1 86 111 RSCHEL AND HIS WORK 



groove or division of ilu* ring," while it ceases to be a 

 fanciful, becomes also an unnecessary conception. 



Such are the main features of the romance of Saturn 

 since Herschel began his study of it one hiin<l,< <1 and 

 twenty-five years ago. In the hundred and t\v nty- 

 five years that preceded, there had also been m\ 

 ami romance about the planet and his rin^. All tin* 

 riddles presented by this system have n<>t U< n y.-t 

 read, and it is likely that, when improvement 

 scopes or observation enable man to read the riddles 

 that fact- him to-day, they will raise new riddles and 

 birth to other romances for the amazement or 

 delight of future ages. On one point science is still in 

 doubt. Does the fifth satellite of Saturn, like our 

 moon, ah\ w the same face to the planet, < 



other words, turn on its axis in tli< same time tl 

 takes to revolve round him '. Herschel beli* \< <1 h<- 

 had proved, or almost proved, that it " turns once on 

 its axis, exactly in the time it performs one revolution 

 round its primary planet." 



It was only fitting that the discoverer of Uranus 

 should pay special attention to that planet: but 11 

 six years elapsed before his patient watchfulness was 

 on >\vned with any success. Unlike Jupiter and Sat urn, 

 the light of Uranus is very faint. He does not invite 

 pursuit; he flies from it into darkness: and the li^ht 

 of his moons is fainter still. Herschel suspected, per- 

 haps hoped, that if he searched for satellites he would 

 find them. And so he did. On January 11, 17^7, h< 

 saw " some very faint stars " near the planet, v 

 places he noted down with great care." Next evening 

 two of them were missing. As the haziness, that was 

 about, might have caused their disappearance, 



