The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-14

Or minute bodies free to move relatively
| TO enc another. In short. that 1t was fluid.
The Theory was largely conjectural
| For about twenty five years past the ring
OF saturn has been a subject OF continual
| vigilance and study by astronomers. Search
| ing telescopes in all parts of the world
have been pointed at it at regular and
frequent intervals and there have been
few nights in the year when sharp and
learned eyes have not been trying to
ravel its mystery. In 1870 NJ. Teouvelot. a
French astronomer of note at that time in
this country, but who afterwards returned
to France began series of observations
of Saturn. first with his own telescope at
Cambridge, Mass, and later with the much
larger ones OF Harvard University and the
observatory at Washington. In 1876 he an
nounced some Interesting conclusions. but
none touching the composition OF the ring
except that sthe matter composing the
dusky ring meaning the part nearest the
planet itself. lis agglomerated here and
there into small masses which almost total
ly prevents the light OF the planet from
reaching the eye OF the observer" From 1875
to 1877 Crofthall. of Washington, made
series of observations which led to no
definite conclusion beyond confirming Mr.
Teouvelot's description of the appearance
of the dusky part of the ring as some
what like particles of dust floating in q
ring of light traversing a dark chamber"
In 1881 DIR. Meyer a Swiss astronomer,
made a series of observations which led
to careful revision of the figures re;a-
tive to the dimensions of Saturn and the
diameter of the ring. Prof. Kirkwood, of
this State, had, as early 1868. demon
strated that the division in the ring or the
space between its INNER and outer parts
was due to the disturbing influence of
"a <r,s. - fIar-
to the conclusion that the ring was formed
of separate particles moving round the
planetSto q certain extent independent
satellites. Owing to the peculiar position
of the ring from 1884 to 1886, inclusive, the
winters of those years were more favor
able for studying Saturn and its ring than
any which will occur again till 1914. Dur
ing these years the great refractor at the
Washington Observatory was frequently
pointed at the Saturnian system, but no
material addition was made to the stock
of knowledge on the subject. Observations
of an eclipse Of one of Saturn's satellites
in 1889, made at the Lick Observatory,
California, showed that the ring cast as
dense SHADOW as that of the planet
itself and this was thought to disprove
the theory that the ring is made up of a
vast number of satellites, since matter
how great the number it was thought they
could not have the effect of an Opaque
body.
From this brief outline of Saturnan OBJ
servations during the last twenty-five or
thirty years, an outline, which conveys no
adequate idea of the patient research, pro-
found study and immense learning which
have been brought to bear on the SUBJ
ject, it will be seen that not much adj
vance has been made in determining the
character, and composition of the ring. As
tronomers can estimate its mass, determine
it's distance from the planet, measure its
diam eter and calculate it's mathematical ell |
enents, but what 1T is composed of or
what purpose. if any, it serves in the |
economy of the universe, they have not |
been able to discover. The most powerful |
telescopes have revealed more clearly the |
Pre- portions and outlines of the ring. but its |
composition has remained insoluble |
mystery. If Prof Keller has succeeded in |
solving it and can demonstrate the cor |
rectness of his solution he will have earned |
undying fame in the astronomical world. |
Saturn already has twice many moons |
as any other planet in the solar system, |
eight, while our earth has only |
one and Jupiter, which is a far larger
planet than Saturn, only four. If the ring
is really composed OF moons Saturn could
afford to spare a few for the other planets.
4