88 Sir J. Herschel’s Astronomical Observations 
Sir John this sentiment of gratitude to these distinguished patrons 
of science. 
The leading subjects which successively occupy the pages of 
this great work are, first, Nebule of the southern hemisphere ; 
secondly, Double Stars of the same region of the heavens; 
thirdly, Astrometry, or the numerical expression of the apparent 
magnitudes of the stars; fourthly, the Distribution of the Stars, 
and the Constitution of the Galaxy in the southern hemisphere ; 
fifthly, Observations on Halley’s Comet, with remarks on its 
Physical Constitution, and that of Comets in general; sixthly, 
Observations on the Satellites of Saturn; seventhly, Observations 
on the Solar 
The number of nebule and clusters comprised in this catalogue, 
amounts to 1708, of which 89 had been previously observed at 
pas 8 and are included i in the northern catalogue.* As a gen- 
fact, the southern hemisphere is not so rich in nebulee as the 
lebettebeil although it contains individual specimens of surpassing 
richness. After reducing those of both hemispheres to a chart 
ingeniously contrived, so as to exhibit them most favorably in 
their mutual relations and positions, the author comes to the fol- 
lowing conclus 
1. That bis diktsibetion of the Nebula: - is not like that of the 
Milky Way, in a zone or band encircling the heavens ; or, if such 
a zone can be at all traced out, it is with so many i nterruptions, 
and is so faintly marked out through by far the greater part of 
its circumference, that its existence can be hardly more than 
suspecte 
. That one-third of the whole nebulous contents of the 
This, for « distinction, he calls the or region “of nui i 
3. That within this area, there are several local centres oi ac- 
- eee where the nebule are exceedingly crowded, viz. 
from 59° to 62° of North Polar Distance, in the 13th hour of Right 
iecinn between the northern part of Coma, and the fore legs ~ 
of Chara, as also, in the same hour, from 72° to 78° N. P. D.; 
hyenas as distingnished from Nebule, are patches of light visible to on 
naked eye, a, exhibiting a confused luminosity, but aM ch a good eye, W — 
wi pere rceive to consist of stars e pe tay clusters 
ons tae piads am oper s Hair, and the Fossiieieny tpots in th head of Orion, 
the sword. handle of Perseus, and ‘the bee hive in Cancer. ; 
the term Vea Rasyeeroa to embrace all nebule which are, OY the telescop 
re 
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