The eccentricities partly exceed even that of Mercury (0-206) ;
for Juno, Pallas, Iris, and Victoria have 0-255, 0239, 0232.
and 0-218, while Ceres (0-076), Egeria (0-086), and Vesta
(0-089) have orbits less eccentric than Mars (0-093); without,

* Cosmos, vol. i., p. 92. Compare also Kacke, in fi'cAMmacAer's^s^ron
Kachr., vol. xxvi., 1848, Ho 622, p. 347.
THE ri.A\ETa. 103

however, attaining to the approximative circular orbits of the
other planets (Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus). The diameter
of the telescopic planets is immeasurably small ; and accord-
'ng to ob'servations made by Lamont in Munich, and Madler
with the Dorpat refractor, it is probable that the largest oi
the small planets is at the utmost only 145 geographisal
miles in diameter ; that is, one fifth of that of Mercury, one
twelfth of that of the Earth.
