Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, first edition - Volume I, A-B.pdf/590

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XXX (490) XXX

49© A S T R C N O M Y. But Julius Caefar, as already mentioned, taking this runs through the zodiac, artd is either periodical or fytroublefome affair into confideration, reformed the ka- nodical. The periodical month is the time fpent by the* lendar, by making the year to confift of 365 days 6 hours. moon in making one complete revolution from any point of The year thus fettled, is what we {till make ufe of in the zodiac to the fame again; which is27d 7h43m. The Britain; but as it is fomewhat more than 11 minutes fynodicaJ month, called a lunation, is the time contained longer than the folar tropical year, the times of the e- between the moon’s parting with the fun at a dconjun&ion, quinoxes go backward, and fall earlier by one day in a- and returning to him again, which is 29 I2h 44m. bout 1^0 years. In the time of the Nicene Council, -The civil months are thofe which are framed for the ufes {A. D. 32O* which was 1444 years ago, the vernal of civil life; and are different as to their names, numequinox fell on the 21ft of March; and if we divide ber of days, and times of beginning, in feveral different 1444 by 130. it will quote 11, which is the number of cduntries. The firfl: month of the Jewilh year fell acdays which the equinox has fallen back fince the Council cording to the moon in our Auguft and September, old of Nice. This caufing great difturbances, by unfixing ftyle; the fecond in September andOdtober; and fo on. the times of the celebration of Eafter, and confequently The firft month of the Egyptian year began on the 29th of all the other moveable feafts, Pope Gregory XHIth, of our Auguft. The firft month of the Arabic and in the year 1582, ordered ten days to be at once flxuck Turkifti year began the 16th of July. The firft out of that year; and the next day after the 4th of Oc- month of the Grecian year fell according to the moon in tober was called the 15th. By this means the vernal e- June and July, the fecond in July and Auguft, and fo qijinox was reftored to the 21ft of March; and it was on, as in the following table. endeavoured, by the omiffion of three intercalary days A month is divided into four parts called •weeks, and in 400 years, to make the civil or political year keep a week into feven parts called days', fo that in a Julian pace with the folar for time to come. This new form year there are 13 fuch months, or 52 weeks, and one of the year is called the Gregorian account, or neou day over. The Gentiles gave the names of the fun, Jlyle; which is received in all countries where the pope’s moon, and planets, to the days of the week. To the authority is acknowledged, and ought to be in all places firft, the name of the Sun ; to the fecond, of the Moon ; to the third, of Mars ; to the fourth, of Mercury ; to where truth is regarded. The principal divifion of the year is into months, the fifth, of Jupiter; to the fixth, • of Venus; and to which are of two forts, namely, ajironomical and civil. the feventh, of Saturn. The agronomical month is the time in which the moon The Jewifh year. Days N' The Egyptian year. .J,ys Tifri Aug-.- -Sept. Thoth Auguft 29 Marchefvan Sept.- -oa. Paophi Septemb. 28 Cafleu Odh - -Nov Athlr Oflober 28 Tebeth Nov.- -Dec. Chojac — — Novemb. 27 Shebat Dec.- -Jan. Tybi Decemb. 27 Adar Jan. — -Feb. Mechir January 26 Nifan or Abib Feb.- -Mar. Phamenoth February 25 Jiar Mar.- -Apr. Parmuthi March 27 Sivan Apr.- -May Pachon April 26 Tamuz May- -June Payni May 26 Ab June- -July Epiphi June 25 i 30 Elul July- -Aug. Mefori July 25 ! 3° Days in the year Epagomenae or days added In the embolimic year after Adar they added a Days in the year -I365 month called Ve-Adar of 30 days.