Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-03-08
4elistrllanruus 3radina.
ABOUT THE MOON.
No Relation Between the Crescent and
the Weather.


To explain the remarkable varia-
tions i'm the place of the moon dur
ing different months we must consider
the effect of the inclination of the
ecliptc is the path in which the sun
appears to circle the heavens once
every year.
The ccliptic crosses the plane Of the
equator at two opposite points, called
the vernal and autumnal equinoxes.
The sun arrives at the vernal equi-
nOx 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 hemis-
phere.
Now the moon travels around the
earth i'm plane not very much in
clined (only five degrees and eight
minutes to the path of the SUM. But
the sun takes twelve months to cir
Gle 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 moon is
near the sun, as at new moon, 1t Will
be north of the equator if the sun
ir Nd n hn ic
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 if the sun is north.
We have just seen that from au-
tumn to 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 sum-
mer. 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 moons orbit to the
ecliptic. but the inclination, being
small, may be neglected in a general
explanation.
The moon rises, on the average,
about fifty-one minutes later every
day. This interval is called the daily
retardation. 1t is shortened or length
ened 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-three
minutes and one hour and seventeen
minutes. The retardaton is greatest
when the moons path is steepest to
the horizon, and least when the path
has the smallest inclination.
The latter condition occurs, with
respect to the full moon. about the
time of the autumnal equinox. At
that season the full moon travels in
a path very little inclined to the hori-
zon. 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 its path, but little
inclined. and its retardation shorten
ed, and is called the hunters moon.
Some persons suppose that the
crescent of the 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 moon can readily be accounted
for. at any time. when we bear in
mind the fact that a line drawn from
tip To tip of the horns must always
be at right angles to the direction Of
the sunset-Harper's Weekly.