The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-12-11

formeO would not break up into two
extremely unequal parts. but that the
two bodies would be nearly equal, or at
least comparable in size
Professor See found in his investiga-
tions that the mltiple stars are nearly
all equal in size. This fact, together
with Darwin's discovery, led Professor
See rapidly to a definite conclusion, and
the evolution Of his new nebular theory.
which is, in brief, that the annular pro-
cess by wirich Saturn's rings were sep
arated. while a possibility theoretically,
IS not generally realized in the actual
universe, but that the nsoulae divide
into two nearly equal parts by process
resembling "ission."
When the rotating mass has thus di-
vided into two nearly equal parts, ac-
cording to Professor See, each part will
begin to rotate on its axis, and the tide.
raised in either mass fly the attraction
Of the other, will cause the orbit to
grow gradually larger as we'll as more
eccentric, and in hhe course of some mil
lions Of years we shall have double
star, such as Alpha Centaui or seventy
Ophiuchi. This theory, Professor See
believes, win account for the formation
Of all the multiple stars, which are in
reality solar systems, but, as he OBJ
serves, their origin is radically different
from that Of our system.
Nevertheless. it follows from the re-
searches Of Darwin and Professor See,
that il the rotating nebulae be extreme
ly heterogeneous, very dense in the CEN
tre and very rare ct the surface, the
portion detached would be much small
ier than If the mass were homogeneous.
Hence. if in the beginning the solar me-
buia were very heterogeneous, it might
detach small masses, such as planets and
satellites. And In this view the forma-
ton of our system would be exceptional
only as regards the primitive condition
Of the solar nebula.
The number Of asteroids is unlimited,
and they appear TO foe scattered over a
very wide belt, making 1t fairly certain
that by whatever process they were
formed the gaseous was originally dif
fused over the whole zone now occupied
by them. A ring such as Laplace con-
ceived would probably condense into
just such a multitude of small masses.
In the case OF Saturn's rings, accord
Ing to Professor See, another cause
comes into play and prevents them ever
forming one or more large bodies. This
IS the tidal action of the p lanet upon
bodies near its surface, within certain
distance, and it happens that the rings
OF Saturn are actually within this criti-
cal distance Even ir the DartipIeS Of
the rings were to get together within
this region and form a planet, the tidal
action of Saturn upon the resulting
mass, the new theorist believes, would
tear it to pieces and the particles would
again be diffused into rings such as are
now found about the planet, and that
therefore the rings of Saturn can never
form planet. For the same reason sa-
teHites or planets could not exist too
near Jupiter or the sun.
Professor See is devoting himself not
only to predicting the motions OF the
heavenly bodies in remote centuries, but
he essays to trace the systems Of the
universe back through cosmical ages,
and to investigate from laws and causes
known TO be at work in the heavens just
how the present order OF things has
come about. Speaking of this work, to
be carried on by other hands than his,
he says:
"The solution Of this sublime problem,
even IL it takes centuries for It's full
will be an achievement not
un worthy of the past history Of physical
astronomy"