86 THE BORDERLAND OF SCIENCE. 



orbits of very limited extent, and thus appear large. 

 The nearest of Titan's moons, for instance, appears 

 about seven times as large as our moon ; yet it is not 

 more than 230 miles in diameter. The inhabitants of 

 Titan are persuaded that their moons are the abode of 

 living creatures, but this is not the case. 



(From the Cornhill Magazine for September 1872.) 



A GIANT PLANET. 



DURING the month of May 1872 an evening star, which 

 some might mistake for the planet of love, adorned the 

 western skies for several hours after sunset. This orb 

 was not, however, the true Hesperus, nor does it ever 

 shine with equal lustre. It was the noble planet Jupiter, 

 the giant of the solar system, itself the centre of a system 

 of orbs whose movements, under the mighty influence 

 of their ruling centre, resemble in regularity the 

 motions of the planets round the sun. I propose to 

 give a brief sketch of what is known respecting this 

 planet, the noblest member of the solar system, so 

 far as bulk and mass are concerned, excepting always, 

 of course, the great central orb which rules the whole 

 system. Much has been discovered during the last 

 few years, nay, even during the last few months, 

 to render such a sketch interesting. 



We must, in the first place, dispossess ourselves of 

 the notion not uncommonly entertained, that Jupiter 



