On the constructibility of the axes of an ellipsoid

In this paper we discuss Chasles’s construction on ellipsoid to draw the semi-axes from a complete system of conjugate diameters. We prove that there is such situation when the construction is not planar (the needed points cannot be constructed with compasses and ruler) and give some others in which the construction is planar.In this paper we discuss Chasles’s construction on ellipsoid to draw the semi-axes from a complete system of conjugate diameters. We prove that there is such situation when the construction is not planar (the needed points cannot be constructed with compasses and ruler) and give some others in which the construction is planar.