DARWIN, G.H.

On Figures of Equilibrium of Rotating Masses of Fluid. Received April 28, - Read June 16, 1887.

(London, Harrison and Sons, 1888). 4to. No wrappers as extracted from "Philosophical Transactions" 1887 - Vol. 178 - Series A. Pp. 378-428 and 2 plates.

First printing of one of Darwin's major papers on the Nebular Hypoyhesis and the evolution of celestial systems.

Following his accession to the Plumian chair Darwin delved even more deeply into the problems of the origin and evolution of the solar system, making numerous investigations of the figures of equilibrium of rotating masses of fluid and, later, making extensive studies of periodic orbits in the restricted problem of three bodies, carried out with special reference to cases obtaining for the particular values of the mass ratio of the two finite bodies of 1:10 and 1:1048 (the latter approximating the mass ratio of Jupiter to that of the sun). (DSB).


"Darwin's most significant contribution to the history of science lies in his pioneering work in the application of detailled dynamical analysis to cosmological and geological problems. That many of his conclusions are now out of date should in no way diminish the historical interest in his experiments, nor the importent service thet he rendered cosmogony by the example he gave of putting various hypotheses to the test of actual calculations. Darwin's method remains a milestone in the development of cosmogony, and subsequent investigators have favored it over the merely qualitative arguments prevalent until that time."(DSB).

Order-nr.: 44508