POPULAR ASTRONOMY 



245 



0:1 it two circles one half-way between 

 the points where the needle pierces the 

 ball, which we will call the equator. 

 Now make the second circle run com- 

 pletely around the ball and inclined to 

 the first by 23H . This will represent 

 the ecliptic, the path of the sun and the 

 approximate path of the moon. The 

 two circles intersect in two points, the 

 equinoxes. Represent the position of 

 the moon each night by marking off 



about the knitting .'.ctiie by means 

 of the fingers, mai.ing the ball move 

 from east to west, and we have there 

 represented the revolving heavens. The 

 sun and moon both move along the 

 ecliptic from west to east, and going 

 in this direction round this circle, the 

 point where the ecliptic goes below the 

 equator marks the autumnal equinox. 

 Revolve the ball slowly and notice 

 the varying angle which the ecliptic 



Oct Moon phases 

 NEW MOON. Oct 5. 

 FIRST Qtr.. Oct. II. 

 full moon. Oct 18. 

 LAST Qtr. Oct 25. 



Evening SkyMap for October 



NO RTH 



Column 



MAP 



FOR 

 9PMi S - T 



8PM15»> 



7PM3P- r 



FACE SOUTH AND 

 HOLD THE MAP OVER 

 YOUR HEAD -THE TOP 

 NORTH. AND YOU WILL SEE 

 THE STARS AND PL A NETS 

 JUST AS THEY APPEAR 

 INTHE HEAVENS 



SOUTH 



The Arrow Through. 



THE TWO STARS IN THE. 



. JL OF THE BIG DIPPER 



POINTS TO THE NORTH STAR. 



THE STAR AT THE END OF THE 



HANDLE OFTHE LITTLE DIPPER. 



points on the ecliptic five-eighths of an 

 inch apart, beginning at one of the 

 equinoxes. Immerse the ball in a pail 

 of water with the knitting needle point- 

 ing north. The surface of the water 

 will represent the horizon. The angle 

 between the needle and water should 

 be the latitude of the place of observa- 

 tion, but for this experiment any angle 

 near this will answer. Twirl the ball 



makes with the surface of the water, 

 paying particular attention to the east 

 side of the ball. If the autumnal equi- 

 nox is in the eastern horizon, it is seen 

 that the ecliptic is inclined at but a 

 small angle to the horizon, and that it 

 requires but a very small turn of the 

 ball to bring the moon in its several 

 positions near the equinox, successively 

 above the horizon. This will explain 



