The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-01-26

lecturer on astronomy, delivered the first OF
course of lectures IN the lecture room Of the
Mercantile Library Association, last evening.
The room was not so we'll filled as we antc-
pated, from the wemerited popularity of the
lecturer. We have heard the professor deliver
similar course, before An immense audience,
composed of the most eminent among the lite
rati OF the capital OF Scotland, who were delight
ed with the mastery manner In which he han
died the subject. Professor N. is well known
as one OF the most dligent, intelligent, and sue
cessful Investigators OF the movements of the
heavenly bodies; and we have no doubt all who
have an anxiety to know more OF the great first
cause IN the works of creation, will avail them
selves OF the opportunity to hear DR.. Nichofs
lectures.
Professor NIcHoL arose amid great applause and
said: -
Ladies and Gentlemen From tho kind reception l
have already received, have learned enough Of Anne
RIGA to drop the title Of stranger The intercourse ex
listing between America and Great Britain becoming
greater and greater both morally and otherwise. !
think however, apart though may yet be- neither
of US inclined to forget what owe to our common
these lectures to draw your minds from this world into
the vsss e. eternity u my yn TO pass over ta
other worlds, Is mere unity When we lock into the
vast expanse bayond world, the mind is amazed
ut the multitude OF worlds. 1t is not unnatural
when viewing the depths stars and the mpassa
BILE guphs which separate them from earth the mind
is staggered and scarcely permit itself to believe the
truths which investigation have revealed To clear up
and set the mind this point shall in the first
place explain the principles by which these results are
produced and would therefore previous to entering on
the lecture cs your attention to that telecopc power
which has enabled to pass the bounds Of space and
penetrate farther into space than be reached with
object requires to be made plainer the Light which 1t
sends forth contains greater amount Of density. We
forth light to every part but unless It sends forth
sui sient to irritate the nerve Of the eye 1t can
not be seen Here the ssntlemaa showed on board
from the light it could not be with the naked eye
The question comes what are we to do to make the
star brighter than s We would require to make the
light proceeding from the star dense than it falls
On the naked eye We would require to cause to send
forth brilliant light than in the natural way
ask how can this be done! There is q principle in
optics that comes to our aid Suppose we place lens IN
such position that prevents the light from dvergne
and centres 1t in point The audience will sec, that
eye, that the object will be visible The Professor
scopes are con,tructed and said, whom you know
these things, you are not surprised to near
ninety times greater than the naked eye and that
the telescope OF Lord Rose has power five hundred
%s thu than as Of
telescopes Ia raid that light from some OF the stars
seen through Lord Roses telescope would require
about $4,000 to come to our globe The great ad
vantage of Lord Rosse and other telescopes that
they not only bring the object TO the eye but 1t
makes them the in every respect-fgures shape,
FORM and specula. They would be Of unless they
made the stars appear exactly the same as they are
Lord Rossss telescope has accomplished this In an emil
nent degree have stars revolves though to the
naked eye they appeared like handful Of dust. By
1t the pleades resolved With such powers In our
possession, proceed with confidence and examine
Of the sdera heavens The professor then
made several remarks to the extent and arrangement
Of the stars and then proceeded to speak Of the milky
way the infinite number ofstars Of which composed
and mentioned several mistakes OF Sir W. Hersche In
regard to them He then spoke of the limits OF great
system But 1t was not only our own system We nad to
study but the great numbers which observe In the
heavens above Professor Nicho then spoke OF the
immense clusters Of land which were oil systemsD
observable in the heavens clustered together In
confusion This only appears to be tho case and bet
ter explained by taking cluster; for example, mere
immense cluster lying TAR beyond the dominion
OF our ephere We place ourselves with telescope II
that sysss aud look 1t and the planets which
surround her It would like mmense range OF
stars and earth placed In the centre similar to what
spoke Of the nebua their character FORM the shape In
which they found and the design which they have
In the heavens In the first place, they supposed
generally II not aweys to be approaching to circular,
or rather spherical forms This Is not altogether true
Many which look thus ut first, when more infinitely
examined not He then referred to the crab
bula as an example We and many of these have cir
cular appearance, though they not So They
tremely difused with great flames streaming around
them There very remarkable circumstances In connec
ton with these nebula We find them not only In circles
but we see great many rushing towards great circle
seemingly by the power Of gravitation Many think
tentively to the milky way and you will find that from
1t we cannot inf there a succession of great
sums. Herschel said the milky wey in the process
OF breaking up into separate system, and that
Professor Nohol then spoke OF the great variety and
diversiy in the heavenly bodies and that although
chsnge was continually going forward yet no human be-
log csuld tell us OF these changes the time taken
with some reflections the subject and its Importance