Figure , Climate , Atmosphere, and Ring of Saturn. 461 
from the effect of the centrifugal force arising from its rota- 
tory motion. 
The equatorial region is a little more elevated than it 
appeared last year. 
The diameter which intersects the equator in an angle of 
about 40 or 45 degrees is apparently a little longer than the 
equatorial, and the curvature is greatest in that latitude. 
The planet being in the meridian and the night beautiful, I 
have had a complete view of its figure. It has undergone no 
change since last year, except what arises from its different 
situation, and a greater opening of the ring. 
May 9. Power 527. The air being very clear, I see the 
figure of Saturn nearly the same as last year ; the flattening 
at the poles appears at present somewhat less ; the equatorial 
and other regions are still the same. 
May 15, io h 30'. I examined the appearance of Saturn, and 
compared it with the engraving representing its figure in last 
year’s volume of the Phil. Trans. The outlines and all the other 
features of this engraving are far more distinct than we can 
ever see them in the telescope at one view ; but it is the very 
intention of a copper-plate to collect together all that has 
been successfully discovered by repeated and occasional per- 
fect glimpses, and to represent it united and distinctly to our 
inspection. Indeed by looking at the drawings contained in 
books of astronomy this will be found to be the case with 
them all.* 
The equatorial diameter of my last year’s figure is how- 
* For an instance of this, see Tobi^e Mayeri Opera inedita. Appendix Obser- 
vationum. Ad Tabulam Selenograpbicam Animadversiones, where the annexed accu- 
rate and valuable plate represents the moon such as it never can be seen in a telescope. 
