Abstract
RECENT OBSERVATIONS OF JUPITER'S SATELLITES.—In the May number of Astronomy and Astro-Physics, Dr. E. S. Holden calls attention to some important points in connection with Prof. Barnard's observations of Jupiter's satellites, recently published in that journal and in the Monthly Notices. In the first place, the results announced by Prof. W. H. Pickering in 1893 (see NATURE, vol. xlvii. p. 519), with regard to the forms and rotations of these bodies, are not confirmed by Prof. Barnard's observations. Next, Prof. Barnard has found that all the Jovian satellites are spherical, whereas Profs. Schaeberle and Campbell announced in 1891 that Satellite I. was ellipsoidal, with its longest axis directed towards the centre of Jupiter. It was also concluded by these observers that the periods of rotation and revolution of the first satellite were equal; but Prof. Barnard says that his observations lead to a different result. Another point upon which Prof. Barnard's recent observations have thrown light, is the appearance of the first satellite when projected upon Jupiter. It will be remembered that the satellite was seen in transit as a double body in 1890, but Prof. Barnard has shown that the apparent duplicity was due to simple contrasts between bright regions on Ihe planet and two extensive dusky polar caps on the satellite (see NATURE, vol. xlix. p. 300). Other strange appearances of satellites during transit can be explained in a similar manner. Prof. W. H. Pickering has criticised the statement that the assumed belt on the first satellite is a permanent one (Astr. Nach. 3229), and says that it certainly did not exist at the time of the opposition of 1892, during the period covered by the Arequipa observations. He points out that, upon his meteoric hypothesis, it is not unlikely that belts should form and then disappear. It is a fairly common belief among astronomers that the satellites of Jupiter can be seen through (he planet's limb during occultation. On this point, Prof. Barnard says: “In my mind this [the observation of the transparency of Jupiter's limb] has been due to poor seeing, a poor telescope, or an excited observer. For nearly fifteen years I have observed Jupiter and his satellites, and with telescopes all the way from five inches up to thirty-six inches have tried to see this phenomenon. I have often watched the satellites under first-class seeing with the 12-inch here Mount Hamilton] at occultation, but have never seen one of them through the limb of Jupiter, though that phenomenon was specially looked for.” It will be seen from these points that Jupiter and his satellites still offer a wide field for investigation.
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Our Astronomical Column. Nature 50, 87 (1894). https://doi.org/10.1038/050087a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/050087a0