It hath been already proved, that the Earth is capable of such a scituation and motion, as this opinion supposes it to have. It remaines, that in the last place we shew how agreeable this would bee unto those ordinary seasons of Dayes, Moneths, Yeres, and all other appearances in the Heavens.
1 As for the difference betwixt days and nights: ‘tis evident, That this may be caused as well by the revolution of the Earth, as the motion of the Sunne; since the Heavenly Bodies must needs seeme after the same manner to rise and set, whether or no they themselves by their owne motion do passe by our Horizon and Verticall point; or whether our Horizon and Verticall point, by the revolution of our Earth, doe passe by them. According to that of1 Aristotle, […]. There will not appeare any difference, whether or no the Eye be moved from the Object, or the Object from the Eye. And therfore I cannot chuse but wonder that a man of any reason or sence should make choise of no better an Argument to conclude his booke withall, than that which were read at the later end of Al. Ross. where he infers, that the Earth do’s not move, because then the shadow in a Sunnediall would not be altered.
2 As for the difference of Moneths, we say, That the diverse illumination of the Moone, the different bignes of her Body, her remaining for a longer or shorter time in the earth’s shadow, when she is eclipsed, &c. may well enough be solved by supposing her to move above our Earth, in an Eccentricall Epicycle. Thus,
In which kinde of Hypothesis there will bee a double difference of motion. The one caused by the different scituation of the Moones Body in it’s owne Eccentricke. The other by the different scituation of the Moons Orbe in the Earth’s Eccentricke: which is so exactly answerable to the motions and appearances of this Planet, that from hence Lansbergius drawes an Argument for this Systeme of the heavens, which in the strength of his confidence hee calls, Demonstrationem […], cui nullâ ratione potest contradici.
4 As for the difference betwixt winter & summer; betwixt the number and length of days, which appertain to each of those seasons: the seeming motion of the sun from one signe to another in the Zodiack: All this may easily be solved, by supposing the Earth to move in an Eccentricall Orbe about the Sun. Thus,
Suppose the Earth to bee at C. then the Sunne at A. will seeme to bee in the signe ♋ and at the greatest distance from us, because the Earth is then in the farthest parts of its Eccentricke. When after by it’s Annuall Motion it hath passed successively by the Signes ♒♓♈♉♊ at length it comes to the other Solstice at B. where the Sunne will appeare in ♑ and seeme biggest, as being in it’s Perigie, because our Earth is then in the neerest part of it’s Eccentricke.
As for all other Appearances of the Sunne which concerne the Annuall Motion, you may see by the following Figure, that they are exactly agreeable to this Hypothesis.
Where you have the Earth described about the Sunne at A. in the foure chief points of the Zodiacke; namely, the two Equinoctials at ♈ and ♎ and the Solstices and ♑ and ♋. Through all which points, the Earth do’s passe in his annuall motion from West to East.
The Axis upon which our Earth do’s move, is represented by the Line B. C. which Axis do’s alwaies decline from that of the Eclipticke, about 23 degrees, thirty minutes. The Points B. C. are imagined to be the Poles, B. the North Pole, and C. the South.
Now if we suppose this Earth to turn about its owne Axis, by a diurnall motion, then every Point of it will describe a paralell Circle, which will be either bigger or lesser, according to it’s distance from the Poles. The chiefe of them are the Equinoctiall D. E. The two Tropicks, F. G. and H. I. The two Polar Circles M. N. the Arcticke, and K. L. the Antarcticke: of which, the Equinoctiall only is a great Circle, and therefore will alwaies be equally divided by the Line of Illumination M. L. wheras the other paralels are thereby distributed into unequal parts. Amongst which parts, the diurnall Arches of those that are towards B. the North Pole, are bigger than the Nocturnall, when our Earth is in ♑ and the Sunne appeares in ♋ Insomuch, that the whole Arcticke Circle is enlightened, and there is day for halfe a yeare together under that Pole.
Now when the Earth proceeds to the other Solstice at ♋ and the Sunne appeares in ♑ then that Hemisphere must be involved in darknesse, which did before partake of Light. And those paralels towards the North & South Poles will still bee divided by the same inequalitie. But those bigger parts which were before enlightened, will now bee darkened, & vice versa. As when the Earth was in N. the Arcticke Circle M. N. was wholly enlightned, and the Antarcticke, K. L. altogether in the dark. So now, when it is in A. the Antarcticke, K. L. will be wholly in the Light, and the other M. N. altogether obscured. Whereas the Sun before was verticall to the inhabitants at the Tropick F. G. So now is he in the same scituation to those that live under the other Tropicke, H. I. And whereas before the Pole did incline twenty three degrees thirty minutes towards the Sunne, so now do’s it recline as much from him. The whole difference will amount to 47 degrees, which is the distance of one Tropicke from the other.