304 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 
most interesting days to watch the satellites will be the 3d, loth, nth, 15th, 19th 
and 27th. 
Saturn. — On the ist Saturn is in right ascension 4 h. 33 min,, and only- 
increases two minutes during the month. It will rise about 10 o'clock in the 
evening and after that time will be visible all night. The apparent diameter is 
increasing. The southern surface of its rings has opened out full to the view, 
the Earth having nearly attained its greatest elevation above the ring plane — 25° 
24'. This is the sixth planet, in order of distance, from the Sun, and the most 
remarkable; it is next in order to Jupiter and most remote from the Earth of any 
that are visible to the naked eye. It may easily be distinguished from the fixed 
stars by its pale, feeble and steady light. Situated 890,000,000 of miles from the 
Sun, it revolves round it in twenty-nine years one hundred and sixty-seven days, . 
therefore its apparent motion among the stars is quite slow, being only 12° a 
year. Saturn, besides being attended by eight moons, is surrounded by two large 
co-eccentric rings which are separated from each other and also from the planet. 
The matter of which these rings are composed is, in all probability, fluid or even 
gaseous, and they are observed to cast a strong shadow upon the planet itself. 
Saturn is about 1,000 times larger than the Earth. The axis is inclined to that of 
its orbit 28°, and as the rings are in the plane of the Equator, the axis of the 
rings has the same inclination, hence they must present to the inhabitants of the 
planet a most magnificent spectacle. They appear like vast arches or semicircles 
of light, extending from the eastern to the western horizon. At the Equator the 
outer ring is not visible, being hidden from view by the inner ring ; but in about 
45° of latitude, both can be seen and present a magnificent appearance. During 
the day-time., they appear dim like a white cloud, but as the Sun goes down their 
brightness increases, while the shadow of the planet is seen to come up on the 
•eastern limb of the ring and gradually rise to the zenith, when it passes down 
and disappears in the western horizon at the rising of the Sun. The rays of the 
Sun always fall obliquely upon the rings, as the Sun is never seen more than 30° 
above their horizon, while at other times their edge only is presented to the Sun. 
These rings appear rough and of unequal thickness and width, and it has been 
demonstrated that they could not maintain their stability of rotation if they were 
in all parts of equal thickness and density, as the smallest disturbance would 
■destroy their equilibrium, which would continue to increase until at last they 
would be precipitated upon the planet. This planet has also eight moons, or 
satellites, but they are only seen with a very good telescope. Their orbits, with 
the exception of the seventh, are nearly in the plane of the rings. 
Uranus — Will be in conjunction with the Sun on the i6th, hence it is im- 
possible to see it this month. 
Neptune. — Planet Neptune is in right ascension 3 h. 16 min. on the ist, 
and I min. less on the last of the month. About noon on the 20th it will be 
•occultated by the Moon. It is not visible to the naked eye. 
The Moon. — On the evening of the 3d, the Moon will be seen 5° south of 
west for about one hour after sunset. On the 4th at 7 P. M. it will occultate 58 
