THE STELLAR UNIVERSE. 



This may be explained either by difference of distance, or by 

 the supposition that they may consist of stars of different real 

 magnitudes, and crowded more or less closely together. The 

 former supposition is, however, by far the more natural and 

 probable. 



The appearance of the stars composing some of the clusters is 

 quite gorgeous. Sir J. Herschel says, that the cluster which 

 surrounds K Crucis in the southern hemisphere, occupies the 48th 

 part of a square degree, or about the tenth part of the superficial 

 magnitude of the moon's disc, and consists of about 110 stars 

 from the 7th magnitude downwards, eight of the more con- 



Fig. 11. 



Fig. 12. 



Fig. 13. 



spicuous stars being coloured with various tints of red, green, and 

 blue, so as to give to the whole the appearance of a rich piece of 

 jewellery. 



Cluster compared with clus- 

 ter show all gradations of 

 smallness and closeness of the 

 component stars, until they 

 assume the appearance of 

 patches of starry powder. 

 These varieties are more ob- 

 viously ascribable to varying 

 distances. 



Then follow those patches 

 of starry light which are seen 

 in so many regions of the 

 heavens, and which have been 

 denominated nebulas, appear- 

 ing with very different degrees of magnitude and brightness. 

 Telescopic views of three such are given in figs. 14, 15, and 16. 

 20 



