480 



LUNAR INFLUENCES. 



quently the sun's centre returns to the same equinoctial point be-fore it makes 



one complete revolution of the heavens : hence has arisen the distinction be- 



l tween a sidereal year, which is the actual time the earth takes to make a com- 



) plete revolution round the sun, and an equinoctial or civil year, which is the 



period between the successive returns of the centre of the sun to the same 



equinoctial point, and is the interval within which the periodical vicissitudes 



of the seasons are completed 



