Titan is by far the largest satellite, being equal to a star of the
8th mag. and visible in any small telescope. Iapetus ranks next,
ordinarily about 9th mag., but there are variations at different parts
of the orbit similar to the variations which affect the satellites of
Jupiter; a variegated surface, and the effects of rotation, originate
the changes observed and give strong support to the inference that
this satellite rotates in the same period that it revolves round its
primary. Tethys, Dione, and Rhea are fainter, and the difficulty of
seeing them is intensified by their proximity to the planet; but a good
4-inch refractor will reveal them on a clear dark night. The others are
objects for powerful instruments and pellucid skies; but Enceladus is
sometimes seen with moderate aperture. The planet being usually much
inclined, his satellites are dispersed round about the rings, and are
not easy of identification. Minute stars lying near the path of Saturn
are very liable to be mistaken for them. But the ephemerides drawn up
by Mr. Marth, and published annually by the Royal Astronomical Society,
are of the utmost service to amateurs engaged in these observations. By
simple reference they may readily identify the individual satellites
on any night; and these ephemerides are additionally useful as giving
the times of conjunctions of some of the satellites with the ends of
the ring and N. and S. points of the ball.
When the thin side of the rings is presented to the Earth, transits and
other phenomena may be observed in connection with the Saturnian moons;
but they appear to have been rarely recorded. Sir W. Herschel describes
a “beautiful observation of the transit of the shadow of Titan over
the disk in 1789, November 2.” It was also seen in 1833 and 1862. The
late Mr. Capron re-observed it on Dec. 10, 1877, with a 8-1/4-inch
reflector, power 144, and made the following sketch:—
[Illustration: Fig. 42.]
These shadow-transits admit of easy observation with appliances of very
moderate capacity. Mr. Banks witnessed a phenomenon of the kind with a
refractor of only 2-7/8 inches, and says it was watched with the same
facility and ease as the shadow of Sat. I. on Jupiter.
In looking for Iapetus it must be remembered that it is commonly
situated at a great distance from the planet. Titan is relatively much
nearer, and will always be recognized without trouble. Enceladus,
Tethys, Dione, and Rhea hover near the outskirts of the ring; while
Mimas is extremely close to it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account