ABSTRACT
There are two disadvantages in the way of a teacher who wishes to make his pupils in astronomy really study nature. He can not be with them at night without inconvenience, and work outside of school-hours. This is the first difficulty. Another is, the impossibility of having the planets brought out for inspection when we want them, and also because, when they come, their motions are very slow. The brighter stars in all the constellations, when joined by imaginary lines, form figures which are very easily recognized when once suggested. The drawing of a constellation must be made two or three times rapidly, and then the students are directed to turn over a leaf and draw from memory. The whole exercise, properly managed, need not take more than ten minutes. It should take place on the morning of a day which looks as if it would be followed by a clear night.
