404 FERGUSON'S LECTURES. 



LECT. Hence it appears, that the sun will pass by the 

 s ^ v ^ k _, moon's ascending node on the 27th of March, at 14 hours 

 5 minutes past noon ; viz. on the 28th day, at 5 minutes 

 past II in the morning, according to the tables : but 

 this being in a leap-year, and after February, the time 

 is one day too late. Consequently, the true time is at 

 5 min. past II in the morning on the 27th clay ; at which 

 time, the descending node will be directly opposite to 

 the sun. 



If 6 signs be added to the remainder arising from the 

 first subtraction, (viz. from 12 signs) and then the work 

 carried on as in the last example, the result will give 

 the mean time of the sun's conjunction with the de- 

 scending node. Thus, in 



EXAMPLE VIII. 



To find when the sun will be in conjunction with the 

 descending node in the year 176-4? 



Sun from node. 



a o 



To the year after Christ's 



birth 1753 1 28 19 



Add complete years .... 11 7 2 3 5(5 



M. d. fr. asc. n. at beg. of . . 1764 9 415 

 Subtract this distance from a circle, 



or 12 



And the remainder will be .... 2 29 55 45 

 To which add half a circle, or ... 6000 



And the sum will be 8 29 55 45 



Next less mean motion for Sept. subt 8 12 22 49 



And there remains . 17 22 56 



