Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-03-05
chances Through a Telescope at Ju.
plter, Saturn and Mars.

The last rays of the setting sun were
flooding the earth with a golden glow,
as, In Mr.. Seagrave's private observa-
tory, the telescope was turned toward
that part of the sky where Jupiter was
pursuing his westward course, though
as yet invisible to the naked eye. Our
giant brother made a lovely picture on
a background still brilliant with the
light of parting day, the disc looking
like a circle of white cloud marked with
shadowy belts. As the twilight faded,
the color deepened, and the disc of
fleecy white became a sphere of golden
hue, greatly flattened at the poles, and
diversified with a brilliant purple belt
around the equator, and with belts of
softer tone near the poles. Pen may
not paint the peerless picture of this
grand planet as it hung projected from
the heavens, a huge golden ball, large
as the full moon, and marked with wavy
belts harmoniously tinted, while two
moons far apart on the right, and two
close together on the left, added to the
completeness of the scene.
The telescope was next turned to-
ward Saturn, and view of surprising
beauty entranced the eye, for the rings
are opening and grading the planet in
their concentric circles Of golden light.
There is no object in the heavens, with
the exception of the sun, that so inn
presses the beholder as the telescope
Saturn. An artist might outline its
form, but the efforts of a lifetime could
never imprison on canvas the clearness,
softness and brilliancy of the celestial
coloring. The faint and dimly-colored
star that shines in our nightly firma-
ment undergoes a wondrous transfor-
nation in the far-seeing eye Of the in
strument that annihilates distance, as
in the enhancing view that rewarded
our observation. The planet, with its
shadowy bands, was sharply and clear
ly defined, and the rings encompassed
the great sphere like guardians to ward
off danger. The definition was so fine,
and the atmosphere so still, that the
opening between the inner and outer
ring, the dark ring, the shadow of the
planet on the ring, and the shadow Of
the rings on the planet, were easily dis
cerned, while five moons, four on the
right and one on the left, completed the
brilliant sight. Words may describe
the elements of the scene, but they car
give no idea of the feelings of awe anC
amazement, the keen enjoyment of thC
beautiful in nature, the deep impress
sion of infinite wisdom and power in
spired by the view. Saturn, though
surpassed by Jupiter in mass anC
volume, far surpasses his gigantic
brother in the magnificence of his sys
tenn, and in the superb sight afforded
of the system and harmony that reigI
in the movements of his complex anC
incOmprehensible structure.
Mars came next as an object Of OBJ
servation, but his lesser glory paleC
after the brilliant show made by hi
powerful rivals. A globe of reddisl
light in gibbous phase appeared upoi
the field of vision, and nothing more
He is travelling from us, and too ia
away to be a matter of telescope inter
est. Faint markings on his surface
gave indication of the wonderful cont
nents. islands and seas that eagle-eye,
astronomers have mapped upon his sur
face. His tiny moons have become in
visible, and nearly two years will pas
before sight of the Martian satellite
will greet the eyes of astronomers
while seven or eight revolutions of tn
earth will be required before this plane
repeats the favorable conditions of tn
opposition of 1877.-ProVidence (R l.
Journal.