Eclipses. 19 



there would be a total eclipse at every new and 

 full moon ; but Providence has wisely ordered it 

 better, and I think I shall be able in few words 

 to explain the reasons to your satisfaction. The 

 moon's orbit is inclined about five degrees to the 

 plane of the ecliptic, or the orbit- of the earth. 

 When, therefore, the moon in the moment of 

 her conjunction with the sun, happens to be in 

 any point of her orbit a little distant from those 

 points in \\hich this orbit cuts the ecliptic, and 

 which are called the nodes, there is sufficient 

 latitude to admit of the light passing to the earth 

 either above or below the moon, and there can 

 therefore be no eclipse. Or, when, in a similar 

 case, the moon happens to be in opposition, the 

 light of the sun will pass to her either above or 

 below the earth, and the moon will not be eclipsed. 

 But if the moon happens to be in the node, or 

 very near it, at the time of her conjunction, she 

 will then hide from us the light of the sun, and 

 that luminary will be eclipsed : if, on the con- 

 trary, she happens to be in or near her node, 

 while in opposition to the sun (being then in the 

 plane of the earth's orbit), the earth will inter- 

 cept from the moon the sun's light, and she will 

 suffer an eclipse. 



If you consider that it is only when the sun 

 and moon happen to be in conjunction or oppo- 

 sition in or near one of the nodes that an eclipse 

 can take place, you will see sufficient reason for 

 the infrequency of the phsenomenon. When, in 



