THE STELLAR UNIVERSE. 



387 



of large stars, into which the central cluster would be seen projected, and 

 (owing to its greater distance) appearing, like it, to consist of" stars much 

 smaller than those in other parts of the heavens. Can it then be that we have 

 here a real brother system, bearing a real physical resemblance and strong 

 analogy of structure to our own ? The elliptic form of the inner subdivided 

 portion indicates with extreme probability an elevation of that portion above 

 the plane of the rest, so that the real form must be that of a ring split through 

 half its circumference, and having the split portions set asunder at about an 

 angle of 45° each to the plane of the other." 



A representation Of this, as it might appear if seen as we see our own Milky 

 Way in the direction of its plane, is given in fig. 11, by which its analogy to 

 the Milky Way, will be rendered still more apparent. 



In figures 11 and 12, are represented two nebulae, one of which belongs to 

 the class which is distinctly resolvable into stars, and in which the condensa- 

 tion at the centre is so great that it becomes at that point a perfect blaze of 



Fig. 13. 



