The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1896-12-24
THE MOONS wANDERlNos.

THE MOONS WAN0ERINos.
Some Astronomical Information for the
Uninitiatod.
To explain the remarkable variat ions
in the place of the moon during differ
cnt months We must consider the ef-
feet of the inclination Of the ecliptic to
the earth's equator. The ecliptic is the
path in which the sun appears to circle
the heavens once every year.
The ecliptic crosses the plane of the
equator at two opposite points, called
the vernal and autumnM equinoxes.
The sun arrives at the vernsl equinox
about the 21st of March, and at
the autumnal equinox about the
21st of September. During the
interval the sun is north of the
equator, and consequently its path
lies high in the heavens as seen from
our hemisphere. But during the other
half of the year, while it is passing from
the autumnal to the vernal equinox, the
sun is south of the equator, and its
path consequently runs low in our heav-
ems.
Now the moon travels around the
earth in plane not very much inclined
(only five degrees and eight minutes) to
the path of the sun. But the sun takes
- months to circle the heavens while
the moon takes less than one month.
Accordingly at one time we find the
moon near the sun, and about two
weeks later just opposite the sun.
1t is clear that when the moonis near
the sun, as at new moon, it will be north
of the equator if the sun is north, and
south if the sun is south. But when
the moon is opposite the sun, as at full
moon, it will be north of the equator If
the sun Is south, and south ii the sun is
north.
We have just seen that from autumn
until spring the sun is south OF the
equator. 1t follows that in winter the
full moon will be north of the equator.
and will run high in the sky. On the
other hand, during the summer, when
the sun is north of the equator, the
full moon will be south of it and will
run low in the sky. Some variation is
produced by the inclination OF the
ecliptic, but this inclination, being
small, may be neglected in general
explanation.
In consequence of it's castwardly mo-
ton around the earth the moon rises,
on the average, about Al minutes later
every day. This interval is called the
daily retardation. It is shortened or
heightened according to what part OF
the ecliptic the moon is near. In the
latitude of New York the interval may
vary in length between twenty-threc
minutes and one hour and seventeen
minutes.
The retardation is greatest when the
moons path is steepest to the horizon,
and least when the path has the small
est inclination.
The latter condition occurs, with re-
spect to the full moon, about the time
of the autumnal equinox. At that sea-
son the full moon travels in path very
little inclined to the horizon, and so.
for several evenings in succession, will
rise at nearly the hour of sunset. This
is called the harvest moon. The next
following full moon in October also has
it's path but little inclined and it's re-
tardation shortened, and is called the
hunters moon.
Some persons suppose that the cres-
cent of tho new moon promises wet or
dry weather according as it's horns are
so inclined that the hollow between
them looks as though it could or could
not hold water. OF course there is no
relation between the weather and the
position of the new moons horns. The
inclination of the new moon can readily
be accounted for, at any time, when we
bear in mind the fact that line drawn
from tip to tip of the horns must always
be at right angles to the direction OF the
sun.-Youth's COMPANION.