III. An account of the observations on the great nebula in Orion, made at Birr Castle, with the 3-feet and 6-feet telescopes, between 1848 and 1867. With a drawing of the nebula

Abstract

Many drawings of the Great Nebula in Orion have already been published by different astronomers; still as the present drawing was made with the advantage of instrumental power far exceeding that at the disposal of previous observers, and as great care has been taken to make it accurate, in fact every available hour during the winter months of seven seasons having been employed upon it, perhaps it may be of some interest to the Royal Society. Several drawings of this wonderful object were published previous to the year 1825, but they were made with instruments of little power; however, in 1825, Sir J. Herschel published a drawing made with his celebrated 18-inch reflector (Memoirs of the Astronomical Society, 1826). Sir J. Herschel’s second drawing with the same instrument, but under more favourable circumstances, together with a description and a catalogue of stars, was published in 1847 (Cape of Good Hope Observations). That was succeeded in 1848 by Mr. Bond’s drawing, also with a description and catalogue of stars (Memoirs of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1848).