THE PLANET SATURN.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 2773, 13 August 1883, Page 3

THE PLANET SATURN.

Phrenological Journal (New York). To the eye, Saturn is far less conspicuous than Jupiter. It is smallor, it shines with a pale, yollow light ; it might be mistaken for ono of tho countless stars. The first look with a telescope is a revelation. Like Jupiter, it has its satellites ; like Jupiter, it has bands crossing its surface nearly parallel to ita equator ; but, unlike every other planet we sco, it is surrounded by a ring generally so inclined that it stands out liko a plateau m front of the planet. It is • not a ring, it is a bottomless placque. Why is Saturn thus girded about, like a high-priest, among the hosts of the firmament ? This ring is so posited round the ball that pormanence of relative position of ball and ring is secured. In a few hours, ball and ring turn around on their axes and show to us different faces ; but another change is going on slowly m years, that of the inclination of the ring to our line of sight. From this change of inclination the ring is now a broad, flowing river of light surrounding the ball ; the position of earth, Saturn, and eun changes, and anon it is a Bilvei thread crossing the glowing disc, and, once m the average life of man, it defies the power of ordinary glasses ; it presents its edge directly to us, and we cannot see it. We say "Ring," but the ring is made up of many. An ordinary glass will show that thia broad, flat ring i< divided, and dark bands of sky show through the opening rifts, A narrow rin( seems to have separated from the origina one, as if parting the close companion Bhip ; tho most powerful teloscopea shov other separations. We detect thesi changes mainly at the extremities of th longer axis of the plane of the ring Separating from the inner edge of tin plane of the ring is what is called th< dusky ring — seeming to tend toward th ball. Reflecting little light, it extend a wide surface toward the ball

seemingly shelving like the sea-shore toward the ocean, and, when seer obliquely, it appears to lie upon the ball, and >Tiiß long talked of as shadow, although no li^ht was there on sea or land to caat shadow m that direction. There can bo little doubt that this crapeliko, dusky ring has changed m the last century. Aro these changes the result of tho action of the ball upon the pubstance of the ring ? When tho ring is so tipped that the bright edge towards us is projected upon tho ball, dark markings appear upon tho ball ; they border the ring on ono side as the dusky ring does on the other ; we call them shadows, but are they shadows? They do not follow the curve of tho ring ; they do not follow the usual law of light and shade. So, too, upon tho brilliant ring are very black irregular spots ; we call them shades thrown by tho ball : but the ball shows no prominences which, by intercepting the sunlight, could throw such shadows. If we look at Saturn only for its picturesque interest, it is wonderfully beautiful. Its variations from uniformity add to its charm. It is not a sphere ; it is perceptibly flattened at the poles. Surrounded by the broad, bottomless placquo, it is not centrally posited within it, but is visibly on one side. Accompanied by eiyht satellites, these circle- around it m such different orbits, at such different distances, with such different rates of motion, that tho configuration of boll, ring, and eight moons never ropeats itself. Now, tho moons range themselves m a straight lino on each side of the ball as sentinels ; now, they cluster around one point of the ring as jowela dropped from tho circlet ; and ayain, they form a curvo as a coronet abovo the central body. You will never see the same combination a second time. If yon changed tho grouping of moons m ono lino only, you would make tens of thousands of changes ; if you consider the changes of iuclination and of distances of these eight moons, of their combinations with Saturn, and Saturn's changing position of ball and ring, you can never exhaust the variety of the celestial kaleidoscope. Lot us consider tho litte moons themselves. They pass and repass ono another ; Titan, with its orange light, comes between us and tho pale Rhea ; Tothys, with it 3 peculiar sparkle, is followed by the faint Diono ; Enceladus and Mimas cling for a while close to tho ring, then shoot out with hasty stop and quickly return ; whilo afar off, distant many times tho diameter of tho planet, shines Japetus, now brilliant as Titan, now faint as Dione. Hyperion, tho last discovered, is soen only with the largest glasses. Modern scientists consider the rings and the moons to have had a common origin ; that the rings are made up of crowded moons not yet separated. If the satellites have, m different ages, separated from different portions of the rings, it seems likely that the rings are not homogeneous. The ring 3 show lighter and darker shades, but scarcely the variety which "is so marked m tho moons. Titan and Rhea aro bo unlike m color that any ordinary eye would see it at once. I know of no telescope which shows other than a smooth edge to tho ring; roughness may bo indicated by the shadows* Larger telescopes m more favorablo climates may lead to the detection of inequalities of surface ; now moons may bo found ; the eight known moons may develop duplicity, as thoy seem now to show variability, 'here is always work for small telescopes, and iuto this work women should come, and especially young women. The very faults of a girl's education should lead her into the study of Nature. She is trained to observation of minute detail ; her eyes and her perceptive faculties ara always developed ; sho is learned m shapes and forms, colors and positions. Her very needs should lead her to tho study of Nature, for Nature must be studied out of doora, m good air. The most thoughtless girl is awed when she first looks through a telescope and Bees Jupiter or Saturn, and tho step from tho boauty of tho vision to the question of cause underlying it is quickly made. For beyond all scenic effect is the beauty of the law by which permanence and stability aro seen reel. Where fancy fails to depict, mathematical computation traces the curves of beauty.