on the Planet Saturn , 7 ' 
fTtuarion it was, I took to be lefs than one Angle fecond in dia- 
meter. At the fame time I alfo faw the feventh fatellite, at a- 
lirttle diftance following the third, in the fhape of a bead upon, 
a thread, projecting on both tides of the fame arm \ hence we 
are fure, that the arm alfo appeared thinner than the feventh- 
fatellite, which is- confiderably (mailer than the (ixth, which 
again h a little lefs than the firft fatellite. Auguft 31, at 
20 h. 4s 7 26'', the preceding arm was loaded about the middle 
by the third fatellite. October 1 5, at oh; 43" 44 // » I ^ aw ^ ie 
fixth fatellite, without obftrudlion, about the middle of the 
preceding arm, though the ring was but barely vifible with 
mv forty-feet reflector, even while the planet was in the meri- 
dian ; however, we were then a little inclined to the plane of 
the ring, and the third fatellite, when it came neai its con- 
junction with the firft, was fo fituated that it muft have partly 
covered the firft a few minutes after the time I loft it behind' 
my houfe. In all thele obfervations the ring did not in the 
lead interfere with my view of the fatelhtes. October 16, I 
followed the fixth and feventh fatellites up to the very di(k of 
the planet; and the ring, which was extremely faint, oppofed/ 
no manner of obftruChon to my (eeing them gradually ap- 
proach the di(k, where the feventh vamfhed at 21 h. 46 44 9- 
and the fixth at 22 h. 16' 44'A 
I might bring many other inftances, if the above were not 
quite fufficient for the purpofe. , 1 here is, however, fome 
confiderable fufpicion, that, by a refraCfion tnrough fome very 
rare atmofphere on the two planes of the ring, the fatellites- 
might be lifted up and deprefi'ed, fo as to become vifible on 
both fides of the ring, even though the ring fhould be equal in*, 
thicknefs to the diameter of the fmalleft fatellite, which may 
amount to a thoufand miles. As for the argument of its., 
^credible. 
