Note 61 — Chapter XVII · NEBULÆ AND CLUSTERS OF STARS.

Sir W. Herschel at first entertained this view, finding that with every increase of telescopic power more nebulæ were resolved. But in 1791 he said, “perhaps it has been too hastily surmised that all milky nebulosity is owing to starlight only.” Lacaille had remarked in 1755 that “it is not certain the whiteness of parts of the Milky Way is caused by clusters of stars more closely packed together than in other parts of the heavens.”