DECLINATION 01 THE SUN. 107 



circle, or a circle parallel to the equator ; hence, at the time of 

 the equinoxes, the sun will, apparently, in his diurnal circle in 

 the heavens, move in the equator ; and as the successive meridians 

 come under, it will appear directly over head, or vertical, at noon, 

 to a person any where on the equator. As the globe turns around, 

 the sun now passes directly over the islands of Sumatra and 

 Borneo, and the islands in the midst of the Pacific ocean ; also 

 over the northern part of South America, the middle of Africa, 

 and the Indian ocean. We will suppose it is the time of the au- 

 tumnal equinox, when the sun enters Libra, or is in the position 

 marked XII, in the figure on page 91. A month after, the sun 

 has moved to the position XIV. And as the earth turns around 

 on its axis, it appears no longer vertical, or over head, at the 

 equator, at noon, but to those places situated on the parallel c J\ 

 *over the islands of New Guinea and Java; the middle of South 

 Africa ; the top of the Brazils ; and, perhaps, the Society, and 

 the Friendly islands. As the sun moves still farther on in its 

 orbit, to the position VI, it appears now vertical, or over head, at 

 noon, to an observer on the parallel g h, and as this is the greatest 

 distance from the equator, and therefore farthest south where it 

 can be vertical, at noon, and, as after this, it again approaches 

 the equator, this point is called the solstitial point, i. e. the point 

 where, having reached its greatest southern declination, the sun, 

 apparently, for a few days, remains still, or at precisely the same 

 altitude at noon, for a few days, and then begins to return ; this 

 limiting parallel on the earth is called the tropic of Capricorn, for 

 it is now January, the time of the winter solstice, when the sun 

 enters the sign Capricorn. The earth is now illuminated by the 



sun, as shown irt this diagram. The sun being vertical at noon, 



