154 Todd — Optical Resolution of the Satumian Ring. 



part of the inner Huygenian ring which is adjacent to the 

 extremities of its major axis. The degree of amplification 

 seemed too great for resolution of the dusky ring ; in fact, 

 with the highest powers it was very difficult to discern this 

 ring at all. The accompanying sketch of the critical region of 

 the planet is a crude attempt to show approximately the area 

 of the resolution in the following ansa, though it was by no 

 means so regular either in character or outline as the engraver 

 has represented it. It should be viewed not less than eight 

 feet from the eye. 



Through November, December, and early January every 

 favorable opportunity of observing Saturn was embraced, but 

 at no time did the seeing approach the excellence of late Octo- 



Following Ansa of Saturn, Oct. 28, 29, 1911. 



ber. Usual winter conditions having evidently set in for a 

 permanency, no further opportunity for verification of the res- 

 olution appeared likely to offer during the current presentation. 

 A Latin dispatch was therefore framed, with the assistance of 

 my colleague, Dr. Houghton, and forwarded to Sir David Gill, 

 as follows : Saturni anulorum clarorum exterior um que axium 

 maiorum prope extrema, me adixivantibus validissimis tele- 

 scopiis, quandam flocculentiam scintillantem observavi, quam 

 oculorum dissipationem anuli esse interpretatus sum. 



By a like fatality that rendered Schiaparelli's canali into 

 canals, oculorum dissipatio became, not optical resolution, its 

 true English equivalent, but dissipation, — a simple translitera- 

 tion which implied a breaking up or dissolution of the ring : 

 an idea wholly foreign to the writer, who is no friend o catas- 

 trophic theories of the Saturnian ring. 



Amherst College Observatory, January 16, 1912. 



