CHAP. 11. (14.)—OF THE MOTION OF THE MOON.
It is certain that the moon, having her horns always turned
from the sun, when she is waxing, looks towards the east;
when she is waning, towards the west. Also, that, from the
second day after the change, she adds 47 1/2 minutes [Note] each day,
until she is full, and again decreases at the same rate, and
that she always becomes invisible when she is within 14 degrees of the sun. This is an argument of the greater size of
the planets than of the moon, since these emerge when they
are at the distance of 7 degrees only [Note]. But their altitude
causes them to appear much smaller, as we observe that,
during the day, the brightness of the sun prevents those
bodies from being seen which are fixed in the firmament,
although they shine then as well as in the night: that this
is the case is proved by eclipses, and by descending into very
deep wells.