BOTH SIDES STATED by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Apr 20, 1888

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 14, No. 16.

BOTH SIDES STATED.

By Editor

SINCE considerable interest has been aroused over the moon in February, 1866, we give our readers the following interesting facts in detail, as they were kindly furnished us by our friend, Charles Burckhalter, of Chabot Observatory:—

"EDITOR SIGNS: Perhaps you have said all you wish to in the SIGNS about the full moon in February, 1866, but as there are, most decidedly, two sides to this question, I will give both and begin by saying that both sides are right.

"The phases of the moon for February, 1866, for Greenwich mean time were as follows:—

	Day.	Hour.	Minute.
Last quarter	7	7	39.3
New moon	14	22	12.7
First quarter	21	16	47.9
Full moon	28	23	52.3

"As all English-speaking nations follow England in assuming the day to begin at the point opposite, or 180 degrees from Greenwich, then, February had still 7 minutes and 42 seconds to run, after the instant of full moon, and Greenwich had a full moon for just that length of time, while here in the city of Oakland, at that particular point where the SIGNS OF THE TIMES is printed, we had 8 hours, 16 minutes, 48 seconds. To points situated east of Greenwich more than 7 minutes and 42 seconds (in time) round to a point 7 minutes and 42 seconds east of the 180° of longitude, it was not February 28 but March 1.

"The principal countries where there was no full moon in February, 1866, were part of France, all of Prussia, Russia, Turkey, Arabia, India, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and the greater part of Africa. While both the Americas, Greenland, and a very small portion of Asia had a full moon."