196 A CENTURY'S PROGRESS IN ASTRONOMY. 



consequence of such an encounter as the theory 

 assumes is the formation of an atmosphere of 

 incandescent gases, followed by that of a re- 

 volving ring of nebulous matter. In the hands 

 of Halm, therefore, Seeliger's theory leads to 

 the nebular hypothesis as advanced by Laplace 

 and Herschel. 



