THE RINGS OF SATURN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9064, 26 May 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE RINGS OF SATURN.

There remains now but little doub concerning tho nature of these marvels of the heavens which 80 long have puzzled astronomers. They cannot be the solid flat hoops that they appear to be, as they are too thin in proportion to their other dimensions to retain their stability against the gravitation of their primary. The idea that they are liquid comes to grief still moro hopelessly. But they may be, and in nil proability arc, a multitude of small satellites which, seen as wo see them with their interspaces foreshortened, need not be very close together to appear continuous. To understand this, place yourself at night on Constitution Hill, Piccadilly, or on any other street where you command the view of a row of gas lights half a mile long in foreshortened perspective. It will then be seen that the distant gas lights appear to touch each other, to form a continuous line instead of a row of luminous dots, as do those which arc nearer, or are viewed more athwart tho line. Further evidence in support of this view of the constitution of the rings is continually coming forward in observations of changes among the rings. Thus the obsevationa of Paul Stroobant (Bulletin de YAcademie Royalc dc Bd'jique, November, 1887), extending from January 27 to April 20, show that the devisions know as Encke's and Struve's are subject to considerable changes of position, and to occasional disappearance of one, while bho other remains visible. Tho changes of the inner dusky ring are still moro remarkable, and indicate extreme mobility of its constituents; suggesting the idea that it bears a relation to Saturn similar to that of tho zodical light to the sun.—Scionco-Gos-sip.