Masterpieces of Science 



nebulous matter. What appeared to be acci- 

 dental and enigmatical vacuities are shown to be 

 the consequences of cosmogonical action. The 

 hypothesis of the formation of worlds from nebulae 

 is thus confirmed, if not demonstrated, by the 

 discovery of this new link to connect celestial 

 species. The spiral nebula in Canes Venatici 

 exhibits in a most unmistakable manner a "fluid 

 haze of light, eddying into worlds, and enables 

 us to see cosmic processes at work."* 



This nebula may be instructively compared 

 with the ring nebula in Lyra (Plate XX). 



Beyond and above any single photograph of 

 a nebula, the camera proves that nebulas are 

 much vaster than they appear in the most power- 

 ful telescope, and this fact strongly supports the 

 hypothesis of Kant and Laplace as to the origin 

 of the universe. In two particulars, however, 

 that hypothesis has been modified by the advance 

 cf physical and mathematical research. It was 

 originally framed long before the relations of 

 heat to its sister forces were understood. It is 

 not now deemed necessary to suppose that the 

 primal temperature of the universe was high; 

 the collision of its particles, as attracted together 

 by gravitation, is a quite sufficient explanation 

 of the heat which a star may exhibit when first 

 condensed. Nor is it necessary to suppose that 

 the original condition of cosmical matter was 

 that of a gas; it may have been that of fine dust, 

 or even an aggregation of meteorites, such as 



* Nature, March 10, 1898. 



100 



