The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-08-06
CIRCULATION OF SATURN.

To THE EDITOR HERALD
rare and interesting astronomical phenomenon will
occur tomorrow evening at about eleven o'clock, tho
occuation OF the planet Saturn by the At half
past eight when the moon begins TO mako its appear
ancs above the tops OF the houses the planet Will be
seen as bright star, not so bright us Venus or Ju-
piter, short distance to the lcft As the rises
higher II viii gradually approach, nearly obscurng the
planet by its superior brightness, being just be-
yond the full before 1t actually passes over it The
occultasion itself scarcely DO without the aid
Of at least small Telescopes and in order to It In
its beauty telescope at least four feet length will
be requisite
To an observer with telescope of sufficient size to
snow the rings of Saturn we'll, in near this city,
especially to the northward Of II, tho phenomenon
VIII assume very unusual FORM Ordinarily, the
moon moving eastward, ovcraking and passing over
planet the eastern edge of the moon first hides the
western edge oil the planets disk. But In thu case,
owing TO the moons passing south OF tie planet
the moon will pass partially by tho planet before the
occultaton begins, and the rst contact will BIZ OF tho
moons western limb with the eastern extremity OF the
ring which will occur ut about lob. 53m. EOS, the
exact time depending upon the locality where the OBJ
servaon is made. The edge OF the moons disk will be
so obhQuc as nearly to touch the ball OF tho planet
when II hrst touches the exterior ring
Al loh: som. IS the planet Will be half covered.
halt tho ball and one Of tho ring only being vsi-
hle. At 10h. tSm lbs. tho western extremity OF the
ring Will disappear In consequence OF The occultaton
the planet Will not long remain Invisible tllh l5m
2Ss the western extremity of the ring will again make
its appearance, AT nfst resembling star at distance
from the rough edge Of tne moon little less than the
diameter Of tho ball OF the planet 1t will rapidly as
sumo form and proportions, and at l1h 2im. 3Os IL
will present the curious spectacle OF one halt the bali
the planet and OF the ring beng visible scpa
rated by dark intervening space from tue edge of he
moons luminous disk, this dark space being reality
covered by the dark portion OF the moon, although the
moon Will be so circular in form that 1t wonld seem
hardly possible that II should tins space. Al
1lh. 26m. lis. the occultation Will be concluded the
last vestige of thc intervening disk, looking like "a
shadow upon tho planets ring, having disappeared.
The times have given above may be at least min
ute In error, as the occuation Will IRON
particular place. and the error Of the times may DO
different At the immersion ind The emcrson; but tho
time required for the moons disk to pass from
tremy of tho planet the viii greatly vary
IN different localities in this city, 1t VIII cspc-
cialy be observable that about twice time will be
consumed in the EMERSON as IN the immersion, since
at the EMERSON the line OF the rings will approximate
to right angie with the edge OF the disk Al certain
distance south of this city, whore the paraax
great the moons disk Will first strike the ball Of tho
planet ana still further south the western extremity
OF the ring will first be occuited in the usual way but
these there Will be the marked
ference between tue duration OF tn, immersion and OF
the EMERSON. HENRY II. PARkHuRST,
NEW YORK, August g. 1875