3^6 PLANET SATURN. 



Observations should show the Outlines of the planet sufficiently well t« 



shewingthe perceive its peculiar formation. 



of Saturn^a^d*" ^^^ ^^5 ^^^ l^'* ^he greatest curvature on tlfe disk 



the variations of Saturn seems to be in a latitude of about 40 degrees. 



rtissubjcctto. Mayl8. The difference between the equatorial and 

 polar diameters appears to be a little less than the mea- 

 sures taken September 14, 1789, give it; but as the eye' 

 was then in the plane of the equator, and is now about 16 

 degrees elevated above it, we cannot expect to see it 

 quite so much flattened at piisent. 



June 3. The shadow of the ring falls upon the body 

 of the planet southwards of the ring, toward the limb; 

 it grows a little broader at both ends where it is upon the 

 turn round the globe. 



- June 5. The planet Jupiter is not sufficiently high for 

 distinct vision,- and Saturn is already too low to use a 

 proper magnifying power ; but nevertheless the difference 

 in the formation of the two planets is evident. Tiie 

 equatorial as well as polar regions on Jupiter are more 

 curved than those of Saturn. 



June 9. The air is beautifully clear, and proper for 

 critical observations. 



The breadth of the ring is to the space between the 

 ring and the body of Saturn as about 5 to 4. See Fig. 3. 

 . The ring appears to be sloping toward the body of the 

 planet, and the inside edge of it is probably of a spherical 

 or perhaps hyperbolical form. 



The shadow of the ring on the planet is broader on 

 both sides than in the middle; this is partly a conse- 

 quence of the curvature of the ring which in the middle 

 of its passage across the body hides more of the shadow 

 in that place than at the sides. 



The shadow of the body upon the ring is a little broad- 

 er at the north than the south, so as not to be parallel 

 with the outline of the body; nor is it so broad at the 

 north as to become square with the direction of the 

 ring. 



The most northern dusky belt comes northwards on 

 both sides as far as the middle of the breadth of the ring 

 U here it passes behind the bpdy. It is curved toward 

 the south in the middle - * < 

 tLr..:\u I viewed 



