6. The _Polar Circles_ are each of them at the same distance from the Poles of the world, that the tropics are from the equator, _viz._ 23° 29′. That which lies near the North Pole, is called the _Arctic Circle_, from _Arctos_, a constellation situated in the Heavens near that Place; whence also this Pole is sometimes called the _Arctic Pole_. The other Polar circle, which is situated near the South Pole; is called the _Antarctic Circle_, because its position is contrary to the other; and the South Pole is sometimes called the _Antarctic Pole_. The tropics and the Polar circles have each their names expressed upon the Globes. II. _Of the Ecliptic._ [Sidenote: _Ecliptic._] [Sidenote: _Equinoctial._] [Sidenote: _Solstitial Points._] [Sidenote: _Colures._] [Sidenote: _Equinoctial Colure._] [Sidenote: _Solstitial Colure._] 7. The _Ecliptic_ is that great circle in whose plane the Earth performs its annual motion round the Sun; or, in which the Sun seems to move round the Earth, once in a year. This circle makes an angle with the equinoctial of 23 degrees 29 minutes, and intersects it in two opposite points, which are called the _Equinoctial Points_; and the two points in the ecliptic that are at the greatest distance from the equinoctial points, are called the _Solstitial Points_. The two meridians passing through those points, are, by way of eminence, called _Colures_; whereof that which passeth thro’ the equinoctial points, is called the _Equinoctial Colure_; and that which is at right angles to it, passing through the Solstitial Points, is called the _Solstitial Colure_. [Sidenote: The Ecliptic divided into signs.] The ecliptic is divided into 12 equal parts, called _Signs_, each sign being 30 degrees, beginning from one of the equinoctial points, and numbered from West to East; the names and characters of the twelve signs are as follows, _viz._ _Aries_, _Taurus_, _Gemini_, _Cancer_, _Leo_, _Virgo_, 1. ♈ 2. ♉ 3. ♊ 4. ♋ 5. ♌ 6. ♍ _Libra_, _Scorpio_, _Sagittarius_, _Capricornus_, _Aquaries_, 7. ♎ 8. ♏ 9. ♐ 10. ♑ 11. ♒ _Pisces_. 12. ♓ [Sidenote: _Northern Signs._] The first six of these are called the _Northern Signs_, and possess that half of the ecliptic which is to the Northward of the equator; beginning with the first point of ♈, and ending with the last point of ♍. [Sidenote: _Southern Signs._] The latter six are called the _Southern Signs_, because they possess the Southern half of the ecliptic; beginning at the first point of ♎, and ending with the last point of ♓. The division of the ecliptic into signs, and the names of the colures, are particularly expressed upon the globes.