The want of nearer Phœbus to supply,

And warm with reflex beams his summer sky;

Else might the high-plac’d world, expos’d to frost,

Lie waste, in one eternal winter lost.”

Besides the ring, Saturn is also furnished with seven attendant moons, or satellites, which move around him at different distances, in a way similar to those of Jupiter.

Distances and Revolutions of Saturn’s Satellites.
Revolution.
Satellite Distance.d.h.m.s.
1st 172,000 1 21 18 26
2d 217,000 2 17 44 51
3d 315,000 4 12 25 11
4th 705,000 15 22 41 14
5th 2,126,000 79 7 53 42
6th 137,000 1 8 53 9
7th 107,000 0 22 37 30

The sixth and seventh satellites were discovered by Dr. Herschell in 1787 and 1788: they are nearer to Saturn than any of the other five; but, to prevent confusion, they have been called the 6th and 7th. The 5th satellite has been observed by Dr. Herschell to turn once round its axis, exactly in the time in which it revolves round Saturn: in this respect it resembles our moon. Their distance from us is so far, as not to be easily visible, even with a good telescope, unless the air be exceedingly clear.

It was for ages that astronomical science limited the solar system to six planets, and Saturn was considered as its utmost extent. Vitruvius, speaking of the planet Saturn, says, that star “is near the extremity of the world, and touches the frozen regions of heaven.” He did not understand the extent of our planetary system.

It is to the indefatigable application of Dr. Herschell that we are indebted for the discovery of a new planet, which is the fourth of the superior ones then known, and, being at twice the distance of Saturn from the sun, has quadrupled the bounds formerly assigned to the solar system. This planet was discovered on the 13th of March, 1781, and is called by different names: the discoverer bestowed upon it that of Georgium Sidus, in honor of our present venerable and beloved sovereign; by the French it is called Herschell, and by the Italians, Uranus. This important discovery is very deservedly noticed by the Poet Laureat, in his Ode entitled “Carmen Seculare for the year 1800.”

“Mathesis with upliftedeye,