THEIR PHASES. 



of a Saturnian year, the plane of the rings forms the greatest 

 possible angle, about 28, with the visual line. At this time 

 the appearance of the rings would be such as is represented in 

 fig. 3. 



Fi2. 3. 



The times at which the rings are presented edgeways to the 

 earth are very nearly identical with those of the Saturnian 

 equinoxes. The last which took place was in 1848, and the next 

 will consequently be in 1863. 



6. In 1848, the ring being presented edgeways, some very 

 interesting and curious observations were made upon it by 



Fijs. 4, 5. 



M. Julius Schmidt, at the Observatory at Bonn. It was found 

 that the ring, instead of appearing as an even, thin line of light 



53 



