Solar System. 53 



dicular to the ecliptic. What is very 

 singular, one half of her has no darkness 

 at all ; the earth constantly affording it a 

 strong light in the sun's absence ; while 

 the other half has a fortnight's darkness 

 and a fortnight's light by turns. 



Our earth is a moon to the moon, wax- 

 ing and waning regularly, but appearing 

 thirteen times as big, and affording her 

 thirteen times as much light, as she does 

 to us. When she changes to us, the earth 

 appears full to her ; and when she is in 

 her first quarter to us, the earth is in its 

 third quarter to her ; and v ice versa. 



Of Eclipses. When any of the hea- 

 venly bodies is obscured or darkened by 

 the shadow of another falling upon it, or 

 by the interposition of any body, it is said 

 to be eclipsed. 



An eclipse of the moon is, when the 

 earth, being between the sun and the 

 moon, hinders the light of the sun from 

 falling upon and being reflected by the 

 moon. If the light of the sun is kept off 

 from the whole body of the moon, it is a 

 total eclipse j if from a part only, it is a 

 partial one. 



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