these enormous bodies is three million miles. Both stars are probably surrounded by extensive atmospheres and their united mass is estimated to be two-thirds that of our own sun.
It is said that the famous astronomer Lalande, who died in Paris in 1807, was wont to remain whole nights, in his old age, upon the Pont Neuf, to exhibit to the curious the variations in the brilliancy of the star Algol.
In astrology Algol was considered the most unfortunate and dangerous star in the heavens.
Among the Hebrews Algol was said to represent Adam's mysterious first wife, Lilith. The star has also been called "the Medusa's or Gorgon's Head," "Satan's Head," ".the Spectre's Head," "Double Eye," and the Chinese knew Algol by the unsavoury name of "Piled up Corpses." The Arabs called the star "Al-Ghul," the Demon or "Fiend of the Woods," from which our word ghoul is derived.
Algol is a Sirian star, and is approaching our system at the rate of a mile a second. It is on the meridian at 9 p.m. Dec. 23d, and at that time is almost exactly in the zenith of New York City.
There are two beautiful star clusters in this constellation, situated in the "Sword Hand of the Champion," about midway between the "Segment of Perseus" and Cassiopeia.
Hipparchus refers to them as "a cloudy spot," while Ptolemy called them "a dense mass." They are visible to the naked eye, and present a beautiful appearance in an opera-glass. Seen through a telescope the glory of the sight is indescribable. In one of these clusters at least one hundred stars may be seen in an area less than one quarter as broad as the face of the full moon.
The well-known Perseid meteor shower, with its maximum about August 10th, radiates from this constellation. These meteors are sometimes called "the Tears of St. Lawrence," and the shower has been recorded as far back as the year 811.
α Persei, a star of the second magnitude, bears the name "Algenib," meaning the "Side." It has also been called
