The story of the universe. Volume 1 (of 4) : $b The starry skies
History
The story of the universe. Volume 1 (of 4) : $b The starry skies
Astronomy; Earth (Planet); Natural history
Smaller than the nebula in Argo, but somewhat similar in general
appearance, is that known as 30 Doradus, which forms one of the
numerous and diverse objects which together constitute the greater
Magellanic Cloud. Sir John Herschel drew it carefully at the Cape
of Good Hope, and describes it as “one of the most singular and
extraordinary objects which the heavens present,” and he says “it is
unique even in the system to which it belongs, there being no other
object in either nubecula to which it bears the least resemblance.”
It is sometimes called the “looped nebula,” from the curious openings
it contains. One of these is somewhat similar to the “key-hole”
opening in the Argo nebula. Near its centre is a small cluster of
stars, and scattered over the nebula are many faint stars, of which
Sir John Herschel gives a catalogue of 105, ranging from the ninth to
the seventeenth magnitude. I do not know whether this nebula has been
examined with the spectroscope, but its appearance would suggest that
it is gaseous. It is remarkable as being the only object of its class
which is found outside the zone of the Milky Way.
Among the nebulæ of irregular shape, although its spectrum is said to
be not gaseous, may be mentioned that known as the “trifid nebula,”
or 20 Messier. It lies closely north of the star 4 Sagittarii in a
magnificent region of the heavens. In the drawing made by Sir John
Herschel at the Cape of Good Hope, the principal portion consists of
three masses of nebulous matter separated by dark “lanes” or “rifts.”
Near the junction of the three “rifts” is a triple star. A beautiful
drawing of this nebula has also been made by Trouvelot. It agrees
fairly well with that of Sir John Herschel, but shows more detail.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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