Note N. 158 — SECTION XIII.
Reading edition
Note 158, p. 96. If S be the earth, fig. 14, d the sun, and C Q O D the orbit of the moon, then C and O are the syzygies. When the moon is new, she is at C, and when full she is at O; and, as both sun and moon are then on the same meridian, it occasions the spring-tides, it being high water at places under C and O, while it is low water at those under Q and D. The neap-tides happen when the moon is in quadrature at Q or D, for then she is distant from the sun by the angle d S Q, or d S D, each of which is 90°.