An imaginary line drawn across the sky. Land lying on or near the equator. The axis on which the earth turns. A wind which blows from April to September, they are called Equinoctial gales. When the sun and moon are on the zenith they are said to be in the equinox. A peculiar animal in South America. The part where the earth and sun pass one another. &c., &c.
Then the Midnight Sun:
The sun is visible at midnight from the top of Mount Riga where hotels have been built especially for tourists who go to see the midnight sun.
(Note: This comes of reading Mark Twain on the Rigi sunrise.)
When the sun shines on the northern part of the earth it takes more than one day to get in the shadow of the earth on account of it moving so slowly.
The midnight sun is caused by certain gases igniting in the air. These gases are at rest when apart from each other, but at their joining they light up the whole parts thus occupied by them, and thus give light to all the northern parts of Europe.
That is so scientific that a modest examiner hesitates to give it O: and the next is still more imposing:
Q. “The sun never sets on the British Empire.” Explain this.
A. It is quite true. The British Empire being mostly surrounded by ocean is deprived of the sun’s rays as the water has the greater attraction for it. It is also responsible for this on account of its position from the equator.
And this again throws a new light on things: