In the
delineation of the form of these latter objects Herschel found ample
employment for his skilful pencil. Many of the drawings he has made
of the celestial wonders in the southern sky are admirable examples
of celestial portraiture.
The number of the nebulae and of those kindred objects, the star
clusters, which Herschel studied in the southern heavens, during four
years of delightful labour, amount in all to one thousand seven
hundred and seven. His notes on their appearance, and the
determinations of their positions, as well as his measurements of
double stars, and much other valuable astronomical research, were
published in a splendid volume, brought out at the cost of the Duke
of Northumberland. This is, indeed, a monumental work, full of
interesting and instructive reading for any one who has a taste for
astronomy.
Herschel had the good fortune to be at the Cape on the occasion of
the periodical return of Halley's great comet in 1833. To the study
of this body he gave assiduous attention, and the records of his
observations form one of the most interesting chapters in that
remarkable volume to which we have just referred.
[PLATE: COLUMN AT FELDHAUSEN, CAPE TOWN, to commemorate Sir John
Herschel's survey of the Southern Heavens.
Pages:
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293