Saturn 
.lulian years and 107 days, its synodical 378 days. The 
eccentricity of the orbit is considerable, the greatest 
equation of the center being (i.4. Owing to the fact 
that the period of Saturn is very nearly 2J times that 
of Jupiter, these planets exercise a curious mutual influ- 
ence, analogous to that of one pendulum upon another 
swinging from the same support. Since 1790, when in con- 
sequence of this influence Saturn had lagged 50' behind 
and Jupiter had advanced 20' beyond the positions they 
would have had if undisturbed, Saturn has been moving 
continually faster, and the whole period of the inequality 
is 929 years. This is the largest perturbation of those af- 
fecting the motions of the principal bodies of our system. 
Saturn is the greatest planet except Jupiter, its diameter 
being about 9 times, its volume 897 times, and its mass 
3.0 times that of the earth. Its mean density is 0.7, 
water being unity. Gravity at the surface has 1) the inten- 
sity of terrestrial gravity. It is evident that we see only 
the atmosphere of Saturn. Its albedo is 0.5, about that of 
a cloud ; but its color is decidedly orange. It shows some 
bands and spots upon its surface which are not constant. 
The compression of the spheroid of Saturn exceeds that of 
every other planet, amounting to ," of its diameter. Its 
rotation, according to Professor Asaph Hall, is performed 
in lOh. 14.4m. Its equator is nearly parallel to that of the 
earth. After the discovery by Galileo of the four satellites 
of Jupiter, Kepler conjectured that Mars should have two, 
and Saturn six or eight moons. In fact, Saturn has eight 
moons, as follows (the distances from the planet being 
given in thousands of miles) : 
Name. 
Mag. 
Dist. 
Period 
Discoverer. 
Date. 
Mimas 
Enceladus.. . 
Tethys 
Dione . . . 
Rhea 
12.8 
12.3 
11.4 
11.5 
10.8 
9.4 
IS. 7 
11.8 
114 
147 
181 
232 
325 
753 
912 
2193 
d. 
1 
1 
a 
i 
IB 
^1 
711 
l, 
SI 
s 
17 
H 
n. 
M 
68 
IS 
11 
41 
if. 1 
6.8 
26.4 
8.3 
12.1 
22.2 
25.5 
25.0 
W.Herschel. 
W. Herschel 
J. D. Cassini 
J. D. Cassini 
J. D. Cassini. 
Huygens 
G. P. Bond . . 
J. D. Cassini 
1789 
1787 
1684 
1684 
1672 
1655 
1848 
1671 
Titan 
Hyperion . . . 
Japetus 
Saturn was regarded by astrologers as a cold, dry, and 
melancholy planet, and was called the greater infortune. 
The symbol of Saturn is 1?, representing probably a 
scythe. For its attendant ring, see below. 
