100 
MR. GALLOWAY ON THE PROPER 
and Otto Struve, it considerably increases the probability of the conclusions ob- 
tained by those astronomers. It is now shown that stars situated in every region 
of the heavens agree in their indication of a general motion directed towards one 
particular quarter ; and as this agreement, not only of the results of different inves- 
tigations, but of the great majority of the proper motions which have been ascertained 
and examined, cannot, on any reasonable supposition, be regarded as fortuitous, the 
inference is inevitable that they are, in part at least, systematic, and modified by the 
action of a general cause. 
The proper motions which have been examined in this paper are not sufficiently 
numerous to warrant any speculation with respect to the nature of the path which 
the sun describes in space. Analogy leads us to infer that the sun must describe a 
curvilinear orbit, and if we suppose the orbit to be nearly circular, then the centre 
of motion will be situated in the plane passing through the sun perpendicular to the 
direction of his motion, and consequently in or near the great circle which has the 
point Q for one of its poles. The constellations through which this great circle 
passes are Piscis Australis, Pegasus, Andromeda, Perseus, &c. Argelander, from 
various considerations, thought it probable that the sun’s orbit is nearly in the plane 
of the Milky Way, and therefore that the central body must be sought for in this 
plane also. Now the two points of the sphere in which the great circle which is 90° 
from Q (as above determined) intersects the plane of the Milky Way, are situated, 
the one in Perseus, AI = 49°, Dec. =-j-54^°, and the other and diametrically opposite 
one between Lupus and the Southern Triangle. Near one of these two points, there- 
fore, the central point of the sun’s orbit must be situated, if both suppositions are 
correct ; and Argelander considers it most probable that the central point or body 
is in Perseus. Madler, in a recent remarkable speculation, comes to the conclusion 
that the central sun is most probably situated in the Pleiades, and nearly in the 
direction of the star Alcyone (?? Tauri) of that group. Perhaps the research is at 
present premature ; but it seems not unreasonable to expect that a comparison of 
catalogues at the end of another half century will give the means of answering many 
interesting questions connected with the proper motions of the stars for the determi- 
nation of which the data are still insufficient. It may then be possible to determine, 
for example, whether the apparent proper motions are uniform, or variable as has 
been supposed by Pond and Bessel ; whether the direction of the sun’s proper 
motion is gradually changing, or the apex maintains a fixed position in the heavens ; 
whether the stars, which appear so irregularly grouped, form different independent 
systems, each having its own centre of attraction, or all obey the influence of one 
controlling force which pervades the visible universe. The solution of all these 
questions will, no doubt, be ultimately arrived at, but much yet remains to be done 
by the practical astronomer. Our knowledge of the proper motions of the southern 
stars is still very defective ; and unless some other means are adopted than those 
which have yet been had recourse to, namely, the comparison of absolute places at 
