New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-01-27
w.yosK, THURSDAY MORNING. JANUARY ~, ,s4s

achieved Its grsafest exploits W ben the greatest
nsgrifying power is applied Il shows not the
slightest smount Of distortion N TIE object Il !,
not possible q render the asto7ishiug accuracy Of
Lord Roses telescope fully PaPabie There IS
minute point near POinarss. 50 minute that it re-
auires good telescope at ali 70 discern IL Now,
with the very high msgnnyiug power Of Lord
Rose telescope Ihsye seen thatPolnt az clear. Is
distinct as a star OF the irst magnitude. With sgch
powers in or session then let us proceed rever
entally but still without dread, 70 scan those truths
70 which they have enabled as 70 ascend. When.
regarding the constitution OF the Stellar Heavens
il i. not unlikely that again we may be stopped by
incredibly According q our usual IDEAS. these
starry heavens seem intsite. They appear as II
they occupy all Space. filing with crowds OF con-
s,elarions wherever the human mind can fancy
that Space s open 70 resolve them and, therefore
Il would seem that although our augmentng teles
copic DO yer might bring US augmented knoSlecge'
ne are yetcoutending with what Is hopeless Now,
a. the removal Of this popular iallacy lies al the
root Of all our modern views OF the structure OF the
heavens | must solicit for u your attention.
Even after We have ascertained how FAR the tel
escope is able to pierce j, may yet come back TO
us as a cause of doabtianess. whether We get
rational conception Of how the Stellar Heavens
are constituted Is IL not likely that these heavens
which We aroaad US and over US. penetrating
infinitely into space. present To the eye nothing
different from what we see herel s7ppose this
aught concerning the structure of these great
heavens Now it seems TO US at first. perhaps
that this is perfectly Legitimate objection 70 our
moving farther with our inquiry. IL may be said,
that when We observe the skies on a clear night.
We have before US all that can be seen Now this
grand conception, namely, that II We were passing
throughout space We should simply meet nothing
else than what see around us-llst constelA
ton after constellation We went onward
through these depths Of nhnitude-l say inst
this conception IS very natural that u IS d'icuiI
Tor US to conceive that is not true. However on
n slight confederation think that We will be able %
see that this is not what seAveDs really indicate
u Us If vhs. said were true-if the stars ex-
tend on through our skies toward inhnitude II as
we went along-supposing We had Il IN our power
throughout these clusters We should see nothing
bat consultations after consultations think that
our heavens would not appear to Us as they do
now. Suppose for instance we had reached lar
away beyond these consultations what would We
see behind US We would see the great. brilliant
stars Of the first magnitude, then we would see
behind these. those OF the second magnitude, be
hind these again those OF the third magnitude and
so on; but we would find always in every part Of
our sky when we reached that position where we
could see no more stars, sort Of backgrounds
dim diffused light called nebulous light. II that
were the constitution OF our skies this would be
their appearance. You would find lying back
ward through the whole path Of the SKY this
dim milky light. On the contrary, We see Il only
on one side Of the heavens in that great range
called the Milky Way. Now the question Is,
what is the cause of this Why DO We lind this
great milky belt, to speak, passing over our
sky in one direction and not in another ltseems
IN me that If We look a. this question calmly
this conclusion must necessarily occur % u.s. name
81 that in that part OF the sky alone, where We
see the Milky Way is there a bed OF stars difused
throughout the uniathomable depths OF space. III II
II .bis bod nj found 10
be diffnsed throughout all regions OF the heavens,
then certainly that peculiar appearance that strikes
rs as we look at the Milky Way would be found
rs the background of al the heavens. In every
range we would see the stars OF the first, second.
third and fourth magntudes; then, when we arrived
at that part Of the heavens where we could not DIS
unctly trace the individual stars, We would nod a
background filed with this dim, milky light
IL seems then that our first notion, namely, that
these stars stretch away throughout space Is not a
true one-that this Milky Way msnitess 10 as a
peculiar structure Now the question Is, what IS
a. .s1uclufrf Ivs can we ascertain what In ct
structure isl Belonging to the great bed OF stars
10 the midst Of which we are. we find, ON looking
At the heavens. that stars OF the trst. second and
third magnitude are toerably equally scattered
throughout all space. IL Is only when we come u
stars of the very smallest magnitude that we Ind
arrangement Of this distribution. What does this
Indicate 10 US Ii seems 70 indicate the following,
namely that as far the naked eve reach these
stars on TO the very smallest magnitude, are pretty
equally scattered throughout our skies but that II
Se get hey ond their region peculsrties OF consul
tuition come into view, and We begin distinctly t.
see that we do not belong 10 universal. out TO
certain definite and distinct class or mass OF orbs
with which we are connected-a mass OF orbs win
boundaries almost incOncey able, but siiil DEFINITE
and distinct mass.
The idea that have thrown out may yet be
pushed little farther. 1t may be shown thAt u
these stars were difused through all space. our
heavens would on every side blaze with splendor
so bright that the san would not be visible TO US
at MONDAY. It is clear. then that such cannot be
the characteristic OF our skies IL cannot De tasi
these orbs we are discerning are spread Infinitely
throu ghout space, bot the contrary IN AL Ink
hood they forming great cluster or oed OF sta
| Of q peculiar aud distinct shape. These thoughts
which have Just laid before you were hrst seq ed
by the ilustrious Sir William Herschel, and al
though his conclusions cannot be placed before you
as inialble Yet his first ideas lead as IN our hrs'
progress toward view Of the heavens. herschel .
first conce ption with reference 10 the nature OF the
heavens was the following He said IL is clear
that this great multitude OF fixed stars not "na'
twas formerly supposed-the infinite heavens
THIS great mass Of stars Is simply vast cluster or
congeries and nothing more When TINS great
idea mad dawned upon him. he asked, Is II posi-
bic to ascertain what is the description the genera
character OF that vas, bed OF orbs In the midst OF
which are = The notion was certainly very
great and marvellous one, but still he was enabled
to come to conclusion no. very far believe IRON
| what we now think to be the true one. The IDEA
| upon which he worked was the following lie
said Suppose that this room s filled with persons
and that they are pretty equally dispersed over !.
/ Now suppose that turn my eyes IN certain di-
rection and count the number Of persons that see
before me and then direct my eyes to another Oh
the room and again count the number OF individual
| that meet my gaze then. being certain tnat these
persons ere pretty ecu ally me
/ room would be enabled 10 infer from the number
OF persons located in the sections OF tho room 20
which had directed my investigations, how lar
must be from the edge Of the room in this or tnAs
direction This was Herscbels idea. and he tarned
his great telescope in every direction round the
/ heavens Judging how many stars he saw IN every
plsce and he found ia this manner how far be sup
oosed ne was from every portion Of the edge OF the
/ cluster. TIE mode il which he attempted to make
out scheme OF the character OF the heavens was
/ this
The lecturer here drew 4 diagram upon the
black board resembling luminous body from which
rsvs of ligh, emanated in every cirecti0n-he ray
VARYING in extent In such 8 manner as 10 form q
sort Of elongated sPhercid indented at the edges
suppose this pointing TO the luminous BODY $