The more important question is: How do astronomers conceive the
condensation of this mixed mass of cosmic dust? It is easy to
reply that gravitation, or the pressure of the surrounding ether,
slowly drives the particles centre-ward, and compresses the dust
into globes, as the boy squeezes the flocculent snow into balls;
and it is not difficult for the mathematician to show that this
condensation would account for the shape and temperature of the
stars. But we must go a little beyond this superficial statement,
and see, to some extent, how the deeper students work out the
process.*
* See, especially, Dr. P. Lowell, "The Evolution of Worlds"
(1909). Professor S. Arrhenius, "Worlds in the Making" (1908),
Sir N. Lockyer, "The Meteorite Hypothesis" (1890), Sir R. Ball,
"The Earth's Beginning" (1909), Professor Moulton, "The
Astrophysical Journal (October, 1905), and Chamberlin and
Salisbury, "Geology," Vol. II. (1903).
Taking a broad view of the whole field, one may say that the two
chief difficulties are as follows: First, how to get the whole
chaotic mass whirling round in one common direction; secondly,
how to account for the fact that in our solar system the
outermost planets and satellites do not rotate in the same
direction as the rest.
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