Chapter XVI

The sun's neighbours still exercise their attraction over him 282
Regions of greatest density in the 9 nebulæ dealt with;
compared with the orbits of the planets made from them 283
Results of comparison favourable to the theory 287
Differences of size in the planets have arisen from
variations in the quantity of matter accumulating
on the nebulæ 289
Causes of the retrograde motions in Neptune, Uranus,
and their satellites 290
Probable causes of the anomalous position of Neptune 292
Rises and falls in the densities and dimensions of
the planets explained 293
The form of the nebulæ must have resembled a dumb-bell 295
More about rises and falls in densities 296
Reason why the Asteroid nebula was the least dense
of the system 297
Not necessary to revise the dimensions given to the 9 nebulæ 298
Causes of the anomalies in the dimensions, densities, etc.,
of the Earth and Venus 299
The strictly spherical form of the sun accounted for.
But it may yet be varied 299
Repetition that a spherical body could not be made from a
lens-shaped nebula by attraction and condensation 300