76 The Earth considered as a Planet. 



seen from the earth will appear to enter 

 Aries. At this time, namely the 20th of 

 March, the sun will be in the equinoctial, 

 and all parts of the earth will be equally 

 enlightened from pole to pole, and the 

 days and nights equal all over the world, 

 for every part comes into the light at six 

 in the morning, and goes into the dark at 

 six in the evening. As the earth passes 

 on in the order of the signs, in about three 

 months, viz. on the 21st of June, it will 

 arrive at the beginning of Capricorn, and 

 the sun, as seen from the earth, will ap- 

 pear at the beginning of Cancer ; during 

 which time, by the inclined position of the 

 earth's axis, the north pole will have gra- 

 dually advanced into the enlightened 

 hemisphere ; so that the whole northern 

 polar circle will be therein, while the 

 southern pole ir> immerged in obscurity ; 

 the northern parts of the world will enjoy 

 long days, while they are short in the 

 southern parts. In this situation of the 

 earth the tropic of Cancer is in the light 

 from five in the morning till seven at night, 

 the parallel of London from a quarter be- 

 fore four till a quarter after eight ; and 

 the polar circle just touches the dark, so 



