MAGNITUDES OF STARS. 



invisible to others without telescopic aid. Strictly speaking, 

 therefore, stars of the seventh magnitude may be considered as 

 holding an intermediate and doubtful place between those which 

 can and those which cannot be seen by the naked eye. 



Having thus explained generally the classification of stars 

 according to their relative apparent splendour, we are' now to 

 state the total number of each class scattered over the entire 

 firmament. 



23. According to the most accredited catalogue, that of Arge- 

 lander, the total number of stars from the first to the sixth 

 magnitude inclusive, observed in the northern hemisphere, has 

 been as follows : 



ist Magnitude 

 2nd ditto 

 3rd ditto 

 4th ditto 

 5th ditto , 

 6th ditto 



96 



214 



550 



1439 



Total number . . . 2342 



24. Owing to the absence of an equal number of observers in 

 southern latitudes, that hemisphere has not been so accurately 

 surveyed ; but it has been ascertained, that it contains 914 stars, 

 from the first to the sixth magnitude inclusive, within 36 of the 

 celestial equator. If it be supposed, as is highly probable, that 

 the stars are distributed in the same proportion over the remainder 

 of the southern hemisphere, it will follow that the total number 

 of stars of the first six orders of magnitude, distributed over the 

 entire firmament from pole to pole, amounts to 4100. If to this 

 be added the probable number of stars of the seventh magnitude, 

 which cannot be so exactly ascertained by direct observation, it 

 will appear that the total number of stars, distributed over the 

 heavens of such a magnitude as to be seen by the best eyes, under 

 the most favourable atmospheric circumstances, is about 6000. 



The number of these objects, as they would be estimated by a 

 mere coup d'oeil of the heavens, would appear to be vastly greater 

 than this ; and even the calculations of some astronomers, allow- 

 ing a much larger number for the stars of the seventh magnitude, 

 make the total double the number we have here assigned to it. 



25. Are we to suppose, then, that this relative brightness 

 which we perceive, really arises from any difference of intrinsic 

 splendour between the objects themselves ? or does it, as it may 

 equally do, arise from their difference of distance ? Are the stars 

 of the seventh magnitude so much less bright and conspicuous 



185 



