In subsequent years, it will occur a month later every
two and a half years. The ring can be seen with a common, good
spy-glass fastened to a post so as to be steady. A four or five-
inch telescope will show most of the satellites, the division in
the ring, and, when the ring is well opened, the curious dusky
ring discovered by Bond. This "crape ring," as it is commonly
called, is one of the most singular phenomena presented by that
planet.
It might be interesting to the amateur astronomer with a keen eye
and a telescope of four inches aperture or upward to frequently
scrutinize Saturn, with a view of detecting any extraordinary
eruptions upon his surface, like that seen by Professor Hall in
1876. On December 7th of that year a bright spot was seen upon
Saturn's equator. It elongated itself from day to day, and
remained visible for several weeks. Such a thing had never before
been known upon this planet, and had it not been that Professor
Hall was engaged in observations upon the satellites, it would not
have been seen then. A similar spot on the planet was recorded in
1902, and much more extensively noticed. On this occasion the spot
appeared in a higher latitude from the planet's equator than did
Professor Hall's.
Pages:
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144