Transcriber’s Notes: Underscores “_” before and after a word or phrase indicate _italics_ in the original text. Small capitals have been converted to SOLID capitals. Illustrations and footnotes have been moved so they do not break up paragraphs. Typographical and punctuation errors have been silently corrected. STARS OF THE SOUTHERN SKIES [Illustration: SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE] STARS OF THE SOUTHERN SKIES BY M. A. ORR (MRS. JOHN EVERSHED) AUTHOR OF “AN EASY GUIDE TO SOUTHERN STARS” AND “DANTE AND THE EARLY ASTRONOMERS” “All experience is an arch wherethrough We glimpse the untravelled world whose margin fades Forever and forever.” _WITH ILLUSTRATIONS_ LONGMANS, GREEN AND CO. 39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON FOURTH AVENUE & 30TH STREET, NEW YORK BOMBAY, CALCUTTA, AND MADRAS 1915 All rights reserved TO MISS MARY PROCTOR CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE THE GREEK LETTERS x INTRODUCTION xi I. THE CONSTELLATIONS OF THE SOUTH: MODERN GROUPS 1 II. THE CONSTELLATIONS OF THE SOUTH: ANCIENT GROUPS 6 III. THE TEN BRIGHTEST STARS OF THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE 15 IV. STARS OF DIFFERENT AGES 23 V. SOME NEAR NEIGHBOURS 32 VI. DOUBLE AND MULTIPLE STARS 35 VII. THE ASTONISHING STAR, ETA ARGŪS 40 VIII. MIRA, THE WONDERFUL STAR 46 IX. ECLIPSING STARS 51 X. SHORT-PERIOD VARIABLE STARS 54 XI. IRREGULAR AND DOUBTFUL VARIABLES 57 XII. STAR-CLUSTERS 59 XIII. GLOBULAR STAR-CLUSTERS 66 XIV. NEBULAE 72 XV. OTHER TYPES OF NEBULAE 80 XVI. THE CLOUDS OF MAGELLAN 85 XVII. THE MILKY WAY 88 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE MAP OF THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE _to face Title_ THE OLD CONSTELLATION FIGURES OF THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE _to face page 6_