The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-04-29

blue stars are very fnfrequent in the
heavens makes this exquisite object all
the more worthy of the astronomer at
tention.
In spending an hour among the stars
we must take care to allot sufficient time
for the examination of some of those SUB
lime spectacles presented in the Sreat
star clusters. BY far the most remark
able of the objects SO named is that in the
sword handle of Perseus. This cluster
can just be discerned by the un;nded eye
as dull point of light. When, now
ever, the telescope is directed upon the
spot the light is seen to euanate from
myriad of brilliant points which form a
miniature richly wrought with beautiIul
gems. It is obvious that all these stars
or suns we may perhaps call them, are
allied to constitute some mighty system
IN far distant space.
In the case of other clusters, such as the
superb glcbular cluster in Hercules, the
several stars seen from our point OF view
appear to be Individually fainter than the
stars in the cluster of PerSeus But what
the stars in Hercules group lack in inql-
vidual brightness they make up for by
consists vertically of u ball of stars SO
numerous and so close together that IN
the central portion we are not able 10 o!s-
tinguish the several points. We only see
the light dispersed from them collectively.
On the outer regions of this astonishing
association Of stellar points the stars are
more naturally sparssly dlstrlputsa, ana an
ferent individuals. In this cluster OF Her.
cules we have a collection of thousands Of
stars, which occupy only very small
SPOT on the sky and are entirely invisible
to the Uraided eye.
STUDIES IN NEBULA.
Lastly, the observer, during his hour
with the stars, should study some OF the
nebulae, both great and small, which are
so literally strewn over the heavens.
No doubt most of these objects are so
extremely faint that We have to IN
woke the help of really powerful tele-
mt 70 n n
the delicacy and to perceive the tull
extent of such light stains on the sky
The most beautiful of these objects, as
well as the most celebrated, is the great
nebula in Orion which lies beneath the
well known belt in that constellation,
and serves as glorious setting nalo
around the remarkable multiple star to
which have already referred. The great
nebula is evidently a StupendouS mass
of gas which has been heated to tenn
perature so elevated that 1t glows with a
blush hue characteristic of the partlc-
ular materials of which it is composed.
Indeed, the light of the nebula, when
suitably examined, discloses to the as
tronomer the actual elements from which
this great structure is composed. 1t ap-
pears that the light which this glowing
gas yields is of the same character as the
light given off by incandescent hydrogen.
We thus infer that hydrogen is an i'm
of this remote celestial body.
Another object of the same class which
which will naturally attract attention is
the great nebula in Andromeda; this
also appears to be a gaseous object. but
it is plainly of very different character
from the great nebula in Orion. The neb-
ula in Andromeda is so vast that the
whole solar system, including all the
planets placed at their true distances
would form an inappreciable speck if
plunged in the mighty glowing mass;
The owner of a telescope will ere long
discover that the heavens contain album
dant materials for many an hour of de-
lightful watching; indeed, we may say
that years of assiduous labor would be
necessary for the diligent observer to
make himself fully acquainted with even
a small part of the objects which call
for his admiration.
SIR ROBERT STAWELL BALL,
Royal Astronomer of Ireland.
D,,bI Ire