C 4 55 3 
XXII. Observations and Remarks on the Figure , the Climate , and 
the Atmosphere of Saturn , and its Ring . By William 
Herschel, LL. D. F. R. S, 
Read June c i6, i8off 
M y last year’s observations on the singular figure of Saturn 
having drawn the attention of astronomers to this subject, it 
may be easily supposed that a farther invesigation of it will 
be necessary. We see this planet in the course of its revolu- 
tion round the sun in so many various aspects, that the change 
occasioned by the different situations in which it is viewed, as 
far as relates to the ring, has long ago been noticed ; and 
Huygens has given us a very full explanation of the cause of 
these changes.* 
As the axis of the planet’s equator, as well as that of the 
ring, keeps its parallelism during the time of its revolution 
about the sun, it follows that the same change of situation, by 
which the ring is affected, must also produce similar altera- 
tions in the appearance of the planet ; but since the shape of 
Saturn, though not strictly spherical, is very different from 
that of the ring, the changes occasioned by its different 
aspects will be so minute that only they can expect to per- 
ceive them who have been in the habit of seeing very small 
• See Systema Saturniutn, page 55, where the changes of the ring are represented 
by a plate. 
MDCCCVI. 3 N 
