Cofijlruclion of the Heavens. 26 c 



The fourth follows y\ Sagitt^e 1 7^ i in time, and is 2' more 



north. It is perfeclly round, pretty bright, and pretty well 



defined ; about % min. in diameter. 



The fifth follows the 21II: Vulpecul^ 2^i in time, and is 



1° 46^ more north. It is exatlly round, of an equal light 



throughout, but pretty fiint, and about 1' in diameter. 



The fixth precedes h (Fl. 39.) Cygni 8^,1 in time, and is 



1° 26^ more fouth. It is perfe6lly round, and of an equal 



light, but pretty faint; its diameter is near i\ and the edges 



are pretty well defined. 



The planetary appearance of the two firft is fo remarkable, 

 that we can hardly fuppofe them to be nebulise ; their light is 

 fo uniform, as well as vivid, the diameters fo fmall and well 

 defined, as to make it almoll improbable they fhould belong to 

 that fpecies of bodies. On the other hand, the effed: of dif- 

 ferent powers feems to be much againft their light's being of a 

 planetary nature, fince it preferves its brightnels nearly in the 

 fame manner as the ftars do in fimilar trials. If we would fup^ 

 pofe them to befingle ftars with large diameters we (hall find it 

 difficult to account for their not being brighter ; unlefs we 

 Ihould admit that the intrinfic light of fome flars may be very 

 much Inferior to that of the generality, which however can 

 hardly be imagined to extend to fuch a degree. We might 

 fufpe£l them to be comets about their aphelion, if the bright- 

 nefs as well as magnitude of the diameters did not oppofe this 

 idea; fo that after all, we can hardly find any hypothefis fo 

 probable as that of their being Nebulic ; but then they muff 

 confift of flars that are comprefled and accumulated in the 

 higheft degree. If it were not perhaps too hazardous to puriue 

 a former furmife of a renewal in what I figuratively called the 

 Laboratories of the univerfe, the ftars forming thefe extraordi- 

 nary nebula, by fome decay or wafte of nature, being no longer 

 Vol. LXXV. iM m ht 



