, 1922-01-19
INTERESTING INFORMATION

The Republican is in receipt of the
following interesting letter from
Principal Robuck of tn" Rawlin,
High School:
December 81. 1921.
The Rawlins Republican.
Rawlins. Wyoming.
Gentlemen:
In your issue of the 22nd inst.
there is an item on the first page
stating that the time of the equin-
octial storms was at hand. You are
in error in this by three months. for
the Autumnal Equinox occurs about
September the 2lst and the V,raal
Equinox about the 22nd Of March.
On the 21st Of December, the
Winter Solstice occurs. This marks
the time when the sun has reached
the southern limit of his apparent
journey. At this time the sun j.
directly over the Tropic of Capricorn,
which is an imaginary line twenty
three and one-half degrees south of
the equator, and parallel to it, so that
IN III" northern hemisphere the long
est night to the year occurs about the
21st Of December. At the time of the
equinox the day and night are every
where of equal length. indeed the
word equinox is derived from two
Latin words meaning equal nights.
The equinox marks the time when
the SUI is directly Over the equator,
or the time when the sun Is practic.i-
ly twenty-three and One-half degrees
north of its present position, so that
the next equinox will not occur until
about the 22nd of next March.
The reason for the change of sea
sons and for the apparent motion OF
the sun owe the earth is that the
axis of the earth is inclined about
twenty-three and one-half degrees tC
the Observation-Disclosures be exact the
inclination was twenty-three degrees.
twenty-sevcn minutes. three and
three tenth seconds in the yea 1910.
This inclination is slowly changing
so that in the year 1870 it will be
at it's minimum of about twenty-five
and one-half degrees. AS the earth
turns on its axis and " around
its orbit, it keeps the North Pole
pointed directly toward the North
Star. This causes an apparent mo-
ton of the sun over the earth's sur
face, covering a belt of forty-seven
degrees wide. This belt is the so
called Torrid Zone and its boundaries
are the Tropic Of Cancer, on the
north. and the Tropic OF Capricorn
on the south.
The sun is now moving northward,
apparently. and this apparent north
ward motion will continue until
about the 21st of next June. when
, the Summer Solstice will occur. This
apparent notion causes us to have
, days that gradually lengthen as we'll
as gradually warmer weather as sum-
. mer approaches.
+ At the present time. the angle OF
the suns rays with h earth here ir
this latitude is the most acute. SC
that each ray Is spread over the max
r imum surface. consequently the eartf
is heated only by a little during thu
day and this little heat is %entirel,
G dissipated during the long nights ttS
d prevail. Therefore winter prevail
now. The days have now begun t.
II lengthen and each day sees the sun
Il rays making a slightly greater angl
with the earth's surface here so tina
each ray is more concentrated, con
Sequently any given area of the sur
r face is being heated slightly more
than the same area was on the pre-
ceeding day. Couple this with thu
Y fact that the sunshines just a little
longer each day m it will be easil,
understood why the earth grow:
warmer as summer approaches.
Trusting that this explanation is
, clear. | am. Sincerely IL
FRANZ RORUCK.
Principal Rawlins High School