From the above sketch my readers will see how much may be learned of astronomy without optical assistance of any kind, and I hope that those who do not possess a telescope will use their eyes instead, and thus gain some knowledge of the wonders and beauties of the starry heavens. The knowledge thus gained will stimulate their curiosity and will give them keener interest in reading books which describe the still greater wonders revealed by the telescope. FOOTNOTES: [16] Also known as the Dipper and Charles’s Wain.—E. S. [17] The Arabian names Dubhe (Alpha), Merak (Beta), Phecda (Gamma), Megrez (Delta), Alioth (Epsilon), Mizar (Zeta), and Alkaid (Eta). —E. S. [18] Bellatrix. [19] This is the nearest star to the earth.—E. S. THE MILKY WAY.—RICHARD A. PROCTOR To those who rightly appreciate its meaning the Milky Way is the most magnificent of all astronomical phenomena. However opinions may vary as to the configuration of the star-streams composing this object, no doubt now exists among astronomers that the Milky Way consists really of suns, some doubtless falling short of our own sun in brilliancy, but many probably surpassing it. Around these suns, we may fairly conceive, there revolve systems of dependent orbs, each supporting its myriads of living creatures. We have afforded to us a noble theme for contemplation in the consideration of the endless diversities of structure, and of arrangement, which must prevail throughout this immensity of systems. The Galaxy traverses the constellation Cassiopeia. Thence it throws off a branch toward Alpha Persei (Mirfak), prolonged faintly toward the Pleiades. The main stream, here faint, passes on through Auriga, between the feet of Gemini and the Bull’s horns, over Orion’s club to the neck of Monoceros. Thence, growing gradually brighter, the stream passes over the head of Canis Major, in a uniform stream, until it enters the prow of Argo, where it subdivides. One stream continues to Gamma Argus, the other diffuses itself broadly, forming a fan-like expanse of interlacing branches, which terminate abruptly on a line through Lambda and Gamma Argus. Here there is a gap beyond which the Milky Way commences in a similar fan-shaped grouping, converging on the brilliant (and in other respects remarkable) star Eta Argus. Thence, it enters the Cross by a narrow neck, and then directly expands into a broad, bright mass, extending almost to Alpha Centauri. Within this mass is a singular cavity known as the Coal-Sack. At Alpha Centauri the Milky Way again subdivides, a branch running off at an angle of 20°, and losing itself in a narrow streamlet. The main stream increases in breadth, until, “making an abrupt elbow,” it subdivides into one continuous but irregular stream, and a complicated system of interlacing streams covering the region around the tail and following claw of Scorpio. A wide interval separates this part of the Galaxy from the great branch on the