Page:The sidereal messenger of Galileo Galilei.pdf/78

 three satellites, presenting with Jupiter an appearance of the following kind (Fig. 8). They were, that is to say, in the same straight line to a hair; the nearest to Jupiter was very small, and distant from the planet 3′; the distance of the second from this one was 1′; and of the third from the second 4′ 30″. But after another hour the two middle satellites were still nearer, for they were only 30″, or less, apart.

Jan. 16.—At the first hour of the night I saw three satellites arranged in this order (Fig. 9). Jupiter was between two of them, which were at a distance of 0′ 40″ from the planet on either side, and the third was west of Jupiter at a distance of 8′. The satellites near to Jupiter appeared brighter than the satellite further off, but not larger.

Jan. 17, after sunset 0 hours 30 minutes, the configuration was of this kind (Fig. 10). There was one satellite only to the east, at a distance of 3′ from Jupiter; to the west likewise there was only one satellite, distant 11′ from Jupiter. The satellite on the east appeared twice as large as the satellite to the west; and there were no more than these two. But four hours after, that is, nearly at the fifth hour, a third satellite began to emerge on the east side, which, before its appearance, as I think, had been joined with the former of the two other satellites, and the position