us jets
of the molten metals composing the internal liquid shell; and these
would part into relatively small masses as they were shot into space.
Presently, as the chasm opened to some miles in width, the molten metals
would begin to be followed by the equally dense gaseous matter behind,
and the two would rush out together. Soon the gases, predominating,
would carry with them the portions of the liquid shell continually
collapsing; until the blast became one filled with millions of small
masses, billions of smaller masses, and trillions of drops. These would
be driven into space in a stream, the emission of which would continue
for many seconds or even several minutes. Remembering the rate of motion
of the jets emitted from the solar surface, and supposing that the
blasts produced by this explosion reached only one-tenth of that rate,
these myriads of small masses and drops would be propelled with
planetary velocities, and in approximately the same direction. I say
approximately, because they would be made to deviate somewhat by the
friction and irregularities of the chasm passed through, and also by the
rotation of the planet. Observe, however, that though they would all
have immense velocities, their velocities would not be equal. During its
earlier stages the blast would be considerably retarded by the
resistance which the sides of its channel offered. When this became
relatively small the velocity of the blast would reach its maximum; from
which it would decline when the space for emission became very wide,
and the pressure behind consequently less. Hence these almost infinitely
numerous particles of planet-spray, as we might call it, as well as
those formed by the condensation of the metallic vapours accompanying
them, would forthwith begin to part company: some going rapidly in
advance, and others falling behind; until the stream of them,
perpetually elongating, formed an orbit round the Sun, or rather an
assemblage of innumerable orbits, separating widely at aphelion and
perihelion, but approximating midway, where they might fall within a
space of, say, some two millions of miles, as do the orbits of the
November meteors. At a later stage of the explosion, when the large
masses, having moved far outwards, had also fallen to pieces of every
size, from that of Vesta to that of an aerolite, and when the channels
just described had ceased to exist, the contents of the planet would
disperse themselves with lower veloc