Word: cassiopeiae
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...northern sky, on the other side of the Pole star from the Big Dipper, is a prominent, W-shaped constellation named Cassiopeia. The bright central star at the peak of the W is called Gamma Cassiopeiae. Of the second magnitude in brightness. Gamma is a hot blue body of some 25,000° C. surface temperature, as against the sun's 6,000°. In the closing months of last year astronomers noted curious fluctuations in the quality and quantity of light from Gamma, which may be throbbing indicators that it is preparing to burst forth as a nova...
Major astronomical problems for the coming year, as explained by the Harvard Observatory, the clearing house for all information on the stars in the western hemisphere, include the study of the bottom star of the "W" in the Cassiopeia which is expected to explode at any time...
This week, however, the Peltier comet continued to approach Earth. When first discovered it was only ten degrees from the North Star. Since then it has swung past the constellations of Cepheus and Cassiopeia in its elliptical path around the Sun. At its closest approach on Aug. 4, it will be in the constellation Aquarius, halfway from horizon to zenith in the southeastern sky. It will then be 15,800,000 mi. from Earth. Observers equipped with good field glasses or small telescopes (8-power or better) will have a fine view of the tail driven off from the comet...