of stars so well described by Aratus. Here the Milky-Way is so rich
that the observer hardly needs any guidance; he is sure to stumble upon
interesting sights for himself. The five brightest stars are generally
represented as indicating the outlines of the chair or throne in which
the queen sits, the star Zeta ([zeta]) being in her head. Look at Zeta
with a good field-glass, and you will see a singular and brilliant array
of stars near it in a broken half-circle, which may suggest the notion
of a crown. Near the little star Kappa ([kappa]) in the map will be seen
a small circle and the figures 1572. This shows the spot where the
famous temporary star, which has of late been frequently referred to as
the "Star of Bethlehem," appeared. It was seen in 1572, and carefully
observed by the famous astronomer Tycho Brahe. It seems to have suddenly
burst forth with a brilliance that outshone every other star in the
heavens, not excepting Sirius itself. But its supremacy was short-lived.
In a few months it had sunk to the second magnitude. It continued to
grow fainter, exhibiting some remarkable changes of color in the mean
time, and in less than a year and a half it disappeared. It has never
been seen since. But in 1264, and again in 945, a star is said to have
suddenly blazed out near that point in the heavens. There is no
certainty about these earlier apparitions, but, assuming that they are
not apocryphal, they might possibly indicate that the star seen by Tycho
was a periodical one, its period considerably exceeding three hundred
years. Carrying this supposed period back, it was found that an
apparition of this star might have occurred about the time of the birth
of Christ. It did not require a very prolific imagination to suggest its
identity with the so-called star of the Magi, and hence the legend of
the Star of Bethlehem and its impending reappearance, of which we have
heard so much of late. It will be observed, from the dates given above,
that, even supposing them to be correct, no definite period is indicated
for the reappearance of the star. In one case the interval is three
hundred and eight years, and in the other three hundred and nineteen
years. In short, there are too many suppositions and assumptions
involved to allow of any credence being given to the theory of the
periodicity of Tycho's wonderful star. At the same time, nobody can say
it is impossible that the star should appear again, and so it may be
interesting for the reader to know where to look for it.
Many of the most beautiful sights of this splendid constellation are
beyond the reach of an opera-glass, and reserved for the grander powers
of the telescope.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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