Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-08-29
Al AstrouemfcaI Event.
sAruRN, WIFE a sEIe RpoRLrr uRN. Ru,

LII MI
MING DOWN TOWARD oUR PLANET.
On the 9th OF the present month there was
an occultaiioD or the planet Saturn by the
moon, and unusual Interest was excited
among astroroueTs BY reason OF tse hsRGtt-
ful scene which the telescope revealed 90
inst occasion. Ga the Sd OF September there
VIII be another cccultGIion by The moon
vas IN opposition 20 the sur; tbs, q, the
sun, re earth, and The planet were in tue
ssILe me The earth occupying the middle
pace. AZ LIS somewhat remarkable a az the
occultatiou OF tic G,h OF Arg1s, sns tbs
opposition which took place last nignF were
{. sunday, aud that the occultation OF tSa
81 o. next mouth will be s'so on SUNDAY
The use which yes,eruay's opooSitioS wnl
DC mSce u serve IS TO test certain co,ef,
slons decuced ty the French astroaomer
TrouvelOt IN memoir on the physical
aspects OF the planet = aturn. This UsmoI-
was published, with Illustrations In sIIlf.
mans Journal. Gee Of these conclusions
was that Inc inner margin OF Ssturn's outer
ring has for several years shown tsgrei
forms near the handles, which would indi-
cate Irregularity OF structure, another Is that
the thickness OF TIE whole ring system ia
increasing, and that tue inner ring is not
entirely Transparent, although more nearly
so tbsu the planet This system OF rings
renders Saturn q unique member OF The
planetary family; and g. modern inveSLigA
tions tend somewhat 10 show that we have
In IL an evidence OF the truth OF Lapisce's
hypothesis OF the original formation OF our
system. the Importance attached tn a careful
observation Of the latest opposition by as
tronomers may be really spprec stei.
yesterday Saturn was only n oout 80 0O1. 900
miles rom this earth, Instead OF SO 500 Ol1
miles, Its greatest distance IL IS this differ
ence OF $4,000 600 miles which makes the
period OF an opposition so important 10 the
Saturn Is the oldest OF the worlds that
compose the known system or the uui verse
he Is sixth In the order OF distance fro n the
sun. when viewed through a strong tele-
scope bis disc appears striped with dark
belts, which. from their paral lelism 70 the
equator OF the planet, are believed by some
scientists 10 have been determined by cur
rents similar to our trade Winds He is at
tended by eight satellites, who have been
since the beginning Of time punctusl and
regular in their attendance. He Is change
able In character and never presents the
same appearance twice In succession. For
this apparent eccentricity the astronomers
give the reason that since the ear;h's mean
distance from the sun Is 81 900, 900 miles, Sat-
urn, when In opposition 90 IL, is distant
tS2!eOo,co0 miles when nearest the sun and
So,oS,oo miles when furthest from IT. AS
me plane OF bis rings Is Inclined 10 the ecllp-
Tic, aud maintains its parallelism uring the
revolution OF the planet, the angle under
Wnich IL Is presented 10 the sun is contln-
usily changing; the appearances which IL
presents 10 the earth are, therefore also con-
tinually changing. Tie ring IL visible only
when the sun aud the earth are on the same
slue OF III, out IL bscomes tnvisi ole when It's
pane passes through the ceuter OF the EARN,
as wei as when IL passes through the csnber
al toe sun. On this account, says Sir John
heTscneI, Two or three disappearance OF the
ring may happen In q very short space OF
time Inc disappearance take place about
every hfteen years, or half the time of Sat-
urn REVOLUTION Ia his orbit, and the two
sides OF the ring have alternately fifteen
years OF sunshine aud fifteen years OF dark
ness.
Saturn rises In opposition when the sun
sets, aud may be readily found early in the
evening coming up IN the southeast. IL will
DE the prominent evening star for some time
10 come, and after 10 o'clock, when Jupiter
=. m nSal dfrr ri
Inc star gazer cannot mistake Saturn. He
mss no bright neighbors, and II ne had the
lurid, dirty yellow light that be sheds would
2Ah