that a cloudspot is in the nature of an unfinished cosmic 

 system. Spectral analysis led to a threefold result. Some 

 masses yielded a level uninterrupted solar light; others 

 gave only lines of nitrogen and hydrogen gases, and 

 finally the third class combined these two. For example 

 I will take the spectral analysis: of 1st, The cloudspot 

 in Andromeda. 2-nd cloudspot in the constellation Auriga 

 and 3-rd cloudspot in Aquarius. 



The cloudspots in Aquarius and Andromeda are re- 

 markable for their close resemblance to one another, for 

 their internal rings of an oval form, which in both cases, 

 starting from the centre, bend in similar curves, and in- 

 tertwine alike. The spectrum of the cloud in Andromeda 

 is unbroken, proving its starry nature, though as yet the 

 most powerful telescopes have not revealed any of its 

 separate orbs ; the spectrum of the cloud in Aquarius, 

 on the contrary, consists of three bright lines, indicating 

 an incandescent gaseous mass ; and the spectrum of the 

 cloud in Auriga furnishes a double spector one un- 

 broken, belonging to a star, the other consisting of three 

 bright lines, again indicating a gaseous mass. 



I begin with the analysis, of the lastnamed cloud, which 

 indicates, as I said a double spectrum, gaseous and solar. 

 When we look at this cloud through the telescope we 

 shall see that in the middle of it there is a triple star, 

 and it seems evident that it is this star which furnishes 

 the uniform colour dividing it from the lines of gas 

 determining cosmic cloud. And here naturally the ques- 

 tion arises whether after all this triple star is really uni- 

 ted in any way with the cloud? 



I assert that these two are perfect^ independent, with- 

 out any intrinsic connection, since experience and ana- 

 lysis of phenomena on earth show that as soon as incan- 

 descent gases approach the neighbourhood of any burn- 

 ing or shining body they at once surround it, and 

 appear to unite in one common fire. The solid or li- 

 quid bodies within may gradually explode but their ex- 

 plosions will not change the luminous picture of com- 



