244 THE NEBULAE HYPOTHESIS. 



distribution of nebulse. Besides again showing itself in 

 the fact that " the j)oorest regions in stars are near the rich- 

 est in nebulae," the law above specified applies to the heav- 

 ens as a whole. In that zone of celestial space where stars 

 are excessively abundant, nebulae are rare ; while in the two 

 opposite celestial spaces that are furthest removed from this 

 zone, nebulsG are abundant. Scarcely any nebulae lie near 

 the galactic circle (or j)lane of the Milky Way) ; and the 

 great mass of them lie round the galactic poles. Can this 

 also be mere coincidence ? When to the fact that the gen- 

 eral mass of nebulae are antithetical in position to the gen- 

 eral mass of stars, we add the fact that local regions of ne- 

 bulae are regions where stars are scarce, and the further 

 fact that single nebulae are habitually found in comparative- 

 ly starless spots ; does not the proof of a physical connex- 

 ion become overwhelming ? Should it not require an in- 

 finity of evidence to show that nebulae are not parts of our 

 sidereal system ? Let us see whether any such infinity of 

 evidence is assignable. Let us see whether there is even a 

 single alleged proof which will bear examination. 



"As seen through colossal telescopes," says Humboldt, "the 

 contemplation of these nebulous masses leads us into regions from 

 whence a ray of light, according to an assumption not wholly im- 

 probable, requires milHons of years to reach our earth — to dis- 

 tances for whose measurement the dimensions (the distance of 

 Sirius, or the calculated distances of the binary stars in Cygnua 

 and the Centaur) of our nearest stratum of fixed stars scarcely 

 Bufiice." 



Now, in this somewhat confused sentence there is ex- 

 pressed a more or less decided belief, that the distances of 

 the nebulae from our galaxy of stars as much transcend the 

 distances of our stars from each other, as these interstellar 

 distances transcend the dimensions of our planetary system. 

 Just as the diameter of the Earth's orbit, is an inapprecia- 



