Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1893-03-02
Jup,rER,s FIFTH MOON.
Governor winthrop, of Connecticut. Saw
IL Ia IGAl.

IL Ia 1904.
That the discovery Of Jupiter's tlfth
satellite, announced recently IA hav-
ing boon made by Professor Barnard
at tho Lick observatory, should in
reality have boon made here in Hart
ford, by Governor Winthrop, of Con-
mecticut, away back IN the year 1864,
only about twenty years after Cali
leos death, seems an astonishing
fact, and ono hard TO accept at first
implicitly. But evidence, which
seoms To DO decisive, Is presented by
tho Hon. Robert G. Winthrop TO sub
stantiato tho fact. Mr., Winthrop il
naturally DESTROYS of preserving tho
honorable traditions of the family.
What he has TO say about Jupiter
and his moons is told in II paper sub
mitted by him to the Massachusetts
historical society ut It's Octobermeet~
ing. Accompanying that paper was u
detailed account Of tho observation OF
this close little satellite made In
Hartford, August, e. 1864, by John
Winthrop, ir,, thon governor of tho
Connecticut colony, II appears in
WIZ NlN NNtlllil N'iWiA''l Nib = iNNN''-
ings Of the Massachusetts, Historical
Society," AT the timo Of the obsor-
walton Governor Winthrop was az
active fellow Of the Royal society,
aud the letter IN which he garo an
account of the discovery was adj
dressed to Sir Robert Moray, tho
president Of that body, This Is tho
Language in which Governor VIM
throp uarrates his observations:
Having looked upon Jupiter with
telescope upon the 9Th OF August
last ! saw five satellites worry dis
tmctly about that planet on
served Il with the host curiosity ]
could, taking very distinct notice Of
We number OF Thorn by several as-
poets, with sono convenient tymo Of
intermissioni and though | was not
without somc consideration whether
that iiith might not hc ,ume fist star
with which Jupiter might at times DO
In nonro conjunction yet That con
sdcralon nude me tho moro careful
To take notice whether ! could dis-
ccruo any such difference Of one Of
them from tho other fouro, Vt might,
by the moro twinkling light Of IL or
any other appearance, give ground
TO believe st, IL might bu u liked
starr; but ! could disccrne nothing Of
that nature.
II have boon IN much doubt
whether ! should mention this which
would possibly hc taken from sim
glo affirmation but mistaken nov
city; but thought would rather
beurc such scnsuIo than omit the
notice of il Go such worthy friends a.
might, from tho hint of IL, causo
more frequent observations to bc
made upon that planet.
Tho telescope which Governor Win
throp used was probably little ro-
Tractor. 1t was only half II century
! after Galileo's discovery of tho four
larger moons, and very likely Gov
ernor Winthrop's telescope was not
much superior in idea 10 the great
Italians optic glass, which Is still
preserved ut Florence. But II must
have been a superior ono Of its kind.
Governor Winthrop described II as
IN tube of but three footo aud q hqlfe
with u cave oye'glass.N The Cover
nor seems 10 have obtained clear
sight of tho little satellite, He did
not claim the honor Of tho discovery.
Ia regard To the nth satellite, which
rcvolves very oloso to the giant
planet, ho says in the letter to Sir
Robert Moray;
"1ho notion OF such II thing Is not
new TO myself, for remember met
with The like narration many years
since In little book entitled i"Phi-
losophia Naturalis,' p, Jch. Phoceli-
den.
Mr.. Robert G. Winthrop says the
ittlo book "Philosophia Naturalis'
Is not TO be found among the remnants
| Of Winthrop's library which are still
! cxtant and he is not aware OF copy
| Of 1t In America.