The Trouvelot astronomical drawings manualTrouvelot, E. L. (Etienne Leopold)
Science
The Trouvelot astronomical drawings manual
Trouvelot, E. L. (Etienne Leopold)
Astronomy -- Pictorial works
Owing to the considerable inclination of the axis of rotation of Saturn
to its orbit, the seasons of this planet must have greater extremes of
temperature than those of the Earth. As the year of Saturn consists of
25,217 Saturnian days, each season, on the average, is composed of 6,304
Saturnian days.
To an observer on Saturn, the immense arches formed by its rings would
appear as objects of great magnificence, spanning the sky like soft
colorless rainbows. Moreover, the eight moons, several of which are
always visible, would be of the highest interest, with their swift
motions and rapid phases. Mimas, traveling in its orbit at the rate of
16 of arc per minute of time, moves over a space equal to the apparent
diameter of our Moon in two minutes, or at the rate of 16° an hour.
Owing to the globular form of Saturn, the rings would be invisible in
latitudes situated above 65° from its equator, and their apparent form
and breadth would naturally vary with the latitude. At 63° only a very
small portion of the outer ring would be visible above the equatorial
horizon, where it would appear as a small segment of a circle. At 62°
the principal division would just graze the horizon. At 46° the outer
portion of the dusky ring would become visible, while at 35° its inner
edge would appear above the horizon. From 65° of latitude down to the
equator, the arches of the rings would be seen more and more elevated
above the equatorial horizon, but at the same time that they are seen
higher up, their apparent breadth gradually diminishes, owing to the
effect of foreshortening, and at the equator itself the system would
only present its thin edge to view.
During the summer seasons of either hemisphere of Saturn, the surface of
the rings turned towards such hemisphere, being fully illuminated by the
Sun, is visible from these regions. In the day time its light must be
feeble and similar to the light reflected by our Moon during sunshine;
but at night the system would display all its beauty, and the different
rings, with their divisions and their various reflective powers, must
present a magnificent sight.
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