Arizona weekly enterprise., 1888-06-30
THE PLANET SATURN.
TAncIful Observations Made by Specu1a
 ton Loving Astronomer,

TAncIful Observations Made by a Specu1a-
 Gon-LOving Astronomer.
 Let us fancy ourselves on the satel- lite Mimas during one of its revolu- ions around it's primary. From Mimas to Saturn the distance is about half that of the moon from the earth. This circumstance, combined with the fact that Saturn has d- ameter 34 times greater than our moon. causes the primry to appear from this satellite 62I times larger in surface than our moon doe to us; for 94 squared. multiplied by 4. is 624. Were the full moon to come within 120 900 miles of us some night, it would measure about one degree in diameter. Imagine it's volume sud- denly to increase to that of Saturn, and its diameter would be 34 degrees. Eight such bodies would shut out every object in the heavens from our sight. Mimas rushed around this magnificent center at the rate of about 355 miles per minute. But between Mimas and Saturn is the system of rings. the outer bright one of which is only 37, $40 miles distant.
 Let US start at the moment when Mimas is in the plane of the rings. Tho ring stretches along the equator of the planet as a narrow band less bright than the surface of the primary. As we proceed in the revolution, one side of the ring appears rehecting Saturn's lghts; when one-quarter of the jour- ney has been made, we have the best view possible. But as we can not de- part from the plane more than four de- grees, the rings must appear as if there were only one. The divisions, visible from the earth, can not be seen from Mimas. The breadth of the en- tire system of rings is 37, 570 miles, but the perspective from Mimas is al- ways that of a narrow band. When half the circuit has been made, we again come into the plane, and in the last half of the nurneY, a view of the other side of the rings is obtained. The whole circuit of the planet is accomplished in less than one of lL1C Ctli LII D tett Oul H. ilC satellite is all the while turn ing upon its own axis, giving a won derful variety to the celestial pano- rama The mighty Saturn rises and sets. The other moons, the stars, the sun, Jupiter, and the other planets, comets and meteors, are all seen dur ing our lunar day. The visible move ments constantly made on the surface of Saturn must impress the observer as of q most stupendous nature. We need have no fear of accepting all the imagination suggests as regards the commotions of semi-suns. such as Sat urn and Jupiter.
 Enceladus is only 35, 800 miles from Mimas, and when at that distance in its orbit, appears about nine times larger than our moon does to us. Tethys appears a little less in size than the moon. Titan is one-sixth and Japetus one-eightieth of the moons surface. But assuming that ihe inhabitants of Mimas and other moons of Saturn are ,n that stage of civiliza- ton which i've are enjoying" it may be concluded that they have availed themselves of all our modes of acquiring knowledge. Their Lick tel sscopc has brought Saturn down" to within thirty miles of their observa- lion, and Enceladus and the outer ring within about nine miles.
 . If railroad extends around the equator of Mimas. it is quite possible that trains move fast enough to cause Saturn to appear stationary. Could g train of cars leave New York at noon, and move west around the earth on our line of latitude, at the rate o1 about fourteen miles per minute, the sun would appear to be stationary tc the passengers. In other words, it would be noon at all points passed by
 the train. To steam around the equator of Mimas in the same
 time would require velocity
 of only two miles per minute.
 Our engines arc equal to this velocity.
 But the people If the satellites O
 Saturn may be 'Ehousand," or ever "ten thousand years" ahead of us il inventive genius. They may be quite
 able to visit the beautiful ring above" them, and to carry on inter
 lunar commerce. In such an event their treatises on the 'tariff" 'pro lection to home industry" ''bi-me
 tallic money" ''taxation' and othe topics of international importance, , | ought to be carefully studied by tn, >arth's legislative bodies before any } radical changes are made in ''ou l ystem of political economy."-Chr;s
 tiGn Gt Work.