it behaves as if all its wonderful powers
had departed.

Another double that perhaps we had better not try with less than four
inches aperture is 84 Virginis. The magnitudes are six and nine;
distance, 3.5", p. 233 deg.. Colors yellow and blue. Sigma 1846 is a
fifth-magnitude star with a tenth-magnitude companion, distance only 4",
p. 108 deg.. Use the five-inch.

And now we approach something that is truly marvelous, the "Field of the
Nebulae." This strange region, lying mostly in the constellation Virgo,
is roughly outlined by the stars beta, eta, gamma, delta, and epsilon,
which form two sides of a square some 15 deg. across. It extends, however,
for some distance into Coma Berenices, while outlying nebulae belonging
to it are also to be found in the eastern part of Leo. Unfortunately
for those who expect only brilliant revelations when they look through a
telescope, this throng of nebulae consists of small and inconspicuous
wisps as ill defined as bits of thistle-down floating high in the air.
There are more than three hundred of them all told, but even the
brightest are faint objects when seen with the largest of our
telescopes. Why do they congregate thus? That is the question which
lends an interest to the assemblage that no individual member of it
could alone command. It is a mystery, but beyond question it is
explicable. The explanation, however, is yet to be discovered.

The places of only three of the nebulae are indicated on the map. No.
2806 has been described as resembling in shape a shuttle. Its length is
nearly one third of the moon's diameter. It is brightest near the
center, and has several faint companions. No. 2961 is round, 4' in
diameter, and is accompanied by another round nebula in the same field
of view toward the south. No. 3105 is double, and powerful telescopes
show two more ghostly companions. There is an opportunity for good and
useful work in a careful study of the little nebulae that swim into view
all over this part of Virgo. Celestial photography has triumphs in store
for itself here.

Scattered over and around the region where the nebulae are thickest we
find eight or nine variable stars, three of the most remarkable of
which, R, S, and U, may be found on the map. R is very irregular,
sometimes attaining magnitude six and a half, while at other times its
maximum brightness does not exceed that of an eighth-magnitude star. At
minimum it sinks to the tenth or eleventh magnitude. Its