COMET OF 1 889-1 896- 1 903 



273 



Table XIV. 



Solar Perturbations. 



34. Perturbations Due to the Figure of Jiipitcr. — Jupiter 

 differs so greatly from a sphere that the^ usual assumption that 

 it acts upon outside particles as though the entire mass was 

 concentrated at the center will not hold true for bodies ap- 

 proaching Jupiter as closely as did the comet. It becomes 

 desirable, therefore, to compute the disturbances to the motion 

 of the comet, caused by the figure of the planet. The ex- 

 tremely close approach of the comet to the planet's surface 

 plainly indicated large perturbations due to this cause and the 

 asymmetric position of the comet's orbit, relative to the planet's 

 equator, allowed of little balancing of effects on its approach 

 and recession. These perturbations may be readily computed 

 in the following manner. 



