The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-07-26

Now to apply these principles to the
sounding Of the heavens. The eye, with
out assistance, would follow and perceive
the bright star Sirius, IL removed back to
twelve times its present distance. After
this, as it recedes, IL must be followed by
the telescope. Suppose, then, nebuia is
discovered with telescope Of low power,
and il is required to determine its charac-
ter and distance. The astronomer applies
one power after another, until he finally
employs telescope Of sufficient reach to
reveal the separate stars Of which the OBJ
ject is composed-which shows it to be
cluster; and since the space penetrating
power Of this instrument is known, rela.
tive to that Of the human eye, 10 case the
power Is 100 times greater than that Of
the eye, then would the cluster be located
in space 100 times farther than the eve
can reach, or 1900 times more remote
than Sirius, or at such distance that its
light would only reach our Earth after q
journey Of 10000 years
Such was Herschers method Of locating
these objects in space. Some are SO re-
mote as to be far beyond the reach Of the
most powerful instruments, and no tele-
scopic aid can show them other than ne
bulous clouds It was while pursuing these
grand investigations that Herschel was led
to the conclusion that among the nebule
which were visible in the heavens there
were some composed Of chaotic matter--a
hazy, luminous fluid, like that occasional
ly thrown out from comets on their ap-
proach to the sun.
Among these chaotic masses he discoy.
cred some in which the evidences of con.
densation appeared manifest, while in
others he found circular disc Of light,
with bright nucleus in the centre. Pro
ceeding yet farther, he found wcll.formed
stars surrounded by misty halo, which
presented all the characteristics of what
he now conceived TO be nebulous fluid.
Some Of the uniformed nebule were oI
enormous extent; and among those partial
ly condensed, such as the nebula with
planetary discs, many were found so vast
that their magnitude would fill the space
occupied by the sun and all its planets
forming a sphere with a diameter more
than 5000 millions Of miles. Uniting
these and many other facts, the great as
tronomer was finally brought to beliey,
that worlds and systems Of worlds nigh
yet be in the process Of formation by thl
gradual condensation of this nebulous fluid
and that from this chaotic matter original
ly came the sun and all the fixed star
which crowd the heavens. This theory
extended, but not modified, in the hand
Of Laplace, is made to account for nearl
all the phenomena Of the solar system.
For long time this bold and sublim
speculation was looked upon, even by th
wisest philosophers, with remarkable favol
The resolution Of one or two nebula Is
classed by Herschel,) with the 6fty.tw
feet reflector Of Lord Rosse, has induce
some persons to abandon the theory, an
TO attempt to prove its impossibility. A
that | have TO say is that Herschel onl
adopted the theory aftor he had resolve
many hundreds Of nebul@ into stars; an
it there ever existed reason for accep
ing the truth Of this remarable speculi
tion, that reason has been scarcely in an
degree affected by recent discoveries
| have examined q large number
these mysterious objects, floating on Ii
deep ocean Of space like the faintest film
cloud Of light No power, however grea
of the telescope can accomplish the Sigh
est change in their appearance. So di
tant are they that their light employs q
case they be clusters) hundreds Of thor
sands Of years in reaching the eye tha
gaEes upon them; and so extensive, eve
when viewed from such distance, as |
fill the entire field Of view Of the telescoF
many times 20. NJ Mitchell.