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Great Astronomers by Sir Robert S. (Robert Stawell) Ball
page 233 of 309 (75%)
which lie on the background of the sky. Lord Rosse's telescope was
specially suited for the scrutiny of these objects, inasmuch as their
delicacy required all the light-grasping power which could be
provided.

One of the greatest discoveries made by Lord Rosse, when his huge
instrument was first turned towards the heavens, consisted in the
detection of the spiral character of some of the nebulous forms.
When the extraordinary structure of these objects was first
announced, the discovery was received with some degree of
incredulity. Other astronomers looked at the same objects, and when
they failed to discern--and they frequently did fail to discern--the
spiral structure which Lord Rosse had indicated, they drew the
conclusion that this spiral structure did not exist. They thought it
must be due possibly to some instrumental defect or to the
imagination of the observer. It was, however, hardly possible for
any one who was both willing and competent to examine into the
evidence, to doubt the reality of Lord Rosse's discoveries. It
happens, however, that they have been recently placed beyond all
doubt by testimony which it is impossible to gainsay. A witness
never influenced by imagination has now come forward, and the
infallible photographic plate has justified Lord Rosse. Among the
remarkable discoveries which Dr. Isaac Roberts has recently made in
the application of his photographic apparatus to the heavens, there
is none more striking than that which declares, not only that the
nebulae which Lord Rosse described as spirals, actually do possess
the character so indicated, but that there are many others of the
same description. He has even brought to light the astonishingly
interesting fact that there are invisible objects of this class which
have never been seen by human eye, but whose spiral character is
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