The Evolution of Stellar Systems

Summary

A century has elapsed since Laplace suggested that the sun, and planets, might have been evolved out of nebulous matter, but his imagination did not lead him to realize the much larger idea that stellar systems might also have been evolved from matter similar in its constitution.

I now propose to submit a series of photographic copies of my original negatives from which we may obtain strong evidence, if not complete demonstration, of the evolution of stellar systems.

The first part of the series will consist of photographs of rich fields of stars, and of clusters showing various degrees of concentration; these will be followed by a series of the spiral nebulæ some of them symmetrical in form, and others less symmetrical though clearly spiral. Following these again will be a number of nebulæ of circular, annular, and irregular forms, and, lastly, nebulæ consisting of large areas of cloud-like matter having irregular structural characteristics.

The appearances to which I now wish to draw special attention in the examination of these photographs are the numerous curves and lines of stars that are associated together in separate groups. The stars are of nearly equal magnitude; of approximately equal distances apart in each group, and the groups are independent of each other and of the surrounding stars.