Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 June 1888 — The Rings of Saturn. [ARTICLE]

The Rings of Saturn.

The majestic rings of Saturn have been very favorably presented to us for* observation during the past few years, and are still visible in a moderate size telescope, at nearly their greatest opening, though they are now gradually contracting in breadth, and will vanish entirely in the year 1892, when the rings will again be turned edgewise to us, and become invisible except in the most powerful instruments. The rings of Saturn were first observed by Galileo, soon after he invented the telescope, in the year 1610. He saw on each side of Saturn something bright, of which he could not distinguish the form, and was greatly astonished with such a peculiar aspect. The figure of the planet appeared so singular that he thought it consisted of a large globe with a smaller one on each side. Galileo first announced his remarkable discovery under an anagram, which greatly puzzled the astronomers of his time, it then being the custom among astronomers to disguise their discoveries as much as possible in order that they might have time to bring them to perfection. Soon after Galileo’s discovery he wrote to an astronomical friend as follows: “When I observe Saturn, the central star appears the largest; two others, situated one to the east, the other to the west, and on a line which does not coincide with the ecliptic, seem to touch it. They are like two servants who enable old Saturn to continue his road, and they remain always at his side. With a glass of small power the star appears lengthened and of an olive form.” Poor Galileo sought iu vain. Being entirely discouraged and disappointed, he no longer observed Saturn, and died without knowing that the ring existed. It was Christian Huyghens, a distinguished Dutch philosopher, who first explained the mystery, about fifty years after Galileo discovered the ring. He observed Saturn with telescopes much larger, and with a greater magnifying power than those which were employed by Galileo, and soon announced the discovery that this planet was surrounded by “a vast luminuous ring, unconnected with the body of the planet, and inclined to the ecliptic.— A. K. Bartlett, in Detroit Free Press. The injury of prodigality leads to this, that he who will not economize will have to agonize.— Confucius. “ Give us a song, ” the soldier cried,. but he cried harder when the man complied.