New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-25

central portion and wide rings which were be
coming detached.
4 profound sensation was produced by this
discovery. 1t gave an entirely new idea Of what
was taking place IN the nehula and lent a pc
cual confederation to the doctrine OF Laplace
To be sure, this was bu, one out Of hundreds OF
nebule. Yet il was possible to assume that
The others had rot yet reached the stage Of
rate had been attained. The importance Of this
Photographic revelation was enhanced by the
fact that at the centre Of the nebula is a con
densation OF cloud much brighter than any
other portion and out in ore Of the ncipient
rings is another smaller spot OF ii similar
character. looking just as huge planet ought
10 while in process Of formation Oh the plan Of
Laplace.
In calculating the size Of many stars and
other wondrous things revealed 10y the telc
scope il is necessary first to form some idea Of
their distance And the distance is computed
from what astronomers call the "parallaX" Of
the object. II this be sensible, ii can be meas
ured and the distance is relatively short but If
the yaralax is too small TO be measured.
greater distance is indicated. Non in regard 10
the Andromcda nebula. Mr.. J. 4. Gore says.
Taxing tbe Dd'dlIdA nave dSSuIi'u dpNN'f
and the apparent dimensions shown by Or Rob
ertss photograph. find that It's real diameter
would be no less than three hundred thousand
times the suns distance from the earth-a
diameter SO great that its light would take five
years to pass from one side Of the nebula 10 the
other This result might lead us TO imagine
that the nebula may be an external universe
But let US consider the matter little further.
D.. ic much
greater than the distance OF the nearest fixed
star Alpha Centauri from the earth. And the
limits Of our universe certainly far beyond
Alpha Ccntauri If We diminish the parallax
to- say one o-hundredths Of a second OF arc,
or a lieh, journey Of G52 years. the diameter Of
the nebua world be- increased 10 100000 times
the suns distance from the earth. or about five
times the distance OF Alpha Centauri"
1t is alleged that persons having keen eyes
and knowing how 10 use them have detected the
Andromeda nebu 81 without any instrumental
aid. But few people can see IT without glass
of some kind one should take pains, though.
to look for the nebula on moOnless night ana
20 stand where The eyes can be shielded from
electric and other strong terrestrial lights. Al
ter staying out Of doors for a quarter or half an
hour the sensitivcncss Of the retina 10 rant
STARS and nebuIa. is increased. little caution
and paticnce IN these respects will be well re-
wardcd.
The constellation Of Andromeda contains three
bright stars in an almost straight row. The
line runs from southwest to northeast The star
at the sOuthwesterly end is one Of the four IN
the square Of Pegasus, and is known as Alpha
Andromcda The next Is Beta, and the third
ou, near Perseus, is Gamma. Having found
Reta one ouicklv perceves that there are two
c,naller glars that form with il a line running
Of right angles with the three big ones, these
lilo off to the north or northwest OF Beta, and
orc named Mn and NJ All this part Of the
s,rvev can be performed without q glass.