ts of the indices and the various beginnings
of the divisions tend to cause some fatigue, the precaution has been
taken, that all the indices by common law are moved from the top towards
the right of the observer, and from thence all the arithmetic divisions
of the circles take their beginning. And lest the multitude of different
figures should deceive the eye, the larger divisions of the circles have
been marked by Roman numbers, that is, by capital letters of the
alphabet; others, in other places, by differently colored numbers. Thus,
the movements of the indices, the distribution of the circles and the
multitude of numbers not only do not disturb the eyes and the mind, but
rather marvelously delight them.

VIII

After having completed briefly the description of the dial and the
indices and their motions, I have not without reason delayed in
satisfying the desires of many who wish to learn at least the method by
which, from this mechanism, may be calculated the true times of new and
full moons, and their ecliptics. In order to make these matters clearer,
it is necessary that they be explained here at greater length.

With the indices, then, adjusted astronomically-geographically to the
longitude of any given region, and to the mean time whether past,
present or future, and assuming the clock to be in normal operation (as
at present it has been for a whole year and more), then the moon will be
in conjunction with the sun in the heavens. When the equations on the
mechanism are examined, the sun and moon shall be found to be in the
same degree of longitude, and in the same part of a degree. There will
also be an ecliptic new moon that is in conjunction with a solar
eclipse, or rather with a terrestrial eclipse. This will occur if, at
that time, both apexes of the first index, located below the center of
the clock, are hidden by the two segments of the circle extending from
the center of the mechanism through the lowest index.

And the eclipse will be greater and greater and, consequently, visible
in more regions of the earth, the more deeply the two pointers,
indicating the distance of the sun from its apogee, are hidden in the
center of the segments.

But whether the eclipse takes place in the head or in the tail of the
dragon, or whether it is north or south, is indicated by the small disk
of the sun attached to one of the two pointers hidden by the segments of
the circle. If, at that time, the little disk shall