Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-23

COMPOUNDED with each other. These twin
stars seem very early to have become iden-
titled with Castor and Pollux. They still
bear these names, and the modern chart
maker has delineated the youths among the
stars as best he could. The feet of the
Twins, as their figures are drawn upon a
chart, are midway between the two bright
stars and the head of Orion.
This will be our last good opportunity for
studying Orion, and we must not pass un-
noticed that feature of the constellation
which gives 1t its chief attraction for the
astronomer-its great nebula. The nebula
surrounds the star Theta, in the Sword
the third magnitude star which stands a
short distance below the belt, and which
forms with the three stars Of the belt and
enc in the handle of the Sword a striking
lCzenge-shaped figure.
With good opera glass. on a clear even
ing, the nebula may be detected as a fieck
of family luminous mist. Seen through a
telescope, 1t has the appearance of phos-
phorescent cloud-aS its name 'nebula'' i'm
disappearing on one side, where it is
the brightest, d fairly distinct outline, but
on all other sides fading away gradually
into imperceptibilty. The brighter mart
has a curious resemblance to the head of
some monster animal a dark recess form
ing an open mouth, while above this q
streamer of nebulous matter SO much resem-
bleS the uplifted trunk Of an elephant that
it is often called the "Proboscis" At the
bottom of the dark gulf or mouth-like open
Ing Is the star Theta, which a telescope CT
even moderate power resolves into null
tiple star of four components-to which a
larger instrument adds two others-forming
the "Trapezium, the principal point of ref
erence to the nebula.
Although this mysterious, mist-lise object
had long been studied by the telescona-
had been explored thoroughly by the DO yer
full instruments of the elder Herschel and
of Lord RoSSe-itS true nature remained a
debated point until the spectroscope was
brought to bear upon it by Father Seccht
and DR.. Higgins Independently some twen-
ty-fve years ago. Both Of these observers
found Its spectrum to consist Of bright
lines, instead of being Continuous" ike
the spectrum Of the sun and Of all glowing
solids and fluids, and the long debated
question of it's "resolvability" was defln-
itely settled. Only glowing gases give
bright-line spectra.
There Is no longer a doubt that this is
true nebula, was always maintained
by Herschel, and not simply an aggrega-
ton Of stars so small or so distant as to
be seen only by their blended light, as has
proved to be the case with many of the SUD-
posed nebulae. If the story of its light as
that story is now read by astronomers, can
be trusted this vast luminous cloud the
extent of which battles the power of imagi-
/ alton to conceive, Is mass Of glowing
gases, Of which hydrogen and Qess GER
tafnly) nitrogen are the principal.
This point may be considered to be set
tied. But another question respecting the
nebulae has arisen and is still in debate
The view Of Herschel and Laplace required
us to conceive Of a nebula as a mass Of
gases at an intensely high temperature
They regarded 1t as containing in this
form the material of future worlds The
cooling and condensation Of this gaseous
matter would result finally in the forma-
ton Of suns and planets. The new me
teoric theory" Of Mr.. Lockyer-a theory
which is based upon the results of expert
ments made with the spectroscope upon
meteoric stones and metals and which has
found favor with many eminent astrono-
49, :ccz
character AS a mass it is at low tenn
perature. 1t is simply a vast shoal of non
luminous meteors-a cloud of cosmic dust
the coarse particles of which are in motion
among themselves and are continually col
liding with one another, producing by their
impacts heat and light. In the present
sparse condition Of these meteors their
not violent, SO that only their more volatile
substances are rendered gaseous and lumi-
nous. The material is there, however,