Publication Abstracts

Stothers 2011

Stothers, R.B., 2011: The ancient colour of Saturn. The Observatory, 131, no. 4, 254-255.

Two colours were traditionally assigned to the planet Saturn in Western antiquity: black and yellow. In teh case of four other planets known at the time (Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter) the colours usually assigned were essentially those perceived today by the naked eye, although atmospheric and other conditions sometimesled to other colours being assigned. Saturn today is yellowish. Why, then, was it explicitly 'black' in the Babylonian cuneiform texts and in Greco-Roman writings that were dependent on the Babylonian tradition?

Export citation: [ BibTeX ] [ RIS ]

BibTeX Citation

@article{st08120k,
  author={Stothers, R. B.},
  title={The ancient colour of Saturn},
  year={2011},
  journal={The Observatory},
  volume={131},
  number={4},
  pages={254--255},
}

[ Close ]

RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - st08120k
AU  - Stothers, R. B.
PY  - 2011
TI  - The ancient colour of Saturn
JA  - The Observatory
JO  - The Observatory
VL  - 131
IS  - 4
SP  - 254
EP  - 255
ER  -

[ Close ]

• Return to 2011 Publications

• Return to Publications Homepage