The National tribune., 1891-10-22

stellation Of Ophinchus. II was visible for
over one year and then disappeared. This is
something called
KEPLER's STAR,
because this astronomer observed and recorded
its changes and appearance.
Prof. Holden aud his two assistants now
dropped the platform 10 feet aud adjusted the
glass, so that we were looking az Saturn. the
ringed planet. Saturn itself is an immense
body OF land and water; j judge, by the
color OF her seas which are green like ours
about four-6fths water and one fifth land. The
land has darker appearance, aud its features
are not distinctly defined. We can see four Of
her moons plainly, the other four being on tho
opposite side Of the planet. But the most
interesting study Of all Is her mysterious rings
They look like million small, very bright
electric lights, placed close together, and con-
tinually Ia motion. Looking through the great
telescope they could be plainly seen going at a
, great rate OF speed. Prof Holden saws they are
small moons about one hundred miles apart
held in their place by the power of attraction of
Saturn aud her eight moons.
Learned ASTRONOMER. Herschel among the
number, cOntended that Saturn was the world
producer or mother planet Of our planetary
| system, and that these rings are com n0sed OF
ncbula thrown of in rings from Saturn. lie
thought that in the course Of time this uebula
/ would form itself into small planets aud in the
/ y
| full growth, as it were, they would break away
| from mother Saturn and would 20 sailing away
/ into space, covered with vegetation seas. mighty
rivers, and inhabited by strange race OF
people.
As Saturn is 29l years In making a complete
revolution around the sun, IL takes the whole
| period 10 show all the different phases of its
rings. At two opposite points In Saturn's orbit
the rings are turned edgewise toward us
| Then they disappear, except in the most pow
| erinl telescope like the Lick, aud in them look
| Ikea
THIN LINE OF LIGHT.
The moons Of Saturn are nearly in the plane
| OF the ring, and when IL has this appearance
they are seen moving on its edge like golden
| beads on a silver thread. The disappearance of
the rings shows their very great thinness. Prof
| Burnham says that Saturn is something Ina the
condition Of Jupiter, having too much vapor
and clouds 10 sustain human aud animal life.
Once more the great platform was raised 10
/ feet and the glass djusted our own satellite
the moon. il appears like view from Mount
| Hamilton, looking north toward Mount Diablo
| IL all the chaparral and trees were cut of from
those mountains and deep gloomy rayines. SO
that everything would look bare and desolaie
IL would resemble il in a marked degree.
The moon rs composed mostly of barren rocks,
lofty mountain peaks, and deep, gloomy rayines.
| IL shows one great plain, which Is snpposei 10
he 500 miles long and 90 miles wide. This
| plain can be easily seen with small telescopes
but through the great Lick IL looks like large
valley between two mighty ranges Of mountains,
| devoid OF trees vegetation or water. The moon
| has great number Of volcanic craters, some of
| them Of immense size. The largest is the great
crater Ptolemy, which incloses a space equal 10
] the State Of Massachusetts.