R.A. 16 26 N.P.D. 114 14 not a star 16m—Nothing!
R.A. 16 27 N.P.D. 114 0 not a star as far as 114° 10ʹ.
and so on. Then come on the globular clusters, then more blank fields, then suddenly the Milky Way comes on as here described (from my sweep 474, July 29, 1834):—
“17h 28m, 114° 27ʹ.—The Milky Way comes on in large milky nebulous irregular patches and banks, with few stars of visible magnitude, after a succession of black fields and extremely rare stars above 18th magnitude. I do not remember ever to have seen the Milky Way so decidedly nebulous, or, indeed, at all so, before.”
Altogether the constitution of the Milky Way in its whole extent, from Scorpio to Argo Navis, is extremely curious and interesting. I have already collected a pretty large catalogue of southern nebulæ, for the most part hitherto unobserved, but my most remarkable object is a fine planetary nebula of a beautiful greenish-blue colour, a full and intense tint (not as when one says Lyra is a bluish star, &c.), but a positive and evident blue, between indigo-blue and verditer green. It is about 12ʺ in diameter, exactly round, or a very little elliptic, and quite as sharply defined as a planet. Its place is 11h 42m R.A., and 146° 14ʹ N.P.D. My review for double stars goes on in moonlight nights, and among them I may mention γ Lupi and ε Chameleontis as among the closest and most interesting.
I have been hunting for Halley’s comet by Rümker’s Ephemeris in Taurus, but without success, though in the finest sky, quite dark, and with a newly-polished mirror. (By the way, I should mention that I have not had the least difficulty in my polishing work, and my mirrors are now more perfect than at any former time since I have used them.) My last comet hunt was Feb. 18. I shall, however, continue to look out for it. Pray mention this to Schumacher, who is Rümker’s next-door neighbour.
MISS HERSCHEL TO A. DE MORGAN, ESQ., SECRETARY OF
ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY.
March 9, 1835.
Sir,—