3f. In alchemy and old diem., lead. 4. In her., 
a tincture, the color black, when blazoning is 
done by means of the heavenly bodies. See 
blazon, ., 2.-Balsam of Saturn, line of Saturn, 
mount of Saturn, salt of Saturn. See balsam, n,,,--: 
etc. Saturn red, red lead. Saturn's ring, an appa- 
rent ring around and near the planet Saturn. It consists 
of three apparent rings lying in one plane. The inner- 
most is dusky and pretty transparent. In contact with it 
is the brightest ring, called ring B, and between this and 
the outermost, called ring A, is a gap. Other divisions 
have been observed at different times, but they do not 
appear to be constant. The following are the dimensions 
in statute miles : 
Diameter of Saturn 75,800 
Distance from surface of Saturn to dusky ring 5,900 
Breadth of dusky ring 11,200 
Breadth of ring B 17,900 
Width of division 1,800 
Breadth of ring A 11,700 
Total diameter of ring 172,800 
The thickness of the ring is considerably less than a hun- 
dred miles. Its plane is inclined 7 to the planet's equa- 
tor and 28 10' to the earth's orbit. When Saturn appears 
in the hind legs of Leo or the water of Aquarius, we 
see the rings edgewise, and they pass out of sight, re- 
maining invisible as long as the sun shines upon the side 
away from us, for the ring only shows by the reflected 
light of the sun. They are best seen when the planet is 
in Taurus and Scorpio. As soon as Saturn was examined 
with a telescope (by Galileo), it was seen to present an 
extraordinary appearance ; but this was first recognized 
and proved to be a ring by Huygens in 1659. In 1674 
J. D. Cassini saw the separation between rings A and B, 
which is hence called the Cassinian division. (It has also 
been erroneously called Ball's division.) The dusky ring 
was discovered in 1850 at Cambridge, Massachusetts, by 
G. P. Bond. The ring was first assumed to be solid. La- 
place showed that, upon that assumption, it must be up- 
held by the attractions of the satellites. B. Peirce in 1S51 
demonstrated the ring to be fluid that is, to consist of 
vast numbers of particles, or small bodies, free to move 
relatively to one another. This had been suggested by 
Roberval in the seventeenth century. See cut on pre- 
ceding page. Saturn's tree, the popular name for an 
arborescent deposit of lead from a solution of lead acetate 
by electrochemical action. 
Saturnalia (sat-er-na'li-ii), H. pi. [= F. Satur- 
naUs = Sp. Saturnales '== Pg. Saturnaes, < L. 
/Saturnalia, neut. pi. of Saturnalia, of or belong- 
ing to Saturn, Saturnian, < Saturn us, Saturn: 
see Saturn.] 1. In Rom. antiq., the festival of 
Saturn, celebrated in the middle of December 
as a harvest-home observance. It was a period 
of feasting and mirthful license and enjoyment 
for all classes, extending even to the slaves. 
Hence 2. Any wild or noisy revelry ; uncon- 
strained, wild, and licentious reveling. =Syn. 2. 
Revel, Debauch, etc. See carousal^. 
Saturnalian (sat-er-na'li-an), a. [< Saturnalia 
+ -an.] 1. Pertaining to the festivals cele- 
brated in honor of Saturn. 2. Of the char- 
acter of the Saturnalia of ancient Rome ; 
hence, characterized by unrestrained license 
and reveling; licentious; loose; dissolute. 
In order to make this naturtialian amusement general 
in the family you sent it down stairs. 
Burke. A Regicide Peace. 
5352 
Saturnalst (sat'er-nalz), n. jil. [< F. K,itn,-- 
inili's, < L. Saturnalia, pi.: see Saturnalia.] 
Saturnalia. 
I know it is now such a time as the Saturnals for all 
the world, that every man stands under the eaves of his 
own hat, and sings what pleases him. 
B. Jonson, Pleasure Reconciled to Virtue. 
Satumia 1 (sa-ter'ni-ii), n. [NL. (Schrank, 1802), 
< L. Saturnius, pertaining to Saturn, < Satiir- 
nus, Saturn: see Saturn.'] A genus of bomby- 
cid moths, typical of the family Saturniidee, of 
varying scope according to different authors, 
but ordinarily including species with papillate 
ocelli on the wings and with the branches of the 
male antennse not very hairy and not of equal 
length. In this sense it contains only about a dozen 
species, nearly all Old World. S. pyri and S. pavonia are 
two notable European species. 
saturnia 2 (sa-ter'ni-a), n. [< Saturn, 3.] Lead- 
poisoning; plumbism. 
Saturnian 1 (sa-ter'ni-an), a. [< P. Satumien, 
< L. Saturnius, of Saturn, < Saturnus, Saturn: 
see Saturn.] 1. Pertaining to the god Saturn, 
or to his reign, alleged to be " the golden age " ; 
hence, happy ; distinguished for purity, integ- 
rity, and simplicity. [In the second quotation 
there is also an allusion to Saturn as a name 
of lead.] 
This, this is he foretold by ancient rhymes ; 
Th' Augustus, born to bring Saturnian times. 
