Heavenly Bodies: Their Nature and Habitability

William Miller

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Few subjects could be mentioned more remote from the common interests and pursuits of life than what has been usually called the “plurality of worlds,” an expression now so long restricted to one well-ascertained meaning as to have lost any ambiguity that might have been charged upon it. The question is one of mere curiosity, and leads to no direct result; but it has always carried with it an attraction irrespective of its unpractical nature, and has exercised the ingenuity of so many minds that its literature is of no inconsiderable extent. To this the book now in our hands is the most recent contribution. - Summary by Nature, August 9, 1883 (10 hr 50 min)

Chapters

Introductory Observation	14:13
The Sun's Magnitude, Distance, Motions, Light, and Heat Part 1	40:23
The Sun's Magnitude, Distance, Motions, Light, and Heat Part 2	27:18
The Constitution of the Sun, its Spots and Prominences Part 1	19:35
The Constitution of the Sun, its Spots and Prominences Part 2	39:04
The Constitution of the Sun, its Spots and Prominences Part 3	25:42
Introductory Observations	4:46
Historical Résumé — Views of Philosophers Part 1	38:52
Historical Résumé — Views of Philosophers Part 2	36:33
General Arguments for Plurality considered — Postulates	17:24
The Sun, Stars, and supposed Stellar Systems Part 1	29:40
The Sun, Stars, and supposed Stellar Systems Part 2	21:46
Life upon the Earth Part 1	35:56
Life upon the Earth Part 2	30:41
Life upon the Earth Part 3	29:13
The Moon	36:17
The Minor Planets Part 1	23:56
The Minor Planets Part 2	32:06
Smaller Bodies of the System Part 1	30:04
Smaller Bodies of the System Part 2	23:43
The Major Planets Part 1	21:50
The Major Planets Part 2	37:52
The Major Planets Part 3	22:00
Conclusion	11:23