21. 



subject to the Eoyal Astronomical Society, by E. B. PoweU, 

 Esq., of Madras, publisbed in their Monthly Notices, and wish 

 that he had entered more fully into the discussion of the 

 continued changes which are constantly taking place in the 

 surrounding Nebula of v Argus. 



I have taken my starting point from the Cape observations, 

 and the quotation from Sir J. Herschel's description, given in 

 my former notes, has always accorded with the conception of 

 my own mind — every time I observe the object I am more 

 convinced that the whole Nebula surrounding v Argus is 

 breaking up into stars. 



I have previously described the so-called dark space as 

 resembling in shape a clearly- defined "crooked billet." It 

 now assumes a very difterent form, and it is singular that Sir 

 J. Herschel, who describes « Crux in glowing colors, as " like 

 a rich piece of jewellery," should be silent as to the colors of 

 the stars around v Argus. In my previous notes, I mentioned 

 many of them as being of a ruddy color, but now they are 

 of decided colors, hlue, green, and red, the two former 

 predominating. If the telescope is turned from one object 

 to the other, it will be seen that, although Sir John has not 

 overdrawn the beauty of k Crux, the object v Argus is now 

 much more superb — -n standing out sharp and clear, amidst a 

 large field of rich-colored gems, with only a very small patch 

 of nebulous matter seen under the telescope. I have a note, 

 made this month, while looking after the Comet, during the 

 period of Full Moon, as follows : — " The position of v Argus 

 was distinctly seen with the naked eye by the white light 

 which surrounded it, although the Star -n could not be seen as 

 a point, nor could the position of Nebicula major, Nebicula 

 minor, the Via lactea, or any other Nebula be seen at the time. 

 This appears plain proof that the objects composing the 

 Nebula around tj Argus, are now of a larger character, and 

 more refulgent than nebulous matter in general." 



