122 THE EEASON WHY. 



'And God made two great lights ; the greater light to rule the day, and the 

 lesser light to rule the night : he made the stars also." GEN. i. 



523. Why do windows reflect the sun in the evening ? 

 Because the eye of the observer is in the line of the reflection. 



524. Why do windows not reflect the sun at noon ? 

 They do, but our eyes are not then in the line of the reflection. 



Window, 



# Position of Sun at 

 evening. 



Line of Reflection 

 at evening. 



Line of Reflection 

 at noon. 



l1jr 15 SHOWING THE LINES O* INCIDENCE AND EEFLECTIOK OF THE SUN'S 

 KAYS AT NOON AND AT EVENING. 



It is obvious from the foregoing diagram that the evening rays of reflection 

 fall upon the eyes of spectators, while the reflections at noon are so 

 perpendicular that they are lost. 



525. Why do the sun and moon appear smaller when near 

 the meridian, than ivhen near the horizon ? 



Because, when near the horizon, they are brought intd 

 comparison with the sizes of terrestrial objects ; but when neal 

 the meridian they occupy the centre of a vast field of sky, and as 

 there are no objects of comparison surrounding them, they appear 

 smaller. 



This is one "Reason "Why," assigned by some observers. But there is also 

 another reason to be found in the fact that, when the sun or moon is near the 

 horizon, we view it through a greater depth of atmosphere than we do when at 