Pope, Dunciad, ill. 820. 
Then rose the seed of Chaos and of Night 
To blot out order, and extinguish light, 
Of dull and venal a new world to mould, 
And bring Saturnian days of lead and gold. 
Pope, Dunciad, iv. 16. 
2. Of or pertaining to the planet Saturn sa- 
turnlan meter or verse, a form of verse used in early 
Roman poetry before the adoption of Greek meters. A 
number of examples of this meter are extant in citations, 
inscriptions, etc., but recent metricians are by no means 
agreed as to its true nature. Some explain it as quanti- 
tative, and describe the classic example 
Dabunt malum Metelli (or M, toll.] 1 N*vl& poets 
as an iambic line consisting of two members (cola) 
separated by a cesura. Such a verse was compared by 
Macaulay (Introd. to "Lays of Ancient Rome^ to the 
nursery rime 
The queen | was in | her par I lour || eating | bread and i 
honey. 
Others (and this is now the prevalent opinion) regard the 
Saturnian verse as purely accentual : 
Dabunt malum Metelli [or Metelli] || N*vi6 poetje. 
Saturnian- (sa-ter'ni-an), o. and n. [< Satur- 
nia + -an.] I. a. In entom., pertaining or re- 
lated to the Saturniidee. 
II. H. A saturnian moth; a member of the 
Saturniidfe. 
Saturnicentric (sa-ter-ni-sen'trik), a. [< L. 
SaturHim, Saturn, 4- centrum, center.] Refer- 
red to Saturn as an origin of coordinates. 
Saturnightt, . [ME. Saternigt, < AS. Steter- 
niht, < Seetern, Saturn (see Saturday), + niht, 
night.] Saturday night. 
In a Lammasse nist, Sater ni.n that was. 
Rob. of Gloucester , Chronicle, p. 557. 
SatUTlliidae (sat-er-ni'i-de), n. pi. [NL., < Satur- 
nia + -idee.] A family of large bombycid moths 
erected by Boisduval on the genus Saturnia, and 
including many of the largest known lepidop- 
ters. The subfamily Attacinx contains all the 
large native North American silkworm-moths. 
Saturnine (sat'er-nin or-nin), a. [< OF. satur- 
nin = Sp. Pg. It. satitrnino. Saturnine, < ML. 
Sattfrninus, pertaining to the planet Saturn or 
to lead, hence heavy, lumpish, melancholy, as 
those born under the planet Saturn were feigned 
to be; <L. Saturnus, .the god and planet Saturn: 
see Saturn. Cf. Jovial, mercurial.] 1. Pertain- 
ing to the god Saturn or the planet Saturn; un- 
der the influence of the planet Saturn. Hence 
2. [I. c.] Morose; dull; heavy; grave; not 
readily susceptible to excitement or cheerful- 
ness; phlegmatic. 
My conversation is slow and dull, my humour saturnine 
and reserved ; in short, I am none of those who endeavour 
to break Jests in company, or make repartees. 
Dryden, Def. of Essay on Dram. Poesy. 
A tall, dark, saturnine youth, sparing of speech. 
Lamb, Christ's Hospital. 
If you talk in this manner, my honest friend, you will 
excite a spirit of ridicule in the gravest and most satur- 
nine men, who never had let a laugh out of their breasts 
before. Landor, Lucian and Timotheus. 
3. [I. c.] Arousing no interest; stupid; dull; 
uninteresting. 
The noble Earl, not disposed to trouble his jovial mind 
with such saturnine paltry, still continued like his mag- 
nificent self. O. Harvey, Four Letters. 
4. [I. c.] In old client., pertaining to lead: as, 
xaturninc compounds Saturnine amaurosis, im- 
satyre 
pairment or loss of vision duu to lead-poisoning. Satur- 
nine breath, breath of a peculiar odor observed in lead- 
poisoning. Saturnine colic, lead-colic. Saturnine 
Intoxication. Siime as lead-poixonin;/. Saturnine 
palsy, saturnine paralysis. .Same as leatt -paralysis. 
