The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-09-09
WHEN THE DAY BEGINS.
How Time Is Measured by Means OF 1ierid-
ians of Longitude.

| ians of Longitude.
Time IS reckoned by means OF merldi-
ans of longitude, which are represented as
imaginary lines extending from pole to
pole on the earth's surface. Whenever the
san is directly over one Of these nleridians
it is noon at all places through which the
| line passes. OF course ''rsilroad'' or
'standard" time must not b couf0unded
/ with actual time. for by this arbitrary
| though very convenient system there ara
| only four different times from one coast
| TO the other, whereas, according to real or
/ actual timo, every town. village and city
/ throughout the Union has & different time,
! except those that happen to lie in tho
same meridian. As the earth is constant
| ly revolving from west 10 east, 10 Is con
/ tinuslly bringing a different meridian
/ under the sun. and as each passes beneath
il the time Of every place upon the Iuerid-
/ ian changes from noon % afternoon, or
| from meridian 20 postrneridian, and the
| farther away it travels the later, the time
becomes until il arrives at point directly
opposite the sun, when 70 is midnight
From this point, then. the meridian be-
gins TO travel toward the sun, and the
time changes 70 antemeridian until after
I
noon point, and 50 on 20 the end Of time.
For the convenience Of mankind the cir
conference Of the earth Is divided into
$50 equal parts, known as degrees, and the
meridian passing through the observatory
al Greenwich in London IS chosen as the
center or starting point for the numbering
OF these divisions Of longitude. Hence the
meridian Of Greenwich is known a. longi-
tude naught, the first degree 20 the east
being called longitude, one degrees east
and the first degree to the west being
known as longitude one degree west, and
so on BY the time we cross the Atlantic
and reach Philadelphia or Washington
we have got beyond Greenwich to n dis
ance %. roughly speaking. IS degrees, or.
In other words, Washington is said n -
in longitude Is degrees west II. or the
other hand. we travel across Europe into
Asia for n similar distance, ws reach a
point - degeres east
One degree II longitude Is equal 70 four
minutes Of time, or in other words every
- degrees arr equal % an hour. g. that
when q meridian has passed beyond tho
sun for distance q % degrees u Is
O'Clock IN she afternoon a. al places On
that meridian. or IL IS 10 O'Clock in tie
morning II the meridian has stili 30 DE-
grses 70 travel before ruachlay the pint
directly beneath tie sun.
Surprising it IS midnight q July IN
London, lGngitnde neught, ws wiu find
that IN st Petersburg. Longitude 20 d.
grees east, IL is 2 o'clock ia the morning
o. July & Fifteen DEGREES farther east or
longitude -. II f. 3 clock IN the NON
ing AZ longitude O. degrees eas. it IL (
O ciocs. an - On every - degrses Ee
find u az hour earlier. Until finally, srri~-
Ing a. lonz.tuds lso degryes east. Ne are
eKScfly y Eours earlisr than Loudgn Ard
On the o; se- side Il the sa-th dirf1tly o.,,-
pOsits longitude naught u other words.
when IL = u1idniEht 4 July ~ I>ondon
Il - y . 'clock noon q ttlst cay On lorgi-
t1ce 80 degree est l. might - statosz.
b. ti.e way, thai VIA. We call noon IS in
rfality TIE beginning q TIE day, and al
SsEr1oOz1ers 81 reck1L---H sskic.-tsu sax. 3