BİRİNCİ FEN · İKİNCİ BÂB · DOKUZUNCU FASIL · Birinci Madde
**Article One**
Describes the Moon's node, its structure, and its inclined sphere along with its movements.
Know, O esteemed one! The astronomers have stated: Among the seven planets mentioned above is the Moon (Kamer) [507], which is the first of nine spheres relative to the center of the universe.
The Moon resides beneath the sphere of Mercury. Being the fastest of the movable stars [52/a], it dominates the world's sky alone with a pleasing view, and is known as the "small luminary" (neyyir-i asgar). The total sphere of the Moon is divided into different parts; its form and structure are distinct from the spheres of other planets. Thus, the Moon’s total sphere encompasses four spheres, three of which are large spheres including the Earth, and one is a small sphere not including the Earth. Of these three mentioned spheres, the first two have centers that are also the center of the universe. The third is off-center and carries the center of the Epicycle sphere. And the fourth is the Epicycle sphere itself, which carries the body of the Moon.
The first of the two spheres whose center is identical to that of the world’s sphere is surrounded by two parallel surfaces. The second sphere is surrounded by a spherical body, on whose circumference are found the points of the Ascending and Descending nodes, through which it has become known as the node point. This sphere resembles the sphere of the signs in its center, axis, belt, poles, and movement. Therefore, this sphere has gained fame as the Common-Center Sphere. The convex surface of this sphere touches the concave surface of the sphere of Mercury above it, and its concave surface touches the convex surface of its own second sphere. This sphere, known as the node point, like the other spheres beneath and above it, primarily moves in accordance with the daily motion of the largest sphere, being compelled to move from east to west around the center of the universe.
Secondly, it has a movement unique to itself, contrary to the movement of the sphere of the signs, moving around the center of the universe in opposition to the birth movements of the signs, and proceeding from east to west along with its own spheres. It moves more than three minutes in a day and night (more than twenty-four hours). This movement is called the Ascending and Descending node movement.
The second of the two spheres whose center is identical to that of the world’s sphere is beneath the first, surrounded by two parallel surfaces, and is spherical. Although its center is also the center of the universe, it has gained fame as an Inclined Sphere because its belt is inclined five degrees north and south from the belt of the Common-Center Sphere which touches the belt of the sphere of the signs. And this inclined sphere is situated beneath the concave surface of the node point, with its convex surface touching the concave surface of the Common-Center Sphere, and its concave surface touching the convex surface of the sphere of fire, which is the highest of the four elements.
The Moon’s inclined sphere also moves around the center of the universe from east to west, contrary to the birth movements of the signs, in addition to the first and second movements mentioned above. Together with the spheres within its own volume, it moves more than eleven degrees in a day and night across latitudes, constellations, and poles, inclining by the amount described from the equator (circle of midday). And this is called “the Moon’s extraterrestrial movement.”