U6 IN STARRY REALMS. 



We learn that the globe has so little resemblance to our 

 earth that it is actually lighter than a vast globe of water 

 would be were its dimensions the same as those of Saturn 

 itself. Indeed, if we could imagine a model of the planet 

 just as large and just as heavy as the planet actually is, 

 and if that globe were cast into a great ocean of water of 

 suitable dimensions, the mighty planet would float buoy- 

 antly on the surface. It seems hard to reconcile these 

 facts with the belief that there can be much solid matter 

 in the interior of the planet. 



It is impossible in any picture to represent the exquisite 

 delicacy of Saturn as revealed in a great telescope, but 

 to make our description plain we have to present a 

 sketch which will at least give a general notion of the 

 ring system, and may perhaps stimulate the reader to 

 secure some opportunity for observing these objects in a 

 telescope. 



We must notice that the rings are not fastened to the 

 globe. There is a tendency for them to fall down on the 

 globe of the planet, but that tendency is neutralised by 

 their rapid rotation around the globe. The rings are 

 shown slightly turned towards us in the picture. Were 

 we able to look squarely at them they would be circles ; 

 when we view them edgewise they are found to be so 

 extremely thin that they elude our vision almost entirely, 

 except in powerful instruments. We speak of them as 

 rings in the plural, because it will be seen that they are 

 threefold. The two outer are separated by a broad line 

 of demarcation which can be traced the entire way round. 

 These two outer rings are apparently of the same general 

 nature, and there are some other dark lines or divisions 



