relating to the sidereal part of the Heavens, 253 
motion either of the stars or of the nebulous matter: a mutual 
attraction might draw them together. In either of these cases 
it would follow, that if the nebulosity should subside into the 
star, as seems to be indicated by the assumed form of the fan- 
shaped nebula, the star would receive an increase of matter 
proportional to the magnitude and density of the nebulosity 
in contact with it. This would give us the idea of what might 
be called the growth of stars. 
Of Stars with nebulous branches, 
• That an intimate connection between the nebulous matter 
and a star is not incompatible with their nature will clearly 
appear by the following instances, in which a union is mani- 
fested that cannot be mistaken for a deceptive appearance.* 
* IV, 42 is ‘‘ A star of about the 8th or 9th magnitude with 
“ very faint nebulous branches extended in the direction of the 
“meridian: each branch is about one minute in length. Other 
“ stars of the same size, and at the same time in view, are 
“ free from these branches."' See fig. 7. 
The three objects to which I have referred shew sufficiently 
that stars and nebulae may be connected ; for a little swelling 
and increase of light of the branches, at their junction with 
the star, which generally takes place, seems evidently to be 
an effect arising from the gravitation of the nebulous matter 
towards a center, in which the star is situated. 
« 
Here again the visible effect of gravitation supports the idea 
of the growth of stars by the gradual access of nebulous mat- 
ter ; for in the present case I may refer to the observations 
already published in the Phil. Trans, for 1811, where, page 
• See three stars with nebulous branches IV, 4a, 43. 48. 
