i6o Mr. Herschel on the 



diameter, cannot be otherwife than of a wonderful magnitude, 

 and may well outvie our milky-way in grandeur. 



The firft I (hall mention is a milky Ray of more than a de- 

 gree in length. It takes k (Fl. 52.) Cygni into its extent, to 

 the north of which it is crookedly bent fo as to be convex 

 towards t'le following fide ; and the light of it is pretty intenfe. 

 To the fouth of k it is more diffufed, lefs bright, and lofes 

 itfelf with iome extenfion in two branches, I believe ; but for 

 want of light I could not determine this circumftance. The 

 northern half is near two minutes broad, but the fouthern is 

 not fufficiently defined to afcertain its breadth. 



The next is an extremely faint milky Ray, above | degree 

 long, and 8 or io^ broad; extended from north preceding to 

 fouth following. It makes an angle of about 30 or 40 degrees 

 with the meridian, and contains three or four places that are 

 brighter than the reft. The flars of the Galaxy are fcattered 

 over it in the fame manner as over the reft of the heavens. It 

 follows £ Cygni 1 1,5 minutes in time, and is 2° 19^ more fouth. 



The third is a branching Nebulofity of about a degree and a 

 half in right afcenlion, and about 48^ extent in polar diftance. 

 The following part of it is divided into feveral ftreams and 

 windings, which, after feparating, meet each other again 

 towards the fouth. It precedes f Cygni i6' in time, and is 

 1° 16^ more north. I fuppofe this to be joined to the preceding 

 one ; but having obferved them in different fweeps, there was 

 no opportunity of tracing their conne£llon. 



The fourth is a faint, extended milky Ray of about i^^'In 

 length, and 12' in breadth. It is brighteft and broadeft in the 

 middle, and the ends lofe themfelves. It has a fmall, round, 

 very faint nebula juft north of it; and alfo, in another place, 

 a fpot, brighter than the reft, almoft detached enough to form 



a different 



