101 Camping Out Ideas & Activities

THE STARS

The Indians used the star Alcor in the constellation Ursa Major (the Larger Bear) as a test for good eyesight. Whoever was able to see it had good eyes, and that holds true today.

Incidentally, Ursa Major and the Big Dipper, the seven principal stars within the constellation, make up one of the most striking groupings of stars. The constellation is easy to locate once you have memorized the form, and it can be very useful to you.

To find the North Star or Pole Star, let your eye travel along the imaginary line connecting Merak and Dubhe (see illustration)

for five times the distance between these two stars. The North Star is at the end of this line. To be sure, it is not a brilliant star, but it stands directly in the north.

The Indians called the Big Dipper the "Seven People." The middle star of the handle, Mizar, was "the old squaw with a papoose on her back," and the papoose was Alcor.

The Big Dipper circles the North Star once every 24 hours. Therefore, as the night progresses, the constellation is always in a different position. When it has moved a quarter of a circle around the North Star, you know that six hours have gone by.

The position of the stars changes with the changing seasons. In the spring the constellations you see are different from those visible in the fall. However, you can see the North Star and the groups of constellations nearest it during the entire year. The surrounding stars form a constant circle around the North Star.

If you hold the chart below so that the name of the present season is at the bottom, you will have a picture of the northern sky as it appears about 10 P.M.

The little arrows indicate interesting formations you can see with the aid of a telescope:

D equals Double Star
C equals Cluster of Stars
N equals Nebula

The names in capital letters are constellations, and those in small letters are the brightest stars.

Orion, the "hunter," is probably the most conspicuous con­ stellation in the winter skies. It is also called the Northern Cross. The three central stars represent Orion's belt. The center star in the belt rises exactly in the east and sets in the west. It is in the south when Orion is standing erect in the sky.

February and March: Eastern sky
Stars in the Spring sky

Stars in the Fall sky

Observation times in the Southern sky:
Oct. 1 — 10 p.m.; Oct. 15 — 9 p.m.;
Nov. 1 — 8 p.m.; Nov. 15 — 7 p.m.

Depending on the season, you can locate a large number of constellations with the aid of the North Star if you follow the connecting lines shown in the illustration on the next page.

The brightest stars are indicated by number:

Locating constellations with the aid of the North Star

To make a movable astronomical chart, copy or trace the two charts on pages 67-8. Cut out the two circles you have drawn, and paste them on separate pieces of thin cardboard. Also cut out the inner circle of the top disc to represent the line of the horizon.

How to use the chart: Lay the disc with the horizon cutout on top of the other disc in such a way that the month in which you are using the chart is on top, and the time of observation is directly opposite it on the bottom. Then fasten the two discs together in this position with paper clips. When you are looking south, turn the entire chart so that the word "south" is at the bottom; when you are facing north, the word "north" should be at the bottom, etc. Through the cutout section you will see the sky as it appears over you.

cut out for the horizon

Do not forget to reset the chart for the correct time if you are watching the stars for a long period. Store the chart in a stiff envelope when you are not using it.

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