190 



Mr. E. V. Neale on the Traces of a 



Geological Survey Sheets for the light they will throw upon the 

 relation of these subsequent rectilinear upheavals and local de- 

 nudation to the previous circular movements and general denu- 

 dation — and particularly to the Sheet that will comprise the inner- 

 most Kentish circle. 



XXXII. On the Traces of a Spiral Structure in the Solar System, 

 By Edward Vansittart Neale, Esq.* 



IN a paper published in the Philosophical Magazine for De- 

 cember last, I have pointed out a theoretical arrangement 

 of the centres of planetary formation, whence I have endeavoured 

 to explain the actual distances of the planets, upon the supposi- 

 tion that the solar system has grown up out of the condensation 

 of a mass of material formerly occupying the area now traversed 

 by the planets. For convenience of reference I repeat the Table 

 containing the summary of my theory. 



Group. 



Names. 



Theoretical 

 distances. Totals. 



Actual 

 distances. 



Difference. 



Proportion 

 of differ- 

 ence to 

 theoretical 

 radius. 



I. 



Mercury ... 



2 | 2 



3-87 



+ 1-87 



+•935 



II. 



Venus 



Earth 



Mars 



Junof 



2 

 2 

 2 



2 



+2 



+2x 3 

 +2 X 6 

 +2x12 



4 

 S 



14 

 26 



723 

 10 



15-24 

 26-70 



+ 3-23 

 + 2-00 

 + 1-24 



+ -70 



+•807 

 + •200 

 + •089 



+•027 



III. 



Jupiter 



Saturn 



Uranus 



Neptune ... 



2 

 2 

 2 

 2 



+24 ! +24 

 +24 i +24 x 3 

 +24 , +24 x 6 

 +24 1 +24x12 



50 



98 



170 



314 



52-02 



95-39 



191-82 



300-37 



+ 2-02 

 - 2-61 

 +21-82 

 -13-63 



+•040 

 -•027 

 +•128 

 -043 



It will be seen, on inspecting this Table, that while it exhibits 

 a symmetrical arrangement in the spaces occupied by each group 

 of planets, and in the arrangement of the planets within each of 

 these spaces, there is a want of symmetry at the points of transi- 

 tion from one group to the next in succession, — i. e. in the dis- 

 tances between Mercury and Venus, and between Juno and 

 Jupiter, as compared with those between Venus, the Earth, 

 Mars, and Juno, or Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. 



I wish at present to suggest a consideration which seems to 

 account for this apparent anomaly. Lord Eosse's observations 

 have disclosed a tendency to a spiral structure in many of the 

 nebulse. Now if we suppose that the solar system was consoli- 



* Communicated by the Author. 



f Juno is taken as the nearest representative of the probable centre of 

 the group of asteroids. 



