Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 095.djvu/310

278 of their situation, which gives the latitude of the greatest curvature 45° 21'. A second measure gives 45° 41'.

Jupiter being now at a considerable altitude, I have viewed it alternately with Saturn. The figure of the two planets is decidedly different. The flattening at the poles and on the equator of Saturn is much greater than it is on Jupiter, but the curvature at the latitude of from 40 to 48° on Jupiter is less than on Saturn.

I repeated these alternate observations many times, and the oftener I compared the two planets together, the more striking was their different structure.

May 26. 10-feet reflector. With a parallel thread micrometer and a magnifying power of 400, I took two measures of the diameter of the points of greatest curvature. A mean of them gave 64,3 divisions = 11",98. After this, I took also two measures of the equatorial diameter, and a mean of them gave 60,5 divisions = 11",27; but the equatorial measures are probably too small.

To judge by a view of the planet, I should suppose the latitude of the greatest curvature to be less than 45 degrees. The eye will also distinguish the difference in the three diameters of Saturn. That which passes through the points of the greatest curvature is the largest; the equatorial the next, and the polar diameter is the smallest.

May 27. The evening being very favourable, I took again two measures of the diameter between the points of greatest curvature, a mean of which was 63,8 divisions = 11",88. Two measures of the equatorial diameter gave 61,3 divisions = 11",44.