Print of the planet Saturn, 15 November 1852

Print of the planet Saturn, 15 November 1852. Aquatint print of the planet Saturn by W Forrest from an original drawing by Captain William Stephen Jacob (1813-1862). He observed the planet on the 15 November 1852 using the 6 inch aperture telescope of the Madras Observatory made by Lerebours & Secretan of Paris. As director of the Indian Observatory, he has signed the print, giving his respects to the Cheltenham Natural History Society. When Galileo observed Saturn in 1610, using his homemade instrument, he noted that the planet appeared to have jug handles that disappeared regularly. It was only in 1659 that Christiaan Huygens, the Dutch scientist and astronomer resolved the mystery. Using a better telescope he was able see that a complete ring surrounded the planet Saturn. ©SSPL/Science Museum