Page:The Solar System - Six Lectures - Lowell.djvu/101



With the hint given by this, at least singular, coincidence, let us examine the other satellite systems. Two others available for comparison present themselves, that of Jupiter and that of Uranus. Jupiter's system is this :—

Here, again, the largest body fills the centre of the field. With Uranus, we have:

The same relative agreement of position and mass !

Now consider the probability that this coincident arrangement should be due to chance. The  greater mass might be found either at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of the line. Take, as starting point, that it is found to occupy