I was shown this interesting old guide to the stars by a friend today and allowed to borrow. The book is still in good condition considering it is over a hundred years old! The book was origionally his grandfathers' who had an interest in astronomy and also a telescope.
Author M.A.Orr
called "An Easy Guide to Southern Stars"
it was published in 1896 and shows the main Zodiacal constellations and bright stars of the southern hemisphere.
an excert from the book describes how best to remember the "twelve constellations of the Zodiac" with this rhyme...
"The Ram, the Bull, the heavenly Twins,
And next the Crab the Lion shines,
The Virgin and the Scales;
The Scorpion, Archer, and Sea-Goat,
The Man that holds the Watering-Pot,
And Fish with glittering tails"
Also talks about the Zodiacal Light....
"There is also a curious and beautiful phenomenon, seen more often in the clear Southern atmosphere than in Britain, and known as the Zodiacal Light. A pale white light is seen some time after dark in the place where the sun has set, spreading upwards along the track of the Zodiac in the shape of a cone. Astronomers cannot yet quite explainn what it is."
Hi and thanks, yes I'm always excited when I find an *astronomy* book especially an old one!
Here's a great pic by David Marlin of the Zodiacal Light .....
