Robert J. Aley

“ At present the large number of known asteroids goes far to verify the theory. There is scarecely a doubt that the physical facts underlying the law of commensurability have in the main regulated the distribution of the asteroids. Only two or three exceptions, the most prominent of which is the minor planet Menippe, are yet known. Dr. Kirkwood applied the same theory to the rings of Saturn and found that the breaks in the rings occured just where commensurability of motion with Saturn's satellites would indicate they should be. ”

“ As a teacher he has come in contact with thousands of young men and women. He is not a believer in education forcing and so the student who did not wish to learn could get through his work without very great effort; but the earnest student found in him a help and an inspiration. Although gifted with unusual mathematical ability he appreciates the difficulties that confront the young learner. His remarkable ability in explaining a dificulty by a few words gave his classes unbounded confidence in him. ”

“ Meyer should verify his theory.
His life has been a very busy one. Its fifty active years have been spent in teaching, and his scientific contributions have been made in addition to the duties of the school room, which were never in the least slighted. The great bulk of his writings appear in the Proceeding of the American Philosophical Society. The Sidereal Messenger and the American Journal of Science and Arts. But as his bibliography will show, many other scienfic and literary journals have been honored by contributions from his pen. ”

“ His natural bent for mathematics found its activity in application to astronomical problems. His whole life has been devoted to theoretical and mathematical astronomy. Never having access to an observatory himself he has been content to take the observation of others and from them work out those broad generalizations and those specific explanations taht have been of such great value to astronomical science. ”