The description and use of the globes and the orrery: To which is prefix'd, by way of introduction, a brief account of the solar systemHarris, Joseph
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The description and use of the globes and the orrery: To which is prefix'd, by way of introduction, a brief account of the solar system
Harris, Joseph
Astronomical models; Globes
1. Let the Sun be in the first point of ♋ (which happens on the 21st of
_June_) that point being brought to the meridian, will shew the Sun’s
declination to be 23½ degrees North; then the globe must be rectified
to the latitude of 23½ degrees; and for the better illustration of the
problem, let the first meridian upon the globe be brought under the
brass meridian. The globe being in this position, you’ll see at one
view the length of the days in all latitudes, by counting the number
of hours contained between the two extreme meridians, cutting any
particular parallel you pitch upon, in the Eastern and Western part
of the horizon. And you may observe that the lower part of the arctic
circle just touches the horizon, and consequently all the people who
live in that latitude have the Sun above their horizon for the space
of 24 hours, without setting; only when he is in the lower part of
the meridian (which they would call 12 at night) he just touches the
horizon.
To all those who live between the arctic circle and the Pole, the Sun
does not set, and its height above the horizon, when he is in the
lower part of the meridian, is equal to their distance from the arctic
circle: For example, Those who live in the 83d parallel have the Sun
when he is lowest at this time 13½ degrees high.
If we cast our eye Southward, towards the equator, we shall find, that
the diurnal arches, or the length of days in the several latitudes,
gradually lessen: The diurnal arch of the parallel of _London_ at this
time is 16½ hours; that of the _Equator_ (is always) 12 hours; and so
continually less, ’till we come to the _Antarctic Circle_, the upper
part of which just touches the horizon; just those who live in this
latitude have just one sight of the Sun, peeping as it were in the
horizon: And all that space between the antarctic circle and the South
Pole, lies in total darkness.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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