258. Between the third Quarter and Change, the Moon is frequently visible in the forenoon, even when the Sun shines; and then she affords us an opportunity of seeing a very agreeable appearance, wherever we find a globular stone above the level of the eye, as suppose on the top of a gate. For, if the Sun shines on the stone, and we place ourselves so as the upper part of the stone may just seem to touch the point of the Moon’s lowermost horn, we shall then see the enlightened part of the stone exactly of the same shape with the Moon; horned as she is, and inclining the same way to the Horizon. The reason is plain; for the Sun enlightens the stone the same way as he does the Moon: and both being Globes, when we put ourselves into the above situation, the Moon and stone have the same position to our eyes; and therefore we must see as much of the illuminated part of the one as of the other. [Sidenote: The nonagesimal Degree, what.] 259. The position of the Moon’s Cusps, or a right line touching the points of her horns, is very differently inclined to the Horizon at different hours of the same days of her age. Sometimes she stands, as it were, upright on her lower horn, and then such a line is perpendicular to the Horizon: when this, happens, she is in what the Astronomers call _the Nonagesimal Degree_; which is the highest point of the Ecliptic above the Horizon at that time, and is 90 degrees from both sides of the Horizon where it is then cut by the Ecliptic. But this never happens when the Moon is on the Meridian, except when she is at the very beginning of Cancer or Capricorn. [Sidenote: How the inclination of the Ecliptic may be found by the position of the Moon horns. PL. VII.] 260. The inclination of that part of the Ecliptic to the Horizon in which the Moon is at any time when horned, may be known by the position of her horns; for a right line touching their points is perpendicular to the Ecliptic. And as the Angle that the Moon’s orbit makes with the Ecliptic can never raise her above, nor depress her below the Ecliptic, more than two minutes of a degree, as seen from the Sun; it can have no sensible effect upon the position of her horns. Therefore, if a Quadrant be held up, so as one of it’s edges may seem to touch the Moon’s horns, the graduated side being kept towards the eye, and as far from the eye as it can be conveniently held, the arc between the Plumb-line and that edge of the Quadrant which seems to touch the Moon’s horns will shew the inclination of that part of the Ecliptic to the Horizon. And the arc between the other edge of the Quadrant and Plumb-line will shew the inclination of the Moon’s horns to the Horizon at that time also. [Sidenote: Fig. I. Why the Moon appears as big as the Sun.]