No, father, I really cannot tell. I know that in England the sun was higher up in the day, and that he stopped up longer in summer than in winter. But then as I believed that the sun ran about as he liked, I was not surprised at his change of place. Now, however, I am very anxious to know more about this subject.
When were we in the circle of the Pleiades, that is, the place where at some time or other of the twenty-four hours they would be overhead?
O, that was long before we got to the equator.
Yes, it was about 1500 miles to the north of us. Now we are in the circle of the Virgin cluster.
But the Bull and the Virgin belong to the twelve constellations, of which we were talking, forming a broad circle, along which the sun appears to travel.
True. But they are not in an upright circle. Their line will cross our equator Line.
If that be it, the sun does not appear, then, to go round us over the equator.
No; for if it did, it would be seen overhead at that place every day at twelve o’clock; whereas it shifts its course continually. One day it is over one part at noon, and upon another day over another part.
Why, if the circle of the Zodiac be inclined to the circle of the equator, it will cross it in two places. I suppose that is the reason why, on the celestial globe, one constellation, as the Virgin, is over the equator circle; others, as the Bull, over some place to the north of it; and some others, as the Scorpion, to the south.
You guess rightly.