§ 8. The Planets of which we have spoken in the First Lesson are Eleven in number, of which each has received a proper name. They are in the order in which they are placed from the Sun, the following:
| Mercury. | Juno. |
| Venus. | Ceres. |
| The Earth. | Pallas. |
| Mars. | Jupiter. |
| Vesta. | Saturn. |
| Herschel. | |
The adjoining diagram, on Plate No. [II], may serve for an illustration. You will see from it, that the Earth is the third Planet from the Sun. Mercury and Venus come before it; the most remote from the Sun is Herschel, so called from the astronomer’s name, who has but lately discovered it.
§ 9. The Earth is constantly attended by One Satellite (Lesson I, § 5); Jupiter by Four (see the diagram), Saturn by Six, and Herschel by Seven. Saturn is, besides, constantly surrounded by a broad luminous ring, which distinguishes it from all other Planets, and of which we shall speak hereafter.
§ 10. With regard to the magnitude of the different Planets it has been observed that although some of them are much larger than Our Earth; yet in Comparison to the Sun they are but small bodies, as you may see from the figures on plate No. [III], in which the different Planets are drawn in proportion to the Sun: you will perceive from it;
1. That the Sun is a great many times[1] larger than either of the Planets.
No. II.
No. III..