Fixed Stars. 65 



Though the number of the stars ap- 

 pears to be immensely great ; yet have 

 astronomers long since ascertained the 

 number of such as are visible to the 

 eye, which are much fewer thaii at first 

 sight could be imagined. Of the 3000 

 contained in Flamstead's catalogue, there 

 are many that are only visible through a 

 telescope ; and a good eye scarcely ever 

 sees more than a thousand at the same 

 time in the clearest heaven ; the appear- 

 ance of innumerable more, that are fre- 

 quent in clear winter nighty, arising from 

 our sight's being deceived by their twink- 

 ling, and from our viewing them confu- 

 sedly, and not reducing them to any or- 

 der. But a good telescope, directed in- 

 differently to almost any point of the hea- 

 vens, discovers multitudes that are lost to 

 the naked eye ; particularly in the milky 

 way. And F. de Rheita affirms, that 

 he has observed above 2000 stars in the 

 single constellation of Orion. The same 

 author found above 188 in the Pleiades. 

 Galileo found eighty in the space of the 

 belt of Orion's sword, twenty-one in the 

 nebulous star of his head, and above 50O 

 in another part of him, within the com- 

 F 



