(4) From this state of affairs, two very different results might arise.
One, that the molecules might resolve themselves into a multitude of
small masses without the centre acquiring a preponderating increase.
The other, that the central condensation might greatly exceed the
others, and there would be formed a central star accompanied by a crowd
of small dark bodies. M. Faye accepts the second result, in which case
the ellipses described by the small bodies, now become satellites,
would, as the central mass increased in preponderance, have one of
their centres at the centre of the preponderating mass, and their times
of revolution would vary from one to another in conformity to the third
law of Kepler.
(5) For the formation of the solar system M. Faye finds that it is of
little importance whether the movements of bodies around the sun be
very eccentric or almost circular; the first cause is always the same.
They arise from the eddies, _tourbillonnements_, they have brought
with them from their rectilinear movements in the primitive chaos. But
the circle is such a particular case of the ellipse, that we ought not
to expect to see it realized in any system. It is therefore necessary
that, among the initial conditions of the chaotic mass, one should be
found which would prevent the gyrations, eddies, from degenerating into
elliptical movements, and which has at first made right, and afterwards
firmly preserved, the form, more or less circular, in all its changes.
(6) For the formation of circular rings he gives us the following
conceptions: In order that a star should have companions, great or
small, circulating round the centre of gravity of the system, it is
necessary that the partial chaos from whence it proceeded should have
possessed, from the beginning, a gentle eddying movement affecting a
part of its materials. Besides, if the partial chaos has been really
round and homogeneous, we shall see that these gyrations must have
taken up, and to some extent preserved, the circular form. He then
requests the reader not to lose sight of the feeble density of the
medium, in which a succession of mechanical changes are to be brought
about; and not to conclude that that density was such that a cubic
miriamètre of the space occupied by it might not contain 3250 grammes
of matter, as he stated in the preceding chapter (we think he said
5217 grammes), but that it might contain only 3 grammes or even less.
And adds that in such a medium, the small agglomerations of matter
which would be formed all through it, would move as if they were in an
absolute vacuum, and any changes in them would be produced extremely
slowly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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