The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1835-09-16

pared for operation.
The moon being now invisible, DIR. IIerschcl d.
rected his inquiries to the primary planets of the
system, and first TO the planet Saturn. We need
not say that this remarkable globe has for many
ages been an object Of the most ardent astronomical
curiosity. The stupendous phenomenon of its
double ring having bafiled the scrutiny and conjcc-
ure of many generations Of astronomers, was tnal-
ly abandoned as inexplcablc. It is well known
that this planet is stationed m the system 900 mil
lions of miles dlsnn; from the sun, and having the
immense diameter Of 10000 miles, it is more than
900 times larger Than the earth. Its annual motion
round the sun is not accomplished in less than twen
ty nine and half of our years, whilst its diurnal
rotation upon its axis is accomplished in lOh. l6m.
or considerably less than half of IA terrestrial day.
1t has not less than seven moons, the sixth and
seventh of which, discovered by the elder Her
schel in 1888. 1t is thwartcd by mysterious belts
or bands of yellowsh tinge, and is surrounded by
a double rng-the outer one of which is two hum
dred and four thousand miles in dameter.-The
outside diameter of the inner ring is lS4,OOO miles,
and the breadth of the outer one being 1900 miles,
the space between them is $500 miles The breadth
of the inner ring is much greater than that of the
onter, being 10000 miles and its distance from
the body of Saturn is more than 10000 These
rings Opaque, but thin that their edge has not
until now been discovered. Sir John HersclePs
most interesting discovery with regard to this planet
is the demonstrated fact that these two rings are
composed of the fragments of two destroyed worlds,
formerly belonging to our solar system, and which,
on being exploded, were gathered around the inn
mense body of Saturn by the attraction of gravity,
and yet kept from falling to its surface by the great
centrifugal force created by its extraordinary rapid
ity on its axis. The inner ring was therefore the
first of these destroyed worlds (the former station Of
which in the system is demonstrated IN the argu-
mcnt which subjoin) which was accordingly car
red round by The rotary force and spread forth in
the manner The outer ring is another
world exploded in fragments, attracted by the law
of gravity as 'in the former case, and kept from
uniting with the inner ring by the centrifugal force
of the latter. But the latter having slower rota-
ion than the planet, has inferior centrifugal
orce, and accordingly the space between the out
,r and inner ring is nearly ten times less than that
between the inner ring and the body of Saturn. Hay
ng ascertaned the mean density of the rings, as
with the density of the planet Sir John
Iershe has been enabled to effect the following
eautiiul demonstration.
DIR. IIerschel clearly asccrtaincd that these rings
re composed of rocky strata, the skeletons of for
ner globes, lying in state ofwd and ghasty con- ,
Ision, but not devoid of mountains and seas,
- The bolts across the body of Saturn, he has I
iscovcred to be the smoke of a number immense
ocanoes, carried in these straight lines by the i'll
,nsc velocity of the rotary motion. And G
also he has asccrtained to be the causes of the
es of Jupiter. But the portion of the work which il
devoted to this subject and to the other planets, ,
s also that which describes the astronomers dis
Dveries among the stars is comparatively unintcr-
sting to general readers, however highly it might
ltercst others of scientific taste and mathcm atcal S;
cquiremcnts. :,
" II was not until the moon of the =,
onth of March, that the weather proved favorable
any continued series lunar observations and W
r. Herschel had been too enthusiastically absor d'
I'd in demonstrating his brilliant discoveries in the &C
uthern consultations, and in constructing tibles ,o
I'd catalogues of his new stars, to avail himself of
e few clear nights which interviewed. "'
On one of these, however, Mr.. Drrmmond, my ne
[, and Mr.. Holmes made those discoveries near nc
!, Bay of Rainbows, TO which have somewhere TN
efy alluded. The bay thus fancfuy dcnomina-
is part of the northern boundary of the first '''
at ocean which | have lately described and is gr
rkcd in the chart with the letter q. The tract sp
country which we explored this occasion is an
nbercd 6, s. 3, Z, in the catalogue, and the chief I
untaius to which these numbers are attached, =
scveray named Atlas, Hercules, Heraclides Po
rus, and IIeraclidcs FaIsus Still farther to north TIC
hcse is the island circle called Pythagoras, and ito
nbered one and yet nearer the meridian line is an
mountainous district marked II, and called the =,
nd of Drought, and &, the Land of Hoar Frost
certainly the name of the latter, however the .'
gcally bestowed not altogether inapplicable: uo
the tops of its very lofty mountains eyiden co
covered with snow, though the valleys surroun- IN;
Q them were tecming with the luxuriant fertility bo
midsummer. But the region which we first par -,
ilarly inspected that of Heraclides Falsus, u"
0. :, in which we found several new species of 1t
mails all of which were horned and of white or tn
y color; and the remains of three ancient tran- tn
lar temples which had long been ruins. We 90
nee traversed the country southcastward until we
ived at Atlas No 6) and it in of the noble ga
lies at the foot of the mountain that found the &
y superior species of the Vespcrtio homo. In s
ture they did excel those last described but or
y of infinitely greater personal beauty, and :,
pcared in eyes scarcely less lovely than the ~
neral representations of annels by the more inn tr
native schools of painters. Their social econo- m
seemed to be regulated by law or ceremonies en-
IL ,I,n H., Vol, nf tt,