and more generally treated by later writers, and a good many additions have been made, few if any results of fundamental importance have been added to those contained in Clairaut's book.
He next turned his attention to the problem of three bodies, obtained a solution suitable for the moon, and made some progress in planetary theory.
Halley's comet (chapter x., § 200) was "due" about
1758; as the time approached Clairaut took up the task of computing the perturbations which it would probably have experienced since its last appearance, owing to the influence of the two great planets, Jupiter and Saturn, close to both of which it would have passed. An extremely laborious calculation shewed that the comet would have been retarded about 100 days by Saturn and about 518 days by Jupiter, and he accordingly announced to the Academy towards the end of 1758 that the comet might be expected to pass its
