We have hinted that further discoveries upon Saturn may be considered as practically beyond the reach of small telescopes; but the gratifying fact remains that some of the more noteworthy of the known features are visible in glasses of little pretention as regards size. With a 2-inch refractor, power about 90, not only are the rings splendidly visible, but Cassini’s division is readily glimpsed, as well as the narrow dark belt on the body of the planet. This sufficiently proves that a very small and portable instrument is capable of affording some excellent views of one of the most wonderful objects in the heavens. Grover has seen, with an aperture similar to that named, not only the belts and the shadow of the ball on the rings, but two of the satellites as well; and others may be equally successful.
_Occultations of Saturn by the Moon._—Phenomena of this kind were well observed in England on May 8, 1859, April 20 and Sept. 30, 1870. Those of 1859 and Sept. 30, 1870, were observed by the Rev. S. J. Johnson, who noted that “the dull hue of the planet contrasted strikingly with the brilliant yellow of the Moon.” Dawes witnessed the occultation in 1859, and saw the opaque edge of our satellite sharply defined on the ball and rings of Saturn, without the slightest distortion of form. No dark shading was remarked by him contiguous to the Moon’s bright edge at the reappearance, such as he and others had observed on Jupiter on the occasion of his occultation, Jan. 2, 1857. Saturn was described as of a pale greenish hue, and offered a strong contrast to the brilliant yellow lustre of the Moon. On the early morning of April 20, 1870, several observers were on the _qui vive_ for this interesting occurrence; and their experiences are reported in the ‘Monthly Notices R. A. S.’ vol. xxx. p. 175 _et seq._, from which the following are brief extracts:—
Mr. Ellis:—“The light of the planet, by contrast with the Moon, was very faint.” Mr. Carpenter:—“There was not the least alteration in the planet’s form.” Capt. Noble:—“Saturn appeared of a richly-greenish yellow when compared with the brilliant white light of the Moon.” Mr. G. C. Talmage:—“The difference in colour between Saturn and the Moon was most marked, the planet appearing of a yellow tint.” Mr. J. Carpenter:—“At disappearance the planet was a very dull object when in contact with the Moon; its light probably a twentieth as bright. At reappearance the planet was rather tremulous; no distortion was noticed.” On June 13, 1870, the Rev. J. Spear, of Bengal, watched the Moon pass “steadily over the planet without causing any change of form or giving any indication of the planet’s light passing through an atmospheric medium. When near the Moon’s limb Saturn assumed a sickly green hue.”