[ ”3 ] 
illuminated than the oriental. The atmofphere 
was thicker on the 5th, and I could only fee 
the occidental. The 6th, I thought I could dif- 
cern fome faint remains of the ring ; but that 
might be a deception of my fight, becaufe the at- 
mofphere remained very thick, and the planet 
could not be feen well terminated. On the yth, 
the atmofphere being more tranfparent, and the 
heavens clearer than I have ever feen them, I ob- 
ferved the total difparition of the “ring j and, hav- 
ing repeated the fame obfervation the following 
day, I was convinced that this famous phasnomenon 
took place the 6th day of the month, in which de- 
termination I have all the exadtnefs, which can be 
expected in obfervations of this kind. The 
moft ftriking circumftances of this phaenomenon 
were the following j 1. The occidental anfa con- 
flantly appeared more bright than the oriental. 
2. On the difc of the planet, one could clearly 
diftinguifh the line of the thadow projected from 
the 
que la oriental. El tlia 5 eftaba la atmosfera algo denfa, y folo 
pude diftinguir el afa occidental. El dia 6 me parecio haver 
percivido algun viflumbre del anillo, pero tal vez feria una ilu- 
lion de mi vifta, porque eftaba la atmosfera fumamente denfa, 
y no fe podia ver el planeta bien terminado. El dia 7, con la 
atmosfera mui limpia y el cielo mas claro que he vilto jamas, 
obferve la total defaparicion del anillo, y haviendo repetido la 
mifma obfervacion al dia figuiente, me afegure en que efta cele- 
bre phafe fe havia verificado el dia 6 de efte mes, en cuya deter- 
minacion hay toda aquefta exaftitud de que fon fulceptibles 
eftas obfervaciones. Las particularidades mas notables de elle 
fenomeno han lido las liguientes. 1. El afa occidental parecia 
liempre mas bien iluminada que la oriental. 2. En el difeo del 
planeta fe diftinguia claramente la linea de la fombra que pro- 
Vol.LXIV. . ye£ta 
