RESOLUTION OF KEMAEKABLE NEBULA. 199 



as a representation of our own Milky Way, and although 

 unresolved, it was by common consent considered a 

 mighty cluster. At the meeting of the British Associa- 

 tion in 1845, Lord Rosse showed a sketch of its appear- 

 ance as seen by aid of his six feet mirror. The former 

 simple shape of this nebula is transformed into a scroll, 

 apparently unwinding with numerous filaments, and a 

 mottled appearance, which looks like the breaking up of 

 a cluster. 



The great nebula in Orion has been examined with 

 every great telescope since the invention of that instru- 

 ment, but until recently without the remotest aspect of a 

 stellar constitution. During Sir John Herschel's residence 

 at the Cape of Good Hope, he examined this nebula 

 under the most favorable circumstances, when it was near 

 the zenith but still there was no trace of a star, only 

 branches added without number, so as almost to obliter- 

 ate the nebula's previous form. During the winter of 

 1844-5, Lord Rosse examined it with his three feet 

 mirror with the utmost care, but without detecting the 

 vestige of a star. In the winter of 1845-6, the six feet 

 telescope was directed, for the first time, to this wonderful 

 object, and in March, 1846, Lord Rosse made the follow- 

 ing announcement : "I think I may safely say that there 

 can be little if any doubt as to the resolvability of this 

 nebula. We can plainly see that all about the trapezium 

 is a mass of stars ; the rest of the nebula also abounding 

 with stars, and exhibiting the characteristics of resolv- 

 ability strongly marked." 



