profound
immensity of space in which it is located! An annular nebula similar to
that of Lyra, but on a smaller scale, is found in Cygnus, and within it
there can be seen a conspicuous star. Another exists in Scorpio which
contains two stars situated within the ring at diametrically opposite
points to each other.

ELLIPTICAL NEBULAE.--The most interesting object of this class is the
Great Nebula in Andromeda, called 'the transcendentally beautiful queen
of the nebulae'--an appellation which it scarcely merits. This object,
which is plainly visible to the naked eye, is of an oval shape, of a
milky white colour, and is situated near the most northern star of the
three which form the girdle of Andromeda. It was known to the ancients,
and Ali Sufi, a Persian astronomer who flourished in the tenth century,
alludes to it; but it did not attract much attention until the
seventeenth century. Simon Marius was the first to observe this object
with a telescope. This he did on December 15, 1612; he describes it as
shining with a pale white light resembling in appearance the flame of a
candle when seen through a semi-transparent piece of horn. When examined
with a high magnifying power it is seen to occupy a largely extended
area measuring 4 deg. in length and 2-1/2 deg. in breadth. Its luminosity
increases from the circumference to the centre, where there can be seen
a small nucleus with an ill-defined boundary, which has the appearance
of being granular, but its composition is not stellar. Two dark channels
running almost parallel to each other and to the axis of the nebula have
been observed by Bond; these, when prolonged, form into curves which
terminate in two great rings. They are wide rifts which separate streams
of nebulous matter, and are indicative that some formative processes may
be going on within the nebula.

Astronomers have been baffled in their attempts to discover the nature
of the Andromeda Nebula. Though great telescopes have been able to
render visible thousands of stars over and around it, yet the nebula
itself is irresolvable and bears no trace of stellar formation;
neither, according to Dr. Huggins, is its spectrum gaseous, a
circumstance which deepens the mystery associated with this object. Its
distance is unknown, and its dimensions cannot be ascertained.

Other elliptical nebulae are found in different regions of the heavens.
In Ursa Major there is an oval nebula resembling that of Andromeda, but
on a