SOLAR SYSTEM. 75 



1680, one hundred and twelve millions of miles 

 beyond the nucleus of that body ? 



126. If matter is projected from the sun to the 

 remote regions of the solar system, and is arrested 

 there, will the matter at rest be upheld because of 

 the impact upon it of the matter in motion ? but as 

 the .matter collected at the outskirts of the solar 

 system increases in density, and, therefore, diminishes 

 in magnitude, the impact upon it of the matter pro- 

 jected from the sun will be always the less, and, 

 therefore, the matter in process of condensation will, 

 because of this, approach nearer and nearer to the 

 sun ? 



127. If matter is projected from the sun to the 

 remote regions of the solar system, and impinges 

 upon the planetary bodies, the planets are, therefore, 

 acted upon by two forces by gravity, which impels 

 them in a direction towards the sun, and by the 

 matter projected from that body, which impels them 

 in an opposite direction. Are these two forces, at the 

 mean distance of a planet from the sun, in a state of 

 equilibrium ? 



128. If so, the mass and diameter of a planet 

 being given, to find the position of that planet in the 

 solar system. 



It is possible that the masses of all the planetary 



