The last quarter of our circle lies between the Southern Crown and the
Whale’s tail.
That will be north of the Peacock and Indian. What is the bright star
between the Whale’s tail and Achernar?
The head of the Phoenix. And forming a triangle with it and the tail
is the noble Fomalhaut of the Southern Fish, under the sign Pisces
and near the toe of Aquarius. The Goat Capricornus is to the right of
Fomalhaut.
Why, there is nothing hardly between Fomalhaut and the Crown.
Between the Peacock and the Crown are the two stars close together,
forming the foot of Sagittarius, whose body stretches from the Crown to
Capricornus; while the Crane and the Microscope lie between the Peacock
and Fomalhaut.
It would require a good telescope to see that faint-looking Microscope.
You will see seven stars in a line, left of the Peacock, dipping down
toward the Pole--these form the Crane.
And a long-necked fellow it is, too.”
* * * * *
Another rest was necessary here, to enable James to connect in his mind
the last collection of constellations with his circumpolar ones. His
father then took him to those about the equator and north of it, and
thus introduced him to the twelve signs of the Zodiac.
“You have learned, my dear boy, the names of these signs; I want now to
teach you their positions.
Yes; I would like to know how big the Bull is. Do his horns poke the
polar star, while he hangs his tail over the equator?
Our Bull is a funny one, for he has no tail, because he has no hind
quarters. If he reached from the pole to the equator, a few Bulls would
fill up the sky, and leave no room for Bears, Swans, Hunters, and other
creatures up there. Now look at the Orion’s Belt, and run down the line
of the three stars as you did to Sirius, but in the opposite direction,
as far north as the other is south.