North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1867-07-31

of the week. lover twenty frame DWELL
ing houses were destroyed by fire in the
West Division, Chicago, on Sunday even
ing. Loss about $4,000.
Astronomy.
EDS. TINES Permit me to make few
remarks on the influence of the moon on
the weather, to give the student and close
observer of the weather an opportunity OF
testing its correctness.
The influence of the moon on the wealth
err has, in all ages, been believed by the
generality Of mankind the same opinion
was embraced by the ancient philosophers,
and several eminent philosophers of later
times have thought the opinion not un-
worthy of notice. Now, although the
moon acts on the waters of the ocean, pro-
ducing tides, 1.-THE generally received opin-
ion) it is nevertheless highly probable that
great variations do take place in the at
mosphere, and consequently in the wealth
err.
There are ten situations in every revolu-
ton of the moon in her orbit when she
must particularly exert her influence on
the atmosphere; and when, consequently,
changes of the weather most readily take
place but the principal ones are the new and
the full, when she is in conjunction with,
or in opposition to the sun. At the new and
the full moons, in the months of March
and September, and even at the solstices-
especially at the winter solstice-the at
mosphere assumes certain character, by
which it is distinguished for three, and
sometimes six months. The new moons
which produce no change in the weather
arc those that happen at distance from
the apsides. This is an astronomical
term, applying to two points in the orbits
of planets in which they are the greatest
and least distance from the sun or earth. J
Besides these lunar situations, attention
must be paid also to the fourth day before
new and full, which are called the octants.
At these times the weather is inclined to
changes; and it may be easily seen, that
these will follow ut the next lunar situa-
ton. Virgil calls this fourth day very
sure prophet. II on that day the horns OF
the moon are clear and well defined, good
weather may be expected but if they are
dull and not clearly marked on the edges,
it is sign that bad weather will ensue.
When the weather mains unchanged on
the fourth, fifth and sixth day of the moon,
we may conjecture that it will remain SC
till full moon, even sometimes till the next
new moon: in that case the lunar situa-
tons have only very weak effect. Many
observers of nature have also remarked
that the approach of the lunar situations
is somewhat critical for the sick. The
times most exposed to rain are the rising
and setting of the moon: the most favora.
BILE to good weather, the passage of the me-
ridian-during rainy days, bad weather is
always little interrupted about the time
when the moon passes the meridian.
Bad years take place when the apsides
of the moon fall in the four cardinal points
of the zodiac; good years when the apsi-
DIES fall in the signs Taurus, Leo, Virgo
and Aquarius. The weather every nine
teenth year will be similar in its charac-
ter, and this will prove itself to any OF
your readers who will take the trouble OF
keeping weekly record of the weather,
and continue it for the whole year and
then compare it with the corresponding
year nineteen years back. This is caused
from the situation of the moon in regard
to the sun and the earth, as they are again
found in the same points. The difference
will be in the storm days or periods, as
that depends in great measure on the
confgurations of the other heavenly bod
les, particularly the powerful aspects of
Saturn and Jupiter, which forms another
part Of the study. If may be allowed to
predict ahead, the seasons of the years
1872 and 1877 will be unfavorable for
great storms.
l see am making this "lecture' too
long for your paper; therefore stop,
promising to continue this interesting SUBJ
ject at some future time.
THOs. S. SHAW.
Eastman, July q, 1867.