The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-08-15

This month Saturn reigns In the sky.
ard that most wonderful Of all the plan
cts I. attracting the earnest attention Of
astronomers. Theories have been ven
igred upon the probability OF human lie
upon some OF the other planets. but this
mystery Of mysteries has oefed even the
play of the imagination
The analogy the earth and Jupiter
has afforded enables the astronomer to
lay down some possible laws as to the
moons OF other planets. but the brilliant
belt above Saturn has no parallel in the
heavens 50 far as the eye can discern. The
mind has hitherto been compelled TO ac-
cept the evidence OF the sight that the
rings-af least the two outer r!ngs-were
4 solid sheet CT matter, broad belts
within which the plane, revolved.
For thirty years or more, however. the
astronomers have realized that this the
DRY, in spite OF appearances, was defec-
tive In iSo Bond. OF the Harvard OBJ
servatory, vertured the idea that the
rings were made up OF !nnumerable cir
turned TO mathematics and demonstrated
that the rings could not possibly be solid
They would. IL selid. he thought, fly TO
pieces hike an oyer-driven fy wheel under
the attraction OF the planet and the CEN
trifugai force Of their swift rotation.
Clerk Maxwell. Of Cambridge. England.
was the first to suggest that The rings
were made UP Of an infinite number OF
tiny satellites or meteors. but an Ameri-
can has apparently solved the problem.
Prof. Keller has subjected the planet to
the test OF the spectroscope, and with a
most ingenious series OF experiments. deli
cately manipulated. has presented a re-
suit which only adds 10 the mystery of the
cause. The minuteness OF the analysis
can be conceived when 1t is known that
graphed spectrum which was no more
than about one twenty-hfth Of an inch
wide.
Mr. Keller. according 10 the description
given by c. A. Young of the operation,
after various trials, finally succeeded in
getting Two satisfactory photographs of
the spectrum, with the slit of the spectre
scope placed upon the planets image so
that II lay across the center of it's disk
and the extremities of the ring The ex-
posure lasted an hour. during which time
ii was necessary to maintain the adjust
ment with the most scrupuious exactness.
The result was satisfactory and conciu-
sive.
The outer edge OF the ring, It was ascer-
tanned, moves more slowly around the
planet than the inner. IL the old theory
We're true. and the rings were revolving
around like solid sheets, then the outer
edge Of the ring must travel more swiftly
than the inner Ii. on the contrary, the
separate particles (of which the rings are
supposed to be composed according to the
newer hypothesis) move like independent
satellites, then those at the outer edge OF
the ring must. in obedience 10 Kepler's
law. move more slowly than those that
are nearer the planet. The two theories
contradict each other fatty in this re-
speci, and the spectroscepe becomes the
arbiter. for the rate at which a luminous
point Is moving toward or from the OBJ
server can be determined by measuring
how much the lines in its spectrum are
shifted out Of the position they would oc-
ctpy If ths point were at rest.
The simple laws Of motion were applied
aud the world now knows that Saturn has
millions upon millions OF satellites. What
magnificent spectacle. II We could only
see Saturn as We see the moon. the spec
tacle would be almost too glorious for the
mind to appreciate. Ii must become dazea
1t would seem. at the velocity of such a
mass OF tiny moons. Great and mora
glorious are the heavens as their wonders
are uufoldea