At one time the edge of his ring is turned nearly towards the earth; seven or eight years later his rings are as much open as they can ever be; then they gradually close up during a corresponding interval; open out again, exhibiting a different face; and finally close up as first seen.
The last epoch of greatest opening occurred in 1856, the next occurs in 1870: the last epoch of disappearance occurred in 1862-63, the next occurs in 1879.

The successive views obtained are as in Plate 7 in order from right to left, then back to the right-hand figure (but sloped the other way); inverting the page we have this figure thus sloped, and the following changes are now indicated by the other figures in order back to the first (but sloped the other way and still inverted), thus returning to the right-hand figure as seen without inversion.
The division in the ring can be seen in a good 2-inch aperture in favourable weather.

The dark ring requires a good 4-inch and good weather.
Saturn's satellites do not, like Jupiter's, form a system of nearly equal bodies.

Titan, the sixth, is probably larger than any of Jupiter's satellites.

The eighth also (Japetus) is a large body, probably at least equal to Jupiter's third satellite.