The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-06
Further Facts Upon The Solar System
from Eben P. Davis.
CONCERNING The EQUINoXES
The Astronomical Controversy Re-
embellishments ofthe Professor
Corrected With Care-An Argu-
ment Between the Writer'S as to
the Length of Day and Night at
Different Parts of the Globe An
intimation That Mr.. Joyce's Dates
Are Mixed.
For the SATURDAY, Tribune.

the professor for his very able article
on the equinoxes in Saturdays TRIB-
UNE, and the zeal for truth shown by
him in taking up subject that should
have been discussed by another, but
who dropped it as if it were piece of
red-hot iron.
While the professor has sided with
me in correcting the false notion that
"day and night are equal in all parts
of the GLOBE" yet he "thinks that /
am mistaken in one instance" 1 feel
proud to know that we have come out
of possible labyrinth of mistaken
ideas' 80 well, i. e. with only one sup
posed mistake attributed to us. am
sorry that can't speak as well of the
professor, for / think that he has made
two mistakes; but inasmuch as l be-
lieve him to be as anxious to get at the
truth as we are--and not at the West
Side correspondent of the Free Press
would have people believe, ''moved by
desire to air our knowledge of the
equinoxes'-I suggest that we talk
this matter over in the most friendly
manner, with the one end in view of
reaching the correct idea."
To realize this result we must first
understand one another, i. g., define |
our terms, or we may talk until |
doomsday with no benefit to ourselves
or those who wish to follow us. pre- |
sumo that we agree on the meaning of
the term "day" to be that period of
| time when the sun is--during part |
or the whole of the 800 degrees above |
the horizon, and the term might" to
mean that portion of the $50 degrees
when the sun is below the horizon.
The reader will see, therefore, that
dawn and twilight are counted as be-
longing to the night when the equality
of day and night is considered.
The "eXplanation of the equinoXesn
given by Professor Joyce "as matter
of general information" is very clear
and concise, and needs no further ex-
planation; but | think that he is mis-
taken in his deductions in two in
stances. But before attempting to
correct what | think to be mistakes in
his article, it is my duty to put myself
right in the eye of the reader in what
the professor thinks to be mistake in
my article.
| REGARDING THE QUOTATION.
In my previous article wrote as fol-
lows, which Professor Joyce quotes;
'The very fact that is the cause of day
and night being equal on the equator,
demands that the day should be at
each pole twenty-four hours long and
the night nothing" OF the above the
professor says: "This assertion gives
the wrong impression and should be
corrected" / claim that the above
assertion is correct, and the profess
or has failed to show Its weakness. In
his attempt to correct the assertion"
he said: Between the polar circle and
the. pole the days are reckoned as
months" Well, what II they are,
does that deprive me of the right to
say that the day Is twenty four hours
long at the pole In my effort to show
the error of the old saying that "day
and night are equal in all parts of the
globe?" Surely not. l had purpose
in saying that the day is twenty-four
hours long at the pole; to show that
the whole 800 degrees Is occupied by
the day, and that there is no room for
the night. 1t is only by repeating the
above sufficient number Of times that
you can "count the day as months"
at the pole: Not only did have the
right to say so, but bad no right to
say anything else, inasmuch as 1t is
impossible for the day--as it makes up
date in the year-to be longer than
twenty four hours. The assertion does
not give the wrong impression, cOnse.
quently there is nothing to be cor
rected.
In my previous article l said also
, that at the pole DAY reigns supreme
and the night Is annihilated." The
professor takes exception to this and
says: HE does not reign supreme and
annihilate the night, for she follows
him in his apparent course, disputing
every inch of territory and casting her
= mantle over one half of the globe" !
!. hardly know what to say Of the above
/: insinuation as to my meaning; but my
/. sense of his intelligence constrains me
, to hope that the professor did not
, think for moment that | meant that
the night had been annihilated from the
i, face of the globe. The substance Of
: what l said is this, SAT the pole the
. night is annihilated,n for if the day Is
E twenty-four hours long | fail to see
where the night can come in. This
:. again was written TO prove that the
iold rut" is rot
THE PROFESSORS MISTAKES.
Il Now, having attempted to explain
what appeared to the professor to bt
mistakes on my part, / shall endeavol
;. to correct what appears 10 me as mis-
ii takes on his part AS | happen t.
T. 'live, move and have my being" II
b the northern hemisphere, / shall direc
q my attention to that part of our planet
81 The reader will please remember tina
what is true of the northern in oul
10 summer is true of the southern in oul
3 winter, Professor Joyce says 9TH
i correct idea is this: The day is 2
hours long at the polar circles and no
at the poles, which are % degrees ant
2S minutes away from the polar circle
re mark the difference Yes, Profes
10 sor, / do "mark the difference" bu
- not ''the correct idea.n The correc
"a idea is this, the day is not "a hour
h long at the polar circles on the al
l. tumnal equinox, Sept. %, for the sim
or Pile reason that it is physical impos
70 sibility,
!. AS the professor saws, the polar circl
N N is % degrees and 28 minutes away fror
to the pole, and the sun on Sept. % Is 8
Of degrees away from the pole; 80 we Sc
ct that the sun at noon on the abov
ed date is distant from the polar circle 8
q, degrees minus 20 degrees and 28 mir
~ utes, while at midnight of the sam
X X date 1t is distant from the same poin
rs 80 degrees plus 20 degrees and 28 mil
in utes, or ll3 degrees and 28 minutes
measuring over the pole; and ina
o much as It is impossible to see the su
" when more than 80 degrees away
which fact is the cause of day and nigh
.. being equal on the equator-it follow
~ that 1t is impossible for ProfessC
| Tow oato -aaooriioY, fo ha .sfha cnrro,