Saturnine red. Same as red lead (which see, under lead?). 
saturnism (sat'er-nizm), n. l\ Saturn, 3, + 
-in in.] Lead-poisoning. 
Saturnistt (sat'er-nist), . [< Saturn + -ist.] 
A person of a dull, grave, gloomy temperament. 
Leon. Why dost thou laugh, Learchus? 
Learch. To see us two walk thus, like satumMs, 
Muffled up in a condensed cloud. 
Why art thou sad, Leontius ? 
Beau, and Fl. (?), faithful Friends, v. 1. 
saturnite (sat'er-nit), n. [< L. Saturnus, Sat- 
urn, + -ite*.] A mineral substance containing 
lead. Einran. 
Saturnus (sa-ter'nus), n. [L.: see Saturn.] 
1. Saturn. 2f. In old cltem., lead. 
Saturnus leed and Jupiter is tin. 
Chaucer, Prol. to Canon s Yeoman's Tale, 1. 275. 
saturyt, n. A Middle English form of satyr*. 
satyr* (safer or sa'ter), n. [Early mod. E. also 
satyre; < ME. *satir, satiry, satury, < OF. satire, 
satyre, F. satyre = Sp. sdtiro = Pg. satyro = It. 
satiro = D. safer = Q. Sw. Dan. satyr, < L. saty- 
rus, < Gr. odrvpof, a satvr (see def . ).] 1 . In clas- 
sical myth., a sylvan deity, representing the lux- 
uriant forces of Nature, and closely connected 
with the worship of Bacchus. Satyrs are repre- 
sented with a somewhat bestial cast of countenance, often 
Satyr. The Barberini Faun, at Munich. 
with small horns upon the forehead, and a tail like that 
of a horse or a goat, and they frequently hold a thyrsus 
or wine-cup. Late Roman writers confused the satyrs 
with their own fauns, and gave them the lower half of the 
body of a goat. Satyrs were common attendants on Bac- 
chus, and were distinguished for la&civiousne&s and riot. 
In the authorized version of the Old Testament (Isa. xiii. 
21 ; xxxiT. 14) the name is given to a demon believed to 
live in uninhabited places and popularly supposed to have 
the appearance of a he-goat (whence the m.ima The 
Hebrew word a'fr, plural se'trim, so translated in these 
passages, means 'shaggy' as an adjective, and 'he-goat' 
as a noun. From the idolatrous worship of goats, the 
name came to be applied to demons. In Lev. xvii. 7 and 
2 Chron. XL 15 it is translated 'devil.' 
Satury and fawny more and le&se. 
Chaucer, Troilus, iv. 1544. 
In deede they were but disguised persons vnder the 
shape of Satyres, as who would say, these terrene and base 
gods being conuersant with mans affaires, and spiers out 
of all their secret faults. 
Puttenham, Arte of Eng. Poesie, p. 25. 
I was born with budding Antlers like a young Satyr. 
Conareve, Way of the World, iii. 18. 
Hence 2. A very lecherous or lascivious per- 
son; one affected with satyriasis. 3. In zool.: 
(a) The orang-utan, Sintia satyrus: see Saturn*. 
(b) A pheasant of the genus Cerwrnis; atrago- 
pan. (c) An argus-butterfly : same as meadow- 
brown; any member of the Satyrinse. 4. In 
tier., same as manticore. 
satyr 2 t, . An obsolete erroneous spelling of 
satire. 
satyral (sat'er-al or sa'ter-al), n. [< satui-i + 
-al.] In her., a monster which has a human head 
and the body and limbs of different animals, as 
the body and legs of a lion together with long 
horns, or some similar grotesque combination. 
satyre 1 !, An obsolete form of satyr 1 . 
satyre 2 t, n. An obsolete erroneous spelling of 
satire. 
