382 



THE STELLAR UNIVERSE. 



dispersed through immensity, separated probably by distances as much greater 

 than those which intervene between star and star as the latter are greater 

 than those which separate the bodies of the solar system. But if such distant 

 clusters existed, it may be objected, that they must be visible to us ; that 

 although diminished, perhaps, to mere spots on the firmament, they would 

 still be rendered apparent, were it only as confused whitish patches, by the 

 telescope ; that, as the stars of the Milky Way assume to the naked eye the 

 appearance of mere whitish nebulosity, so the far more distant stars of other 

 clusters, which can not be perceived at all by the naked eye, would, to tele- 

 scopes of adequate power, present the same whitish nebulous appearance ; 

 and that we might look forward without despair to such augmentation of the 

 powers of the telescope as may even enable us to perceive them to be actual 

 clusters of stars. 



Such anticipations have accordingly been realized. In various parts of the 

 firmament objects are seen which, to the naked eye, appear like stars seen 



Fig. 3. 



