That is, the
extremity of the tail farthest from the sun, in addition to its onward
motion, has acquired a lateral motion that has lifted it 50,000,000
miles in the first day of its perihelion. The velocity of the extremity
has been vastly accelerated over that of the nucleus, and it has
moreover a sheer lift above the orbit of the nucleus. Now this lift is
in opposition to gravity; neither is it in consequence of any previous
momentum, for its velocity is accelerated and its previous momentum
would be a hindrance; nor is the lift in consequence of any repelling
force from the sun, for such force would be diminished in proportion to
the square of the distance, and the far end would be acted on less than
the nucleus end of the tail, whereas the velocity of the former is
increased a hundred fold over that of the latter. A polar force in the
comet would merely draw the comet into the sun. We therefore find no
force adequate for such a lift, but on the contrary all the forces are
opposed to it.
But if the first day of the perihelion overwhelms us with difficulty,
the second day will prove disastrous to the common theory.
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