The Story of Creation as Told By Theology and By ScienceAckland, T. S. (Thomas Suter)
Religion
The Story of Creation as Told By Theology and By Science
Ackland, T. S. (Thomas Suter)
Bible and science; Creation; Religion and science
similar nebulee occupying different positions with reference to
us. They both give a continuous spectrum. The one in Bridanus is
described as "an eleventh magnitude star, standing in the centre
of a circular nebula, itself placed centrally on a larger and
fainter circle of hazy light." [Footnote: Lassell, quoted in
Webb's "Celestial Objects," p. 227.] The nebula in Andromeda
assumes a lenticular form; that in Bridanus would probably present
the same appearance if we saw it edge-ways. The former has
probably increased in brilliancy in the course of centuries. Mr.
Webb remarks of it, "It is so plain to the naked eye that it is
strange the ancients scarcely mention it." [Footnote: Webb's
"Celestial Objects," p. 180.] In these two nebulas we may perhaps
see the mass ready to break up into separate worlds, the
lenticular form being a natural result of extremely rapid
rotation. Prom the fact that Andromeda 116 gives a continuous
spectrum, Dr. Huggins inclines to the belief that it is an
unresolved star cluster. But the reasons which led Sir W. Herschel
to conclude that the nebula in Orion was gaseous, (a conclusion
which, though for a time discredited by the supposed resolution of
the nebula in Lord Kosse's telescope, was ultimately found to be
correct), are equally applicable here. In general a certain
proportion exists between the telescopic power requisite to render
a star cluster visible as a nebulous spot, and that which will
resolve it into stars; but this nebula, like that in Orion, though
visible to the naked eye, cannot be resolved by the most powerful
instruments yet made. And the nebula in Draco 4373, seems to
present an intermediate stage between the purely gaseous nebula
and this one. The faint continuous spectrum is probably the result
of incipient central condensation. This nebula, if recent
observations by Mr. Gill, of Aberdeen, are confirmed [Footnote:
Popular Science Review, 1871, p. 426.], is much nearer to us than
any of the fixed stars.
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