File:Astronomy for high schools and colleges (1881) (14763523152).jpg

Identifier: astronomyforhigh00newc (find matches)
Title: Astronomy for high schools and colleges
Year: 1881 (1880s)
Authors: Newcomb, Simon, 1835-1909 Holden, Edward Singleton, 1846-1914, joint author
Subjects: Astronomy
Publisher: New York, H. Holt and Company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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it never can be from the earth). The first telescopic observers of Saturn were unable to see the rings in their true form, and were greatly perplexed to account for the appearance which the planet presented. Galileo described the planet as * tri-corporate, the two ends of the ring having, in his imperfect telescope, the appearance of a pair of small planets attached to the central one. On each side of old Saturn were servitors who aided him on his way. This supposed discovery was announced to his friend Kepler in the following logogriph: smaismrmilmepoetalevmibunenugttaviras, which, being transposed, becomes— Altissimum planetam tergeminum observavi (I have observed the most distant planet to be triform). The phenomenon constantly remained a mystery to its first observer. In 1610 he had seen the planet accompanied, as he supposed, by two lateral stars; in 1612 the latter had vanished, and the central body alone remained. After that Galileo ceased to observe Saturn. RINGS OF SATURN. 355
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Fig. 96.—kings of saturn. 356 ASTRONOMY. The appearances of the ring were also incomprehensible to Hevelius, Gassendi, and others. It was not until 1655 (after seven years of observation) that the celebrated HUYGHENS discovered the true explanation of the remarkable and recurring series of phenomena presented by the tri-corporate planet. He announced his conclusions in the following logogriph:— ^ aaaaaa ccccc d eeeee g h iiiiiii 1111 mm nnnnnnnnn0000 pp q rr s ttttt uuuuu, which, when arranged, read— ^ Annulo cingitur, tenui, piano, nusqilam coherente,ad eclipticam inclinato (it is girdled by a thin plane ring,nowhere touching, inclined to the ecHptic). This description is complete and accurate. In 1665 it was found by Ball, of England, that whatIluYGHENS had seen as a single ring was really two. Adivision extended all the way around near the outer edge.This division is shown in the figures. In 1850 the Messrs. Bond, of Cambridge, found that therewas a third ring, of a dusky and

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