every distance having its own proper rate. These three laws of Kepler
constitute the Magna Charta of the solar system.

Afterward, Newton showed _how_ it happens that the planets obey these
laws, but as his part of the work had no particular reference to Mars,
I say no more about it in this place.

Here, in Fig. 3, are the real paths of Mars and the Earth, and also of
Venus and Mercury. No loops, you see, in any of them, simply because
we have set the sun in the middle. Set the earth in the middle, and
each planet would have its own set of loops, each set enormously
complicated, and all three sets mixed together in the most confusing
way. It is well to remember this when you see, as in many books of
astronomy, the old theory illustrated with a set of circles looking
almost as neat and compact as the set truly representing the modern
theory. For the idea is suggested by this simple picture of the old
theory that the theory itself was simple, whereas it had become so
confusing that not merely young learners, but the most profound
mathematicians, were baffled when they tried to unravel the motions of
the planets.

I think the figure pretty well explains itself. All I need mention is,
that while the shape and position of each path is correctly shown, the
size of the sun at center is immensely exaggerated. A mere pin point,
but shining with star-like splendor, would properly represent him.
As for the figures of the earth and Mars, they are still more
tremendously out of proportion. The cross-breadth of the lines
representing these planets' tracks is _many times_ greater than the
breadth of either planet on the scale of the chart.