Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Considered As Moon 00 Nas M Rich
Considered As Moon 00 Nas M Rich
Considered As Moon 00 Nas M Rich
J^_r..Jt.
REESE LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
l^ceived
^Ai cession's
tA^^iX-^C. ^ptA^^U.
'^>. \
]S\
^9
.|
^<3i^^h.^
(Uj^s No.
ti^^^^
University of California
Berkeley
:'VV
'^"'\^.#^'
Pe._.
/t
-.30.5
^.SO--
0^ -
I's.-.HS-^
'
^-
^
'p^/\
ife
:^'5
..^rB
'
THE MOON
COXSIDERED AS
A PLANET, A
AVORLD,
AND A SATELLITE.
JVIicro^bCdonporation
http://www.archive.org/details/consideredasmoonOOnasmrich
FRONTISPIECE.
"t
(iismyth
'
Woo d\>\irytype"
G A
n
s
SS
10
E N D
30 *o
so
30
THE MOON
CONSIDERED AS
PLANET,
A WOELD, AND A
SATELLITE.
By JAMES NASMYTH,
AND
C.E.
JAMES CAEPENTER,
F.E.A.S.
AND SCENERY:
NUMEROUS WOODCUTS,
&c.
LONDON:
V\3
LONDOX
BRADBURY, AOXEW,
&
CO,,
PRINTERS, WHITEFRURS.
3/J^4^
Cic"
TO
DUKE OF AKGYLL,
m RECOGNITION
OF WHICH IT TREATS,
^fti^
Volume
IS
THE AUTHORS.
PEEFACE,
The
reason for this book's appearance words.
may
be
set forth
in a few
was yet
Much
we do
Enough has
also
been written for the benefit of those who desire an acquaintance with the intricate movements of the
moon
in space
But
has
been
written
respecting
the
moon's
satellite presents
study.
led us
to
some con-
mode
of
its
action
as
viii
PREFACE.
craters
We have
phenomena by
and to
now
The
science
in
general
may
be taken as referring to
Some
reflections
as a world,
and
to the peculiar
conditions which
surface,
though instructive,
curious
than important.
are
More worthy
of
respectful
consideration
the
few
moon
as a satellite
and
more
especially those
by the aid
of powerful
proper that
we should say
PREFACE.
ix
to
character of
examining
of
minutely
phase,
in
its
marvellous
details
the
by making
it
when
repeated, revised,
objects,
the
eye
thus
of
by assiduous
by
when placed
would
faithfully reproduce
we
The
result
was in
every
way
we
feel
every
who have
made
also
It is
who have
PREFACE.
In conclusion,
we
think
it
desirable
to
their entire
permanency.
The
first
this work,
which has
and
made we
more
edition, in a
and at a reduced
price.
It is
qualifications
may bring
many
who have
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER
SYSTEM.
Origination of Material Things
I.
Numbers Sir W. Herschel's Observations and Classification Buffon's Doubts upon its Cosmogony Laplace's Nebular Hypothesis
Celestial
Vapours
Nebulae Their
PAGE vast
Validity
Heat Dawn of the Doctrine Mayer's Deductions Joule's Experiments Mechanical Equivalent of Heat Gravitation the Source of Cosmical Heat Calculations of Mayer and Helmholtz The Moon as an Incandescent Sphere Not necessarily Burning ^Loss of Heat by
Indestructibility
of Force
Radiation
Cooling
of External
Crust
Commencement
of Selenor
logical History
13
CHAPTER
Cooling commenced from Outer Surface
sion of Molten Matter
III.
Contraction by CoolingExpanWater not exceptional Similar Behaviour of Molten Iron Floating of Solid on Molten Metal Currents in a Pot of Molten MetalBursting of Iron Bottle by Congelation of Bismuth within Evidence from Furnace Slag From the Crater of Vesuvius Effects of Contraction of Moon's Crust and Expansion of Interior Production of Ridges and Wrinkles Theory of Wrinkles Examples from Shrivelled Apple and Hand ...
upon
Solidification
21
xu
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER
TV.
Not perfectly SphericalBulged towards Earth Diameter Angular MeasureLinear Measure Parallax of Moon Distance Area of Lunar Sphere Solid Contents Mass of Moon Law of Gravitation Mass determined by Tides and other Means Density How obtained Specific Gravity of Lunar Matter Force of Gravity at Surface How determined Weights of similar Bodies on Earth and Moon Effects of like Forces acting against Gravity on Earth and
Moon Moon
.
PAGE
35
CHAPTER
V.
Phenomena of Terrestrial AtmosphereNo Counterparts on Moon Negative Evidence from Solar Eclipses No Twilight on Moon Evidence from Spectrum Analysis From Occultations of StarsAbsence of Water or Moisture CryophorusNo Reddening of Sun's Rays by Vapours on Moon No Air or Water to complicate
Discussions of
44
CHAPTER
Pre-Telescopic Ideas
VI.
Human Countenance Other supposed Resemblances Moon Permanence of Features Rotation of Moon Solar Period and Solar Day on Moon Libration Diurnal In Latitude In LongitudeVisible and Invisible Hemispheres Telescopic Scrutiny Galileo's Views Features Visible with Low Power Low Powers on small and large Telescopes Salient Features Craters PlainsBright Streaks MountainsHigher Telescopic Powers Detail Scrutiny of Features therewith Discussion of High Powers Education of EyeHighest practicable Power Size of smallest
Portrait of Full
Visible Objects
58
CHAPTER
VII.
CONTENTS:
^Need of a Picture MapFormation of our own of conspicuous Objects Descriptions of special Objects Copernicus Gassendi Eudoxus and Aristotle Triesnecker Theophilus, Cyrillus, and Catharina Ptolemy, Alphons, and Arzachael Thebit PlatoValley of the Alps PicoTycho Wargentin Aristarchus and HerodotusWalterArchimedes and the Apennines
Mountain Heights
Skeleton
Map Table
74
CHAPTER
YIII.
ON LUNAR CEATEES.
Use of term Crater for Terrestrial and Lunar Formations Truly Volcanic Nature of Lunar Craters Terrestrial and Lunar Volcanic Areas compared Similarity Difference only in Magnitude Central Cone Found in great ndd small Lunar Craters Formative Process of Terrestrial Volcanoes Example from Vesuvius Vast Size of Lunar Craters Eeasons assigned Origin of Moon's Volcanic Force Aqueous Vapour Theory untenable Expansion upon Solidification Theory Formative Process of a Lunar Crater Volcanic Vent Commencement of Eruption Erection of Eampart Hollowing of Crater Formation of Central Cone Of Plateau ^Various Heights of Plateaux Coneless Craters Filled-up Craters Multiple Cones Craters on Plateau Double Eamparts Landslip Terraces Eutted Eamparts Overlapping and Superposition of Craters Source-Connec-
of Larger Craters
74
CHAPTER
Absence of
thesis
IX.
Vast Diameters Difficult of Explanation Suggested Cause of True Circularity Scrope's HypoTerrestrial Tumescences Eozet's Tourbillonic Theory
133
CHAPTER
Paucity of extensive Mountain Systems on
X.
Valley of Alps " Crag and Tail How producedAnalogy from Freezing
less
disturbed Eegions
Contour Fountain
and their Explanation by Scrope Blowing Cone on Teneriffe Comparative Gentleness of Mountain-forming Action Eelation between Mountain Systems and Crater Systems Wrinkle Eidges
Terrestrial Counterparts
140
xiv
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER
Description
XI.
PAGE
Divergence from Focal CratersExperimental Explanation of their Cause Radial Cracking of Crust Outflow of Matter therefromAnalogy from " Starred " Ice No Shadows cast by Streaks Their probable Slight Elevation Open Cracks Great Numbers Length DepthIn-fallen Fragments Shrinkage a Cause of Cracks ^Lateness of their Production
CHAPTER
XII.
:
150
COLOUR AND BRIGHTNESS OF LUNAR DETAILS CHRONOLOGY OF FORMATIONS, AND FINALITY OF EXISTING FEATURES.
Absence of Conspicuous Colour
Variety of Tints in small Patches
tints of " Seas CauseProbable Diversity of Brightness of Details Most Conspicuous at Full Moon Classification of ShadesExaggerated Contrasts in PhotographsBrightest Portions probably the latest formed Chronology of FormationsLarge Craters older than Small Mountains older than CratersBright Streaks comparatively recentCracks most recent of Features Question of existing Change Evidence from Observation Paucity of such Evidence Supposed Case of Linne Theoretical Discussion Relative Cooling Tendencies of Earth and Moon Earth nearly assumed Final ConditionMoon probably cooled Ages upon Ages ago Possible slight Changes from Solar Heating Disintegrating Action .161
Slight
"
all
its
CHAPTER
THE MOON AS A WORLD
ditions of Life
:
XIII.
ITS SURFACE.
ConAbsence of these from MoonNo Air or Water and intense Heat and Cold Possible Existence of Protogerms of Life Day on the Moon imaginedInstructiveness of the Realization Length of Lunar DayNo Dawn or Twilight Sudden Appearance of
of the Question
Interest
of
Light Slowness of Sun in RisingNo Atmospheric TintsBlackness Sky and Visibility of Stars and Fainter Luminosities at Noon-Day
Appearance of the Earth as a Stationary Moon Its Phases Eclipse of Sun by Earth Attendant Phenomena Lunar Landscape Height
View Sunrise on Life Colour of Volcanic ProductsNo Atmospheric PerspectiveBlackness of Shadows Impressions on other Senses than Sight Heat of Sun untemperedIntense Cold in Shade Dead SilenceNo Medium to conduct Sound Lunar Afternoon
a Crater Desolation
SceneNo
Vestige of
CONTENTS.
and Sunset Night The Earth a Moon Its Size, Eotation, and Features Shadow of Moon upon it Lunar Night-Sky Constellations Comets and Planets No Visible Meteors Bombardment by Dark Meteoric Masses Lunar Landscape by Night Intensity of Cold
XV
PAGE
175
CHAPTER
THE MOON AS A SATELLITE
The Moon
as a
:
XIV.
ITS
AND MAN.
Luminary Segoadary Nature
Agent
Function-
Primary
Office as a Sanitary
Cleansing Effects of the Tides thereby The Moon a " Tug Available
of Tidal
Power InlandThe Moon as a Navigator's Guide Longitude found by the Moon Moon's Motions Discovered by Observations Grouped into Theories Represented by Tables The Nautical Almanac The Moon as a LongPeriod Timekeeper Reckoning by " Moons " Eclipses the StartingPower
of
Tides Tide-MillsTransfer
Points of Chronologies
ings revealed
SuperstitionsErroneous Ideas regarding Moonlight betrayed by Artists and Authors The Moon and the WeatherErrors and Facts ^Atmospheric Tides^Warmth from MoonParadoxical Effect in
Moon Moon
as
Furnish indisputable
Dates
Solar Surround-
by Eclipses' when Moon screens the Sun Solar Corona a Medal of Creation, a Half -formed "World Abuses of the
193
CHAPTER XV.
CONCLUDING SUMMARY
208
LIST OF PLATES,
PLATES.
PAGE
Frontispiece.
Gassendi
I.
Ceatee op Vesuvius,
1864
Tofacexmge
To face each other
29
II.
Back of Hand
(
33 59
79
III.
Sheivelled Apple
IV.
Full Moon
Pictuee Map of the Moon Vesuvius and Neighbouehood of Naples
POETION OF THE MoON'S SUEFACE
COPEENICUS
)
Tofaceimge
.
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
To face each
otlicr
101
Tofaceimge 110
114
IX.
X.
XI.
XII.
XIII.
Teiesneckee
Theophilus, Cyeillus, and Cathaeina
Ptolemy,. Alphons, Aezachael, etc
XIV.
XV.
XVI.
XVII.
XVIII.
140
144
Sueeoundings
148
XIX.
Full Moon
XX. WAEGENTIN
XXI.
XXII.
XXIII.
Tofaceimge 154
160
166
OVEELAPPING CEATEES
176
XXIV.
Aspect op an Eclipse of the Sun as it would appeae as SEEN FEOM THE MOON 184
At
end.
THE MOON.
CHAPTER
SOLAR SYSTEM.
In this chapter we propose to treat
tion of the various
briefly of the probable formaI.
members
find
which
which we
satellites.
at present
it
i.e.,
in
the form
of planets
and
It
is
its
satellite,
and
its
great centre of
them
all
In
the
we
perpetual mutation
of form
:
substance occurring
we
ovum
In the
;
of the
same
principle
THE MOON.
[chap.
i.
by their
And when we
we
consider, as
we
its
attendant moon.
how
far
their formation
and brought
the
were
Way.
But
it
was when the telescope pierced into the depths of and brought
to light the host of those
celestial space,
marvellous
The mention
stars"
made by the
and
earlier
telescopic stars
nebulous light
Andromeda, although so plainly discernible as to be often now-adays mistaken by the uninitiated for a comet, was known, until it
was discovered by means of a telescope, in 1612, by Simon Marius