Star Clusters | Nature

Star Clusters | Nature

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ABSTRACT IN 1915–18, Dr. Shapley published a remarkable series of researches on globular clusters which brought these remote objects into the forefront of astronomical interest. His results indicated an extension of the flattened system of the galaxy about ten times greater than had previously been adopted. This was the beginning of a phase in astronomy which its critics might describe as megalomania. The same method has since been applied to the still more distant spiral nebulae, and these have tended to displace the globular clusters in their appeal to our imagination. From the observational point of view, however, there is no comparison between the stage of advancement of the two subjects. As regards the spirals, our systematic knowledge is summed up in a fairly trustworthy calculation of the size and distance of three or four of the nearest of them, a guess at the distances of the remainder, and the astonishing fact that almost without exception they are running away; as regards the star clusters, we have before us Shapley's monograph, closely packed with statistics and individual studies, with a wealth of problems and deductions which interact with and illuminate our knowledge of the stars in our immediate neighbourhood. Star Clusters. Harlow Shapley. (Harvard Observatory Monographs, No. 2.) Pp. xi + 276 + 3 plates. (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc.; London: McGraw-Hill Publishing Co., Ltd., 1930.) 15_s_. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution ACCESS OPTIONS Access through your institution Subscribe to this journal Receive 51 print issues and online access $199.00 per year only $3.90 per issue Learn more Buy this article * Purchase on SpringerLink * Instant access to full article PDF Buy now Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout ADDITIONAL ACCESS OPTIONS: * Log in * Learn about institutional subscriptions * Read our FAQs * Contact customer support Authors * A. S. EDDINGTON View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE EDDINGTON, A. _Star Clusters_ . _Nature_ 127, 476–477 (1931). https://doi.org/10.1038/127476a0 Download citation * Issue Date: 28 March 1931 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/127476a0 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: Get shareable link Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Copy to clipboard Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

ABSTRACT IN 1915–18, Dr. Shapley published a remarkable series of researches on globular clusters which brought these remote objects into the forefront of astronomical interest. His results


indicated an extension of the flattened system of the galaxy about ten times greater than had previously been adopted. This was the beginning of a phase in astronomy which its critics might


describe as megalomania. The same method has since been applied to the still more distant spiral nebulae, and these have tended to displace the globular clusters in their appeal to our


imagination. From the observational point of view, however, there is no comparison between the stage of advancement of the two subjects. As regards the spirals, our systematic knowledge is


summed up in a fairly trustworthy calculation of the size and distance of three or four of the nearest of them, a guess at the distances of the remainder, and the astonishing fact that


almost without exception they are running away; as regards the star clusters, we have before us Shapley's monograph, closely packed with statistics and individual studies, with a wealth


of problems and deductions which interact with and illuminate our knowledge of the stars in our immediate neighbourhood. Star Clusters. Harlow Shapley. (Harvard Observatory Monographs, No.


2.) Pp. xi + 276 + 3 plates. (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc.; London: McGraw-Hill Publishing Co., Ltd., 1930.) 15_s_. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview


of subscription content, access via your institution ACCESS OPTIONS Access through your institution Subscribe to this journal Receive 51 print issues and online access $199.00 per year only


$3.90 per issue Learn more Buy this article * Purchase on SpringerLink * Instant access to full article PDF Buy now Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout


ADDITIONAL ACCESS OPTIONS: * Log in * Learn about institutional subscriptions * Read our FAQs * Contact customer support Authors * A. S. EDDINGTON View author publications You can also


search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE EDDINGTON, A. _Star Clusters_ . _Nature_ 127, 476–477


(1931). https://doi.org/10.1038/127476a0 Download citation * Issue Date: 28 March 1931 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/127476a0 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Anyone you share the following link with


will be able to read this content: Get shareable link Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Copy to clipboard Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt


content-sharing initiative