on Nebulous Stars. 77 
connected with the luminous parts about it. And though we 
jnuft confefs, that if this phenomenon, and many more of 
the fame nature, recorded in my catalogues of nebulas, confift 
of cluttering ftars, we find ourfelves involved in fome difficulty 
to account for the extraordinary condenfation of them about 
the center ; yet the idea of a connection between the outward 
parts and thefe very condenfed ones within is by no means 
leflened on that account. 
There is a telefcopic milky way, which I have traced out in 
the heavens in many fweeps made from the year 1783 to 
1789 ( a ). It takes up a fpace of more than 60 fquare degrees 
of the heavens, and there are thoufands of ftars fcattered over 
it : among others, four that form a trapezium, and are fituated 
in the well known nebula of Orion, which is included in the 
above extent. All thefe ftars, as well as the four I have men- 
tioned, I take to be intirely unconnected with the nebulofity 
which involves them in appearance. Among them is alfo 
d Orionis, a cloudy ftar, improperly fo called by former aftro- 
nomers ; but it does not feem to be connected with the milkinefs 
any more than the reft. 
I come now to fome other phenomena, that, from their 
Angularity, merit undoubtedly a very full difcuffion. Among 
the reafons which induced us to embrace the opinion, that all 
very faint milky nebulofity ought to be afcribed to an affemblage 
of ftars is, that we could not eafily affign any other caufe of 
fufficient importance for fuch luminous appearances, to reach 
us at the immenfe diftance we mu ft fuppofe ourfelves to be 
from them. But if an argument of confiderable force (hould 
now be brought forward, to fhew the exiftence of a luminous 
matter, in a ftate of modification very different from the con- 
(«) RA. from 5 b. 15' 8" to 5b. 39' l\ PD. from 87° 46' to 98° io'. 
4 ftruCtion 
