William Tyler Olcott

“ More recent observations show that the goal of our system is situated in the vicinity of the star Vega in the constellation Lyra.
Hercules is remarkable for containing a wonderful star cluster, situated between the stars ξ and η. Halley discovered it in 1714, and thought it a nebula, and "Halley's nebula" was its early title. It can only be resolved in large telescopes. Harvard observers have counted as many as 724 stars outside of the nucleus in this wonderful cluster. ”

“ It is visible to the naked eye on a clear night, and is considered the finest cluster in the northern heavens, although in a small telescope it does not compare in beauty with the beautiful clusters in Perseus, Gemini, and Sagittarius. ”

“ In a recent photograph of this cluster 50,000 stars are shown in an area of the sky which would be entirely covered by the full moon.
Photographs of this swarm of suns fail to do it justice because of its density. In order to give some idea of the wonderful structure of such a cluster a photograph of the globular cluster ω Centauri in the Southern Hemisphere is here shown. It is estimated that this cluster contains in the neighborhood of ten thousand stars, and within its confines Professor Bailey discovered 128 variable stars. ”

“ As a punishment for his misdeeds he was sold as a slave to Queen Omphale of Lydia, and it is said was often observed spinning with the Queen's maidens in the women's hall subsequently he married the Queen. ”