m the
planet, and the latter about two and a quarter millions. To Sir William
Herschel we are indebted for the discovery of two more satellites, one
of which he found on the evening that he used his celebrated 40-foot
telescope for the first time. The ninth satellite, Phoebe, one of the
two discovered by Professor Pickering, is perhaps the most remarkable
body in the solar system, for all the other known members of that system
perform their revolutions in one fixed direction, whereas this satellite
revolves in the _contrary_ direction.

In consequence of the great distance of Saturn, the sun, as seen from
the planet, would appear so small that it would scarcely show any disc.
The planet, indeed, only receives from the sun about one-ninetieth of
the heat and light which the earth receives. Owing to this diminished
intensity of illumination, the combined light reflected to Saturn by the
whole of its satellites must be very small.

With the sole exception of Jupiter, not one of the planets circulating
nearer to the sun could be seen from Saturn, as they would be entirely
lost in the solar glare. For an observer upon Saturn, Jupiter would,
therefore, fill much the same position as Venus does for us, regularly
displaying phases and being alternately a morning and an evening star.

It is rather interesting to consider the appearances which would be
produced in our skies were the earth embellished with a system of rings
similar to those of Saturn. In consequence of the curving of the
terrestrial surface, they would not be seen at all from within the
Arctic or Antarctic circles, as they would be always below the horizon.
From the equator they would be continually seen edgewise, and so would
appear merely as line of light stretching right across the heaven and
passing through the zenith. But the dwellers in the remaining regions
would find them very objectionable, for they would cut off the light of
the sun during lengthy periods of time.

Saturn was a sore puzzle to the early telescopic observers. They did not
for a long time grasp the fact that it was surrounded by a ring--so slow
is the human mind to seek for explanations out of the ordinary course of
things. The protrusions of the ring on either side of the planet, at
first looked to Galileo like two minor globes placed on opposite sides
of it, and slightly overlapping the disc. He therefore informed Kepler
that "Saturn consists of three stars in contact with one another.