Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-30

a Tclescopfc View Of Saturu.
The moonless nights that are passing are a
grand gala season for the planets Saturn and
Jupiter. They are now superb objects to the
naked eye, and they rise serenely to the zenith
in the early evening hours, and are superb be-
You'd the power Of adequate description, when
viewed through the telescope We had a mag
innocent view OF Saturn through the fine instru-
ment OF the Seagrave observatory where we
found the enthusiastic Young astronomer alb
sOrDed In the work of measuring the dimensions
Oh the planets satellites rings and disk work
10 which he has devoted the clear nights of sew
erai months with zeal that augurs we'll for his
future lame The night was one of exceptional
beauty, the atmosphere clear and serene
the sky cloudless, the moon safely out
of the way, and the definition almost
perfect. From the dome of the obser-
vatory the planets looked with friendly eyes
upon the observers who sought to draw them
nearer and increase their dimensions in the
space-annihilating glass. The observatory, ex-
eepting for the click of the cock-work, was as
silent as the stars, when the telescope was
turned to pale gold star beaming from the
celestial depths and in a second of time what
seemed grand transformation took place. The
star expanded into sphere nearly as large as
the full moon. and sbOne with an exceeding
brllliancy that the eye could scarcely endure
without protection. Encirciing the glow
ing orb were the bewitching rings. and
dotted around in the field of vision were
SIX or the eight moons. Two of them
were close together on the left of the planet one
was 1ar below. and the others near the
rings that they looked like the tinest golden
points. barely perceptbe and that was all The
view was one of surprising loneliness, the i'm
preston was combined feeling of awe amaze
Inent and admiration and the conclusion was
that We were looking upon system vastly more
Complex and exalted in the scale of worlds than
our little planet, but One-seven hundredth of it's
stZe without a shadow of a ring. and owning
but one moon. After having admired the dis
play as a whole. we made a study OF the de-
tails. The golden sphere seemed almost to
stand upright within the encircng rings only
small portion of the orb being seen beneath them
The cOiOring was of the shade of LIQUID gold
That sometimes suffuses the west in the
glow of twilight: the belts of creamy hue
crossed the disk with the lightness and grace of
scudding clOud-bands. The glorious rings
stood out in bold relief. grading the planet i'm a
KIND OF protecting embrace. Every detail was
perfect The outer ring with its slight mark
my, the division between the rings the second
ring, the dark ring, the black space between the
rings and the planet and the six moons were
distinctly visible How much We wished that a
passing star might chance to wander into that
DIT of azure space and add new wonder to the
charming picture! The view We have described
was one seen with power of seven hundred
that is. one magnfying seven hundred times.
we tried next low power, increasing the
hight and lessenng the size Then We used a
medium power, and then ended the observation
with the same power used at first the most
satisfactory Of all.
No one can study the Saturnian system with
out deep impression Of the wisdom and power
OF the fashiOning Hand that brought into being
a vast world like this with its girdling rings and
wealth of moons. No one can study the Saturn
IAN system as revealed in the telescope without
the feeling that astronomy is the most fascinat-
ing OF all the sciences. No one who sees the
SURPRISING picture for the first time will ever
forget the sensation aroused by the sight These
are golden opportunities for observing Saturn
under favorable conditions. For four years to
come the rings will open more widely and the
planet approach nearer to periheliOn. For four
years to come Saturn will therefore be an object
OF exceeding interest when near opposition.
After 1885 his rings will slowly close, and he will
travel slowly away from the sun, until he sub
sides into the dull. murky star that astronomers
have made OMNIBUS of evil to the human race
Before he returns to his present beaming aspect
after his periheliOn passage nearly thirty years
will pass, and nearly all who now rejoice in his
bright appearance will have passed beyond the
gates that separate the mortal from the i'm
mOrtal.-Proridence Journal