New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-10-06
TIL E T RI r n E :.
For The Tribune
Celestial Phenomena-No. III.

SsTURN.-But the most extraordinary OBJECT o.
.dniraton among the celestial orbs is yet reserved
for him
By turning his telescope and his attention 10
HE planet Saturn, and comparing the physicai
obstruction of this globe with what ne mas seen,
gconceived to exist in Jupiter, the observer VIII
End ali the wonders Of the latter planet almost
cGpsed by the still greater marvcs OF the former.
Saturn at once presents itself to him IN ihc
ann Of an eipse a shape having no analogy 10
,nv Of the other heavenly bodies hitherto known
ms. The most advantageous position TO dlsco7-
1.-The cause of this singular phenomenon, lsWhen
no planet is in its winter or summer solshce,
circumstance which happens only once every fiji
,oen wears. Then we can easily perceive this APP
Darently elliptical shape resolving itself IN two
fsenarate concentric rings which surround the
nlanet perpendicularly to it's equator, and which
appear elliptical to us only because of the obi
oujty of the axis of the planet to the eclplc,
which forms an angle of about 60 degrees. AT
present the rings appear tolerably well defined IN
the telescope, though perhaps too much elongated
10 be well understood by the unaccustomed OBJ
server, but still sufficiently opened to reveal to
mr. view part OF the north pole OF the planet,
wbile the south pole is yet concealed from the
l;gbt Of the sun. But it is not from the Earth
onlv that the phiosophic observer of the great
beauties Of creation should view and consider this
oIsnet. /" the most magnificent abode that the
hands of God has prepared IN the field OF space
for the habitaton of Intellectual beings far more
favored than ourselves, and who, doubtless 10 the
glory of HIM who created them dwell in neon
Darable happiness upon It's Understandable surface.
Indeed, who can conceive or describe the magical
creation of this orb entire, or conceive and de-
scribe its infinite details so varied and so sublime?
Saturn, in extent of surface. yields but very
little to the supremacy Of Jupiter since the differ
ence in their mean equatorial diameters does not
exceed two dameters of the Earth So it must
be with regard to the proportions of It's geographic
cal characteristics, &c. But let the observer
cease for a moment TO admire with the telescope
the construction of this beautiful orb and on the
wings of fancy transport himself to It's surface.
In reaching its temperate lattudes, by night, let
him imagine himself beholding. spread out around
its equator, the brilliant and majestic appendage
called "Saturns rings" at the distance of about
$4,000 miles from its surface. and, as we have
already noticed, perpendicular to It's equator
This appendage, which IS nothing less than
double lrorld, each at least thousand times more
spacious than our terraqueous globe, would appear
to him distinctly to be divided into two ccncentrlc
rings that is to say, into two different worlds,
carved, as it were, one into the other, but lnde-
pendent of each ether, and wheeling, one under
and one upon the other, at the distance of about
only 5000 miles apart. When iavoraby lighted
by the Sun, these rings would appear to HIM like a
large luminous belt with surface equal to several
hundreds of Moons, and embracing u width of
about from 10 to 10 degrees upon the vault of the
armament, and stretching itself majestically from
The western to the eastern horizon of the planet.
He would behold them wheeling around 1t with
astonishing velocity, in the short space OF about
lOi hours nearly the same time that the planet
akes to revolve upon is own axis, and which
consequently gives TO It's inhabitants days and
nights each about 81 hours Ill length BESIDES
these marvellous rings he would also see, revoly-
ng around the planet, and somewhat lnclmlng
upon the plane of It's echpuc, seven radiant
Satellites, some of which arc at least as large as
Omg globe At times, III the west, he would sec
one or more of them carved in crescent form upon
the twnkling canopy of heaven, while again one
or more elevated to the meridian would delmeatc
ihel' gibbous form at a few degrees below the
zenith. Again he would see two or three others
others gradually rising directly opposite to
Tic Sun, in the regions of the East while the
onner would alternately descend and disap-
/, pear towards the West thus presenting to
The Satunlans the picturesque spectacle OF sevc-
raj iul moons. Sometimes gliding behind the
superior or inferior margins OF the rings, appear.
ing and disappearing TO rcJppear AGAIN, cchpslng
each other at periodical intervals to make soon Il
: more brilliant appearance, he would see them, in
lilelr celestial Journey, some waxing, some III
We lull, some increasing. and often all Of Them
pouring together upon the planet flood of light,
.Walch, combined with that of the rings, must
produce an illumination at least equal in intensity
The hight OF one of ouy cloudy or snowy winter
'ays; and as the distance of the planet from It's
Hngsis only 10000 miles, Qcss than onc-third of
ae distance OF our moon from The Earth lis III
'soNants, with telescopes equal to ours, cold dis
cover all the particulars Of the exterior physical
wnsntutlon of the rings. They could also see
PASSING before them IN their turn. and in the short
space OF ten hours. their mountains and valleys,
aeir oceans and rivers, their cities and villages,
aas even the animals and intelligent beings dwell
!, Aas upon them. But how much more sublime
~uss be the starry panorama which is presented
u The armament of Saturn for this planet, be-
and the milky way than we are. its brilhancy and
ssfe must be much greater than they appear 10
q The lower planets, however, with the excep.
tan of Jupiter, would be seen with less advan-
sse Mars must there appear a, least sixteen times
less luminous than 1t now does to us The Earth
must be seen as almost lost in the light OF the
Sun, appearing only 10 oScilatc about hiIn, some
eues a little above, and sometimes little below
as disc as Mercury appears TO do nom the Earth
venus must hardly be known there, except by It's
sansits upon the disc of the Sun, from which she
ever deyiatcs, or but impercepuhly; and most
Eobaby the existence of Mercury Is entirely IN
Saown to the astronomers of Saturn. BIT, on
se other hand, Uranus, surrounded By lis SIX re-
s0gradng moons, and probably by several con-
@attsc rings, like Saturn. as surmised BY Her.
aasti, must appear to the Satnsnlans as bright
sssupter or Mars appear to u.s. In lis volume,
IN l,,,t, 90