Page:Field Book of Stars.djvu/64

 SAGITTARIUS (saj-i-ta'-ri-us)—THE ARCHER. (Face South.)

—A line drawn from Deneb, in ../Cygnus/, to Altair, in ../Aquila/, and prolonged an equal distance, terminates in Sagittarius, about 10 degrees east of its distinguishing characteristic, the Milk Dipper. Sagittarius is one of the signs of the Zodiac, and lies between ../Capricornus/, on the east, and ../Scorpio/, on the west.

The star groupings in this constellation are very characteristic.

The bow of the Archer is easily traced out.

The star (γ) is the tip of the arrow.

Note the star (μ), which serves to point out the Winter Solstice.

On a clear night, the pretty cluster known as Corona Australis, the Southern Crown, can be seen about 10 degrees below the bowl of the Milk Dipper. Its lucida, the fourth-magnitude star Alfecca Meridiana, culminates Aug. 13th.

Sagittarius is about due south, in a splendid position for observation, during the month of July, between the hours of nine-thirty and eleven o'clock

Note the fine clusters 24 M. and 8 M., also an almost circular black void near the stars (γ) and (δ), and to the east of this spot another of narrow crescent form. 42