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The only circles drawn upon the globe are the Equator, the two tropics, the Arctic and Antarctic circles, and the Ecliptic.
The circulus equinoccialis, described as equinoccialis orient, in the East, represents the equinoctial line or Equator, and is divided into 360 degrees. As drawn on the globe it is not absolutely a great circle, for it only measures 1590 mm., whilst the globe has a circumference of 1594 mm., corresponding to a diameter of 507 mm. or 1 foot 8 inches English. The scale is consequently 1 : 25,138,000.
The Ecliptic has the same periphery as the Equator, but whilst its northern arc measures 782 mm. the southern arc measures 808 mm. Along it are placed twelve disks containing representations of the constellations of the Zodiac. Along the northern arc the distances between the disks are very nearly 130 mm., but along the southern arc they vary between 129 and 138 mm.
The name of tropicus capricorni is inscribed upon the original, but not that of the "tropicus cancri," which is found, however, on the facsimiles published by Jomard and Ghillany. Nor was I able to discover the words "circulus arcticus" and "circulus antarcticus," although they have found a place on the facsimiles referred to, whilst Murr is responsible for a "polus arcticus" and a "polus antarcticus."
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Last modified: Thu Feb 5 22:50:04 CET 2004