The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1874-11-26

each, and the superstition that the
plan of venus, orbit is in the plane of
the earth's orbit, let US note results.
Using this problem, we find that We
nus will be between the earth and the
sun every $50 days Il omit the fraction)
As a result of this. there will be a tram
sit of venus every 5S3 days, and in
every transit. venus Will seem to pass
the center Of the suns disc.
Not much variety their, either i'll APP
pearTauce or order of coming. We
viii now introduce new condition
into the problem, suppose the plane of
venus orbit to be inclined three de-
grees. twenty-three minutes and TWEEN
tv-nine seconds to the plane OF the
earth's orbit. and let Us note results.
This creates nodes, or points of inter-
section. The ratio of motions has not
been changed, so there will be an in
fcrior conjunction of venus every 5s3
days, as before, but only now and then
q transit. because at nearly all of the
inferior conjunction. venus will be too
high, or too low. The transit viii oc-
eur in this order or in successive in
;ervals Of one hundred and twenty
one and half wears, eight years: one
hundred and five aud half years.
eight years; one hundred and twenty
one and half years and 80 on. Here
is variety in time. and there will be
variety in appearances. The new CON
diiion, the inclination of venus orbit,
introduced into the problem, gave
these new results, hence we say it Is
The cause. I'VE use the word cause i'll
its qualified sense and not lis absolute
sense).
We will now apply this problem TO
the earth and moon. Given the earth
revolving round the sun i'll a given
time. knowing the daily motion of
the moon through the heavens. and
the apparent motion of the sun and on
the suppo-ition that The plane Of the
moons orbit is in the plane of the
cartir's orbit, let Us note results. Solv-
ing this problem. we find that the
moon will make a superior conjunc-
ton with the earth every % days, q
omit the fraction. Knowing other
rs the size of the moon, the
distance of the moon from the earth,
&c, it follows that every twenty-nine
days there will be AZ eclipse. and every
one of them will be total, and in each
one the moon will pass through the
center of the earth's shadow. Not
much variety there, either i'll time or
appearance. We Will now introduce
a new condition. The ratio remain
ing the same, suppose the moon 5 orbit
to be inclined five degrees and over to
the plane of the earth's orbit. Nodes
are now made The moon is in con-
junction now, as before, every twenty
nine DAYS. but there is not an eclipse
every time because the moon at some
of the conjunctions is too high, at
some too low. Each one during 4 pc
Rod ofrightcen wears, (and we usual
iy have twenty-nine, IN. b. says
tweniy-one.) belongs to a separate Sc
ries which covers n long period OF time
Here Is variety in number and time.
There is, also, variety in appearance
as | said in the first part of this article.
The new condition, the inclination of
the moons orbit, gives Us this variety,
and this variety in time or appearance
cannot be produced without it, hence
we say in common language il is the
cause. The ratio might be changed.
so there would be a superior conjunc-
ton of the moons every ten days, OF
every sixty or seventy days but thar
would not give variety. This propo
,ition, that the inclination of the
moons orbit is the cause Of this vari-
ETY., is recognized and stated i'll plain
terms in all of our standard works on
What, then, becomes Of
- n. B's.' conclusion, reached "by
reason and deductions from science"
that 1.-The ratio Of earth's and moons
revolutions and of their rates of mo-
ton is the cause of the variety of
eclipses.'
| pronounce it erroneous. In con
let me say that | believe Your
readers will understand me, whether
| have given N. t." more light or
not. And now Mr.. Editor, begging
pardon Of YOU and your readers for
having noticed the criticism of my
first article, a criticism which seemed
10 me unjust and uucalled for, he.e
promise to say nothing more on TIN.
subject through your paper.
b. c. W.
Wichita. November 23rd, 1874,