The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1897-02-18
the Paris OF s.7ooN.I


why ne Is sonset:~ass Es;gE In the sk
"a ~ and Sometime L.ovz. :
70 explain the aemarkable varis
tons in the place of the mooa dlll
ing different months we must q
slider the effect of the inclinatio1s
the ecliptic to the earth equat
The ecliptic is the path in which
sun appears to circle the heavE
once every year.
The ecliptic crosses the plau1 s
the equator at two opposite pdots
called the vernal andfthe autul
equinox. The sun arrives q
vernal equinox about the B
March and at the allt8nnay6 "a
about the 21st of September.
ing the interval the sun is nol
the equator, and consequently
path lies high in the heavens as IA
from our hemisphere. But dumI
the other half of the year, Will
is passing from the autumnal to
vernal equinox, the sunxis south
the equator, and its path consequ,
ly runs low in our heavens. ~
Now, thenoon travels around the
earth in plane not very much in
clined (only 5 degrees and 8 min
utes) to the path of the sun. But
the sun takes IL months to circle
the heavens, while the moon take:
less than one month. Accordingly
at one time we find the moon neal
the sun and about two weeks later
just opposite to the sun.
1t is clear that when tie. moon i:
near the sun, as at new moon, i
will be north Of the equator if the
sun is north and south if the sun il
south. But When the moon is oppo
site to the sun, as at full moon, i
will be north of the equator if thu
sun is south and south if the sun j,
north.
We have just seen that from au
tumn until spring the sun is soutl
of the equator. 1t follows that il
winter the full moon will be nortl
of the equator and will run high ii
the sky. On the other hand, durins
, the summer, when the sun is nortl
of the equator, the full moon will
be south of it and will run low il
the sky. Some variation is produceC
by the inclination of the moons or
bit to the ecliptic, but this inclina
ton, being small, may be neglectet
in general explanation. z
In consequence of its eastwardly
motion around the earth the moor
rises on the average about 81 min
ptes later every day. This interva
is called the daily retardation. 1
is shortened or heightened accord
ing to what part of the ecliptic tn,
moon is near. In the latitude O.
New York the interval may vary il
length between 90 minutes and
hour and II minutes.
The retardation is greatest whe1
the moons path is steepest to th,
horizon and least when the pail
has the smallest inclination.
The latter condition occurs, will
respect to the full moon, about thu
time of the autumnal equinox A
that season the full moon travels il
a path very little inclined to thu
horizon, and SO for several evenings
in succession will rise at nearly tn,
hour of sunset This is called tn,
harvest moon. The next following
full moon, i'll October, also has it!
path but little inclined and its re
tardation shortened and is called th,
hunters moon.
Some persons suppose that tn,
crescent of the new moon promise;
wet or dry weather according as it
horns are so inclined that the hol
low between them looks as though
it could or could not hold water. O.
course there is no relation between
the weather and the position of tn,
new moons horns. The inclination
OF the new moon mas readily be &C
counted for at any time when W,
bear in mind the fact that lin
drawn from tip to tip of the horn
must always be at right angles t.
the direction of the sun.-Youth'
Companion.