CHAP. VI

Summary

(338.) The moon, like the sun, appears to advance among the stars with a movement contrary to the general diurnal motion of the heavens, but much more rapid, so as to be very readily perceived (as we have before observed) by a few hours' cursory attention on any moonlight night. By this continual advance, which, though sometimes quicker, sometimes slower, is never intermitted or reversed, it makes the tour of the heavens in a mean or average period of 27^d 7^h 43^m 11^s·5, returning, in that time, to a position among the stars nearly coincident with that it had before, and which would be exactly so, but for causes presently to be stated.

(339.) The moon, then, like the sun, apparently describes an orbit round the earth, and this orbit cannot be very different from a circle, because the apparent angular diameter of the full moon is not liable to any great extent of variation.

(340.) The distance of the moon from the earth is concluded from its horizontal parallax, which may be found either directly, by observations at remote geographical stations, exactly similar to those described in art. 302., in the case of the sun, or by means of the phenomena called occultations (art. 346.), from which also its apparent diameter is most readily and correctly found.