68 Dr. Herschei/s Discovery of four additional 
“ March 16. 7 h 37'. I have turned my speculum go 0 round. 
“ A certain appearance, owing to a defect which it has con- 
“ tracted by exposure to the air since it was made, is gone 
“ with it ; (see fig. 9 and 10 ;) but the suspected ring remains 
in the place where I saw it last. 
“ 7 h 50'. Power 471 shews the same appearance rather 
“ stronger. Power 589 still shews the same/’ 
“ Memorandum. The ring is short, not like that of Saturn. 
“ It seems to be as in figure 8 ; and this may account for the 
“ great difficulty of verifying it. It is remarkable that the two 
“ ansce seem of a colour a little inclined to red. The blur oc- 
“ casioned by the fault of the speculum is, to-night, as repre- 
“ sented in figure 9. The other evening it was as in figure 10 ; 
“ and the ring is likewise as it was the same evening/’ 
“ March 20. j h 53'. When the satellites are best in focus, 
“ the suspicion of a ring is the strongest.” 
“ Dec. 15. The planet is not round, and I have not much 
“ doubt but that it has a ring.” 
“ Feb. 26, 1792. 6 h 34'. My telescope is extremely distinct; 
“ and, when I adjust it upon a very minute double star, which 
“ is not far from the planet, I see a very faint ray, like a ring 
« crossing the planet, over the centre. This appearance is of 
“ an equal length on both sides, so that I strongly suspect it 
« to be a ring. There is, however, a possibility of its being an 
“ imperfection in the speculum, owing to some slight scratch : 
45 I shall take its position, and afterwards turn the speculum on 
“ its axis.” 
« 8 h 39'. Position of the supposed ring fromN.P. to S.F.” 
« 9 h 56'. I have turned the speculum one quadrant round ; 
' « but the appearance of the very faint ray continues where it 
