Miscellaneous Intelligence. 427 



Cambridge Observatory, Sept. 22d, 1847. 



Bear Sir — You will rejoice with me that the great nebula in Orion 

 has yielded to the power of our incomparable telescope. 



This morning the atmosphere being in a favorable condition, at about 

 3 o'clock the telescope was set upon the Trapezium in the great nebula 

 of Orion. — Under a power of 200, the 5th star was immediately con- 

 spicuous ; but our attention was directly absorbed with the splendid rev- 

 elations made in its immediate neighborhood. This part of the nebula 

 was resolved into bright points of light. The number of stars was too 

 great to attempt counting (hem ; many were however readily located 

 and mapped. The double character of the brightest star of the Tra- 

 pezium was readily recognized with a power of 600. — This is ** Struve's 

 6th star ;" and certain of the stars composing the nebula were seen as 

 double stars under this power. 



It should be borne in mind that this nebula and that of Andromeda 

 have been the last strong- hold of the nebular theory; that is, the idea, 

 first thrown out by the elder Herschel, of masses of nebulous matter 

 in process of condensation into systems. The nebula in Orion yielded 

 not to the unrivaled skill of both the Herschels, armed with their excel- 

 lent Reflectors. 



It even defied the power of Lord Rosse's three-foot mirrors, giving 

 "not the slightest trace of resolvability," or separation into a number 

 of single sparkling points. 



And even when, for the first time, Lord Rosse's grand Reflector of 

 six-feet speculum was directed to this object, " not the veriest trace of 

 a star was to be seen." Subsequently his Lordship communicated the 

 result of his farther examination of Orion, as follows: 



I think I may safely say, that there can be little if any doubt as to 

 the resolvability of the nebula. — We could plainly see that all about 

 the Trapezium - is a mass of stars; the rest of the nebula also abound- 

 ing in stars, and exhibiting the characteristics of resolvability strongly 

 marked." 



This has hitherto been considered as the greatest effort of the largest 

 reflecting telescope in the world ; — and this our own telescope has ac- 

 complished. 



I feel deeply sensible of the odiousness of comparisons; — but innu- 

 merable applications have been made to me for evidence of the excel- 

 lence of the instrument, and I can see no other way in which the pub- 

 lie are to be made acquainted with its merits. 



With sincere respect and esteem, I remain, Sir, your obedient ser- 

 vant, (Signed) w - c - BoND « 



Preset Everett. 



V. Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



1. Eighth Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geolo- 

 gists and Naturalists. —This meeting was convened according to ad- 

 journment, at Boston, on the 20th Sept., and continued to the 25th. It 

 was numerously attended by gentlemen of science from all P ar ^°J 

 the country, and the presence of several Europeans of eminence added 

 interest and value to the sessions. No official account of the proceed- 

 ings has appeared, but from the daily journals we are able to give a 



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