Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-01-17

and the light suffered no refraction in
passing through the inierposed medium.
These facts proves that bodies do ex.
list not solidificd. The Zodiacal Light
which extends across the heavens after
the sun has gone down, gives the same
indications that an atmosphere of this
nature around the Sun would exhibit,
were the fact of such an atmosphere es-
iablished.
| But if this theory is true, it mus. ac-
count for, or be consistent with, all the
phenomena of the heavens.
Let us examine the progress Of devel-
opment as explained by it.
The moment gravilation commences
lis acticn upon the chaotic, nebulous
mass nucleus is formed from which a
constantly increasing force is exerted.--
Motion is generated among the particles,
and spherical form is assumed, as is
The case with dew drop; from the form
of the particles, or by Divine command,
a rotation follows, which once common.
cee tends TO grea, results.
Many planetary nebulous masses Of
this kind exist al present, some of them
measuring even 100000, 100000 miles,
while no fixed star has measurable d.
ameter. But how were systems made
from those nebulous masses! As the
limits Of the mass are diminished by the
condensation Of the matter, the speed
Of rotation is increased by an inevitable
law, illustrated by whrling ball round
a rod, the string gradually winding ~
and the ball moving with accelera ed ve-
loclty. Centrifugal force is thus orig,
mated, which changes the form of the
mass from a globular one to one nearly
fiat. AS this force increases, ring
breaks away and flies of. This ring
moving in the same direction, and with
the same speed as the body from which
it is separated, and is gradually conden-
sed till it becomes planet with an orbit,
and speed of revolution equal TO tina,
of the body at the time of its separation.
AS the nebulous mass is farther conGen-
sed, other rings are thrown off from
which planets are formed, till by the sol,
idity of the mass a new element comes
in, called cohesion, which prevents the
separation of more rings.
Secondary planets are found diving
around the primaries in the same way.
Now if this theory is true, all the
planets must revolve in The same drec-
ton, their orbits must be in the same
place, they must rotate on their axes in
the same direction, and, all their motions
must have certain relative speed; all
which things are so in fact. But more
than this, the Sun must also rotate on its
axis in the same manner; and this we
find TO be the case. ..... .-....
| Gravitation cannot account for all the
phenomena of Astronomy, and unless
this theory is true we have no expiana-
ton of many of them. La Place, who
labored for long time to prove that the
Universe was made by chance, found
/
that the probabilities were many millions
to one against any such proposition; he
was convinced that il was made by law
and in this manner.
The speaker alluded TO Saurn's rings
as connected with this theory, and also
the comets, which unlike the planets pass
in all directions and all sorts of curves.
some of them in such that they never
can return through the same orbit.
These he considered as lragmentary
portions of the nebulons matter, whose
orbits had been changed by the altrac-
ton Of other bodies. Prof M. alluded
in terms of high encomium to Kirk
wood, an American, who had discovered
the first astronomical law since Kepler
found the relation of planets orbits and
their periodic times. Kirkwood had
found that the time of tie Earlh's ro,a-
ton is dependent upon the mass of mat
ter that is contained in the planets on
either side, and their distance. This
law is universally true, and is astonish-
ing, when We consider that the Earth's
rotation is independent of other bodies,
and is perfectly uniform. This unifor
nifty could not continue if the other plan
cts, whose distance is constantly chan
glng exerted any influence upon the TO-
tation. The fact seems to INDICATE a
common physical origin, and an origin al
relation now dissolved.
III Il 4