Page:The Solar System - Six Lectures - Lowell.djvu/122

104

The Solar System

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Jupiter's bulk limits his power.swing the incoming asymptote of this hyperbola through a certain angle. Clearly, the closer the perijove of the relative orbit, the greater this angle

The comet's direction may be turned from OA to OB; or OA′ to OB′; or OA″ to OB″,according as it approaches along OA, OA′ or OA″, P being the planet.

FIG. XIV. RELATIVE ORBITS.

of swing, as the planet gets a greater pull upon the particle. If the comet were not coming too fast and Jupiter's own body did not get in the way, the comet could be turned straight back