296 Dr. Herschei/s Astronomical Observations 
“ star of the 9th magnitude. It is of an irregular figure." See 
fig- 9- 
II. 289 is “ A faint pretty large nebula ; it is of an irregular 
“ triangular figure." 
By calling the figure of a nebula irregular, it must be un- 
derstood that I saw no particular dimension of it sufficiently 
marked to deserve the name of length ; for had there been 
such a distinction, its extension in the longitudinal direction 
would have been recorded, or, as it frequently happened, for 
want of time, the nebula would shortly have been called ex- 
tended. From this consideration it follows, that the nebulous 
matter which assumes an irregular figure when seen in a teles- 
cope, cannot be very different in two of its dimensions ; and this 
leaving the third entirely undetermined, it may be of greater, 
equal, or less extent than either of the other two. But to be 
STeater or less than the dimensions that were seen it would 
require the particular situation of the third dimension in either 
case to be in the direction of the line of sight, which is so far 
at least improbable, that we may fairly suppose the unseen 
dimension not to differ much from either of the former two. 
16. Of Nebula that are of an irregular round Figure. 
The apparent figure of the nebulas contained in the fore- 
going articles has already assisted me in a great measure to 
assign the expanded form of the nebulous matter of which 
they consist. The irregular round appearance of the follow- 
ing fifty-five nebulae however, being of a much more marked 
description than the former, will lead to more decisive con- 
clusions. I have divided them into three assortments.* 
* See twenty-eight nebula; of an irregular round figure of various small sizes. I. 
