The Trouvelot astronomical drawings manualTrouvelot, E. L. (Etienne Leopold)
Science
The Trouvelot astronomical drawings manual
Trouvelot, E. L. (Etienne Leopold)
Astronomy -- Pictorial works
It is difficult to account for the color of the equatorial belt and that
of the Red Spot; but it is known, at least, that the material to which
they are due cannot be situated at the level of the general surface
visible to us, and especially that of the cloudy forms of the equatorial
zone. Undoubtedly the red layer lies deeper than the superficial
envelope of the planet, although it does not seem to be very deeply
depressed.
Jupiter is attended by four satellites, which revolve around the planet
at various distances, and shine like stars of the 6th and 7th magnitude.
It is said that under very favorable circumstances, and in a very clear
sky, the satellites can be seen with the naked eye, but this requires
exceptionally keen eyes, since the glare of the planet is so strong as
to overpower the comparatively faint light of the satellites. However, I
myself have sometimes seen, without the aid of the telescope, two or
three of the satellites as a single object, when they were closely
grouped on the same side of Jupiter.
The four moons of Jupiter are all larger than our Moon, except the
first, which has about the same diameter. They range in size from 2,300
to 3,400 miles in diameter, the third being the largest; the
determination of their diameter is by no means accurate, however, as it
is difficult to measure such small objects with precision. Their mean
distance from the centre of Jupiter varies from 267,000 to 1,192,000
miles, the first satellite, the nearest to the planet, being a little
farther from Jupiter then our satellite is from us. The four satellites
revolve around the planet in orbits whose planes have a slight
inclination to the equator of Jupiter, and consequently to the ecliptic.
The diameter of the largest satellite is nearly half that of the Earth,
or 3,436 miles; while its volume is five times that of our Moon. The
period of revolution of these satellites varies from 1d. 18h. for the
first, to 16d. 16h. for the last.
Owing to the slight inclination of the plane of their orbits to that of
the planet, the three first satellites, and generally the fourth, pass
in front of the disk and also through the shadow of the planet at every
revolution, and are accordingly eclipsed. Their passages behind
Jupiter's disk are called occultations; those in front of it, transits.
The eclipses, the occultations and the transits of the moons of Jupiter
are interesting and important phenomena; the eclipses being sometimes
observed for the rough determination of longitudes at sea.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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