His mathematical labours at the Ecole Polytechnique had, however,
revealed to Le Verrier that he was endowed with the powers requisite
for dealing with the subtlest instruments of mathematical analysis.
When he was twenty-eight years old, his first great astronomical
investigation was brought forth. It will be necessary to enter into
some explanation as to the nature of this, inasmuch as it was the
commencement of the life-work which he was to pursue.
If but a single planet revolved around the sun, then the orbit of
that planet would be an ellipse, and the shape and size, as well as
the position of the ellipse, would never alter. One revolution after
another would be traced out, exactly in the same manner, in
compliance with the force continuously exerted by the sun. Suppose,
however, that a second planet be introduced into the system. The sun
will exert its attraction on this second planet also, and it will
likewise describe an orbit round the central globe. We can, however,
no longer assert that the orbit in which either of the planets moves
remains exactly an ellipse. We may, indeed, assume that the mass of
the sun is enormously greater than that of either of the planets. In
this case the attraction of the sun is a force of such preponderating
magnitude, that the actual path of each planet remains nearly the
same as if the other planet were absent.
Pages:
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372