Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 62.djvu/301

Rh This has given rise to many beautiful mathematical investigations, and developments into series. But the modern researches have shown that we are not sure of our theoretical results obtained in this way, and we are thrown back on empirical methods. Perhaps the theories may be improved. It is to be hoped that the treatment of the differential equations may be made more general and complete. Efforts have been made in this direction by Newcomb and others, and especially by Glydèn, but so far without much practical result.

The problem of three bodies was encountered by the mathematicians who followed Newton, and many efforts were made to solve it. These efforts continue, although the complete investigations of Lagrange appear to put the matter at rest. The only solutions found are of very special character. Laplace used one of these solutions to ridicule the doctrine of final causes. It was the custom to teach that the moon was made to give us light at night. Laplace showed by one of the special solutions that the actual conditions might be improved, and that we might have a full moon all the time. But his argument failed, since such a system is unstable and cannot exist in nature. But some of the efforts to obtain partial solutions have been more fruitful, and G. W. Hill has obtained elegant and useful results. These methods depend on assumed conditions that do not exist in nature, but are approximately true. The problem of two bodies is a case of this kind, and the partial solutions may illustrate, but will not overcome, the fundamental difficulty.

The arrangement of our solar system is such that the distances of the planets from one another are very great with respect to their dimensions, and this facilitates very much the determination of their motions. Should two bodies approach very near each other the disturbing force might become great, even in the case of small masses. In the case of comets this condition happens in nature, and the comet may become a satellite of a planet, and the sun a disturbing body. In this way it is probable that comets and meteoric streams have been introduced into our solar system. We have here an interesting set of problems. This question is sometimes treated as one of statics, but since the bodies are in motion it belongs to dynamics. Further study may throw light on some relations between the asteroids and the periodical comets.

The great question of astronomy is the complete and rigorous test of the Newtonian law of gravitation. This law has represented observations so well during a century and a half that it is a general belief that the law will prove true for all time, and that it will be found to govern the motions of the stars as well as those of our solar system. The proof is cumulative and strong for this generality. It will be a wonderful result if this law is found rigorously true for all time and throughout the universe. Time is sure to bring severe tests to all theories. We