Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-07-19
The summer sol.t,ce.

On the 2lst of June, at 8 O'Clock in tbt
morning, the sun entered the sign Gan
Ger, and inaugurated the great physi'
cal epoch known as the summer solstrce.
He had reached his extreme northern de-
clination of twenty-.hree and half de-
grees, and, just grazing the tropic OF can
Ger, paused for a few days IN his course
before turning his steps from our northern
cline. The familiar terms explal. the
apparent movement, the tropic comlng from
Greek word meaning to turn, and toe
word soltice coming from two Latin words
meaning the sun stards still.
The DAYS remain of the sane length,
fifteen hours and sixteen minutes, for nine
days, from the 10Th TO the 25th. On tht
26th change comes, ana a decrease ol
one minute marks the southern course ol
the SUM- In a few days the change will
be apparent 10 careful observers. The
sunrise and sunset points will swerve
slightly to the s,uth, and the sun will moi
mount quite so hlgn at noon-day toward
the zenith. The movement of the sun to
the south and his lessening meridian
altitude will go on until the 2lst OF De
cember, when the winter solstice occurs,
and the days have reached their minimum
altitude increase until he come round again
TO the summer solstice of 1883. Observers
can see for themselves the changes In the
suns place IN the heavens that mark the
change in the seasons, and will readily
note that the further south the sun rises
and sets the shorter will be the days, and
the lower the altitude of the noon day
sun the less will be the intensity Of the
heat.
This oscillation of the sun to the north
and south, and his varying meridian alti
tude are only apparent. and the real cause
of the movement being the revolution OF
the earth around the sun with her pole
inclined twentythree and half degrees
to the plane OF her orbit, her seasons vary
ing according to the manner in which her
surface Is presented TO the sun. In the
north temperate zone the suns ray. now
shine with full force, and summer reigns
supreme. The mornings and evenings
mark his furthest progress northward, the
moons show his highest meridian altitude,
the evenings bear witness to the period
when his beams hnger longest above the
western horizon after sunset.
1t would seem as if cur hottest days
should occur about the 2lst of June. when
the suns perpendicular rays fall upon this
portion of the globe. But such IS not the
case. As midsummer approaches the
quantity of heat received from the sun
durizg the day is greater than the quaint
Ity of heat lost during the night, and there
is therefore an increase Of heat each day
The daily heat garnered up by the process
causes an accession of heat each day
until the heat lest during the night is just
equal to that received during the day. This
happens some time In July or August.
Our hottest weather for this season occurs
some time after the summer solstIce, just
as the hottest part of the day is some time
after midday, and the coldest par. of the
night is toward morning.
There are four great time marks in the
annual revolution of the earth, the vernal
equinox, the summer solstice, the autumn
al equinox, and the winter solstice. The
summer solstice is the most interesting
and suggestive of them all 1t is. in our
zone, the eliminating point of solar
power. the gdla-day of the sovereign who
holds In his hands the issues Of Life and
death for every number of the hun an
race. The earth rejoicing IN verdure, the
perfection of foliage, the brilliant flowers,
the ripening fruits. bear witness to the
fertilizing power of his benIgnant beams.
Out door life furnishes the conditions of
enjoyment, and earth, air, and sky hold
out separate allurements to increase the
number OF those who share in the general
holiday. So delightful are the charms of
midsummer that one longs 10 make them
immortal, to hold back the sun in hl.
course, and pepetuate the present condi-
tions of his reign. But such are not the
of human life. The seasons
come and go, swayed by an Omni potent
hand ct the eliminating point OF SOAR
the picture changes, the supreme
moment passes. Before the sun that rises
on the 2lst of June sinks below the hori-
zon, his face will be turned from us, the
earth will have travelled thousands Of mics
toward the regions of cold and darkness.
A fraction of hight will be lost from the
longest day, fractions OF darkness will
be added to the shortest night.