The Study of Astronomy, adapted to the capacities of youth / In twelve familiar dialogues, between a tutor and his pupil: explaining the general phænomena of the heavenly bodies, the theory of the tides, &c.

by teacher of astronomy John Stedman

Pupil. It must be so.

Tutor. You must remember, that when the earth is in any sign, as seen from the sun, the sun will be in the opposite sign, as seen from the earth: for instance, if the earth be in Aries, the sun will be in Libra; if in Taurus, the sun will be in Scorpio, &c. therefore, as by the earth’s annual motion, the sun appears to move, we always speak of the sun’s, not the earth’s place, in the ecliptic.—You do not seem to understand me?

Pupil. Not perfectly, Sir.

Tutor. Take this orange, and put it in the middle of the round table before us, and place an apple on the opposite side next the window: the orange may represent the sun, the apple the earth, and the window the sign Aries. Now go round the table to the apple; look at the orange, and tell me to what part of the room the eye will be directed.

Pupil. To the part opposite to the window, Sir.

Tutor. If then you suppose the door, which is opposite to the window, to be the sign Libra, the sun will be in Libra when the earth is in Aries—will it not?

Pupil. It is very plain.

Tutor. I shall now give you a table of the signs, their characters, the corresponding months, and the days of the month the sun enters each sign, by means of which, if you reckon a degree for a day, you may find the sun’s place, nearly, for any day in the year.

Pupil. This will give me much pleasure, and I shall be happy to have it.

THE TABLE.