CHAPTERS ON THE STARS. 



19 



seen without difficulty whenever the constellation is visible. Note the 

 three bright stars lying nearly in an east and west line and forming 

 the belt of the warrior. South of these will be seen three fainter 

 ones, hanging below the belt, as it were, and forming the sword. To 

 a keen eye, which sharply defines the stars, this middle star will appear 

 hazy. It is the nebula in question. Its character will be strongly 

 brought out by the smallest telescope, even by an opera-glass. Draw- 

 ings of it have been made by numerous astronomers, the comparison of 



Fig. 9. The Great Nebula of Andromeda Photographed by Roberts. 



which has given rise to the question whether the object is variable. It 

 cannot be said that this question is yet decided; but the best opinion 

 would probably be in the negative. In recent times the improvements 

 of the photographic process have led to the representation of the object 

 by photography. A photograph made by Mr. A. A. Common, F.R.S., 

 with a reflecting telescope, gives so excellent an impression of the ob- 

 ject that by his consent we reproduce it. 



The most remarkable feature connected with the nebula of Orion 



