Solar System* 41 



planets likewise cut the sun in halves ; 

 but extended to the heavens, form circles 

 different from one another, and from the 

 ecliptic ; one half of each being on the 

 north side, and the other on the south 

 side of it. Consequently the orbit of 

 each planet crosses the ecliptic in two op- 

 posite points, which are called the plan- 

 et's Nodes. 



Mercury is the first planet in the or- 

 der of the system. It is computed to be 

 about 37,000,000 miles distant from the 

 sun, and to move at the rate of 105,000 

 miles an hour, completing its orbit in 

 about 88 of our days, or little less than 

 three months, which is the length of its 

 year. It is not much larger than the 

 moon, being about 3200 miles in diame- 

 ter. 



Venus is the second planet from the 

 sun, remarkable for its brightness, it is 

 computed to be 68,000,000 miles from 

 it, and to move round it at the rate of 

 76,000 miles an hour, completing its 

 annual revolution in 224 days 17 hours, 

 or above 7 months. Its diameter is 

 7700 miles, and its diurnal revolution is 

 performed in 23 hours 22 minutes. 

 D 



