planetary vapor, and nebulous stars. The picturesque charm of a southern
sky -- note, p. 85. Conjectures on the position in space of the world. Our
stellar masses. A cosmical island. Gauging stars. Double stars revolving
round a common center. Distance of the star 61 Cygni -- p. 88 and note.
Our solar system more complicated than was conjectured at the close of the
last century. Primary planets with Neptune, Astrea, Hebe, Iris, and Flora,
now constitute 16; secondary planets 18; myriad of comets of which many of
the inner ones are inclosed
p 18
in the orbits of the planets; a rotating ring (the zodiacal light) and
meteoric stones, probably to be regarded as small cosmical bodies. The
telescopic planets, Vesta, Juno, Ceres, Pallas, Astrea, Hebe, Iris and
Flora, with their frequently intersecting, strongly inclined, and more
eccentric orbits, constitute a central group of separation between the inner
planetary group (Mercury, Venus, the Earth, and Mars) and the outer group
(Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune). Contrasts of these planetary
groups. Relations of distance from one central body. Differences of
absolute magnitude, density, period of revolution, eccentricity, and
inclination of the orbits. The so-called law of the distances of the
planets from their central sun. The planets which have the largest number
of moons -- p. 96 and note. Relations in space, both absolute and relative,
of the secondary planets. Largest and smallest of the moons. Greatest
approximation to a primary planet. Retrogressive movement of the moons of
Uranus. Libration of the Earth's satellite -- p. 98 and note. Comets; the
nucleus and tail; various forms and directions of the emanations in conoidal
envelopes, with more or less dense walls. Several tails inclined toward the
sun; change of form of fixed stars by the nuclei of comets. Eccentricity of
their orbits and periods of revolution. Greatest distance and greatest
approximation of comets. Passage through the system of Jupiter's
satellites. Comets of short periods of revolution, more correctly termed