270 «0LAR_MOTION. 



Investigation will throw some light upon the subject of our present 

 of the proper inquiry. 



gjyj^ In the first place, then, we have to observe in Fig. 1, 



that 17 out of the 21 stars, whose motions are directed 

 towards the north, are crowded together into a compass 

 of little more than 76^ degrees. But this figure, as we 

 have shown, is drawn from observation. We are con- 

 sequently obliged to conclude, that, if these motions are 

 the real ones, there must be some physical cause which 

 gives a bias to the directions in which the stars are mov- 

 ing ; if so, it would not be improbable that the sun, be- 

 ing situated among this group of stars, should partake of 

 amotion towards the same part of the heavens. 



Our next remark concerns the velocity of the sidereal 

 motions ; and therefore we must have recourse to Fig. 2, 

 where we perceive that the greatest motions are not con- 

 fined to the brightest stars. For instance, the velocity of 

 j6 Virginis is but little inferior to that of Arcturus, and 

 exceeds the velocity of Procyon. Likewise the velocities 

 of/3 Aquilag, a Librae, and a Capricorni, surpass that of 

 Sirius ; and an inspection of the rest of the figure will be 

 sufiicient to show how very far the velocities of Capella, 

 Lyra, Rigel, a Orionis, Aldebaran, and Spica, are ex- 

 ceeded by those of many other stars. 



If we look at the arrangement of the stars with respect 

 to the direction of the solar motion, we find in Fig. 3, 

 that a somewhat different scattering of them has taken 

 place ; but still most of the stars appear to be aifectcd by 

 some cause which tends to lead them to the same part of 

 the heavens, toward which the sun is moving; and thft 

 directions of the greatest number of them are not very 

 distant from the line of the solar motion. 



The whole appearance of this figure presents us with 

 the idea of a great compression above the centre, arising 

 from some general cause, and a still greater expansion in 

 the lower part of it. The considerable projection of a 

 few stars on both sides, is however a plain indication that 

 the compressing or dilating cause does not act in their 

 directions. 



When the velocity of the stars, represented in the 

 same point of view in Fig. 4, is examined, wc find a par- 

 ticularity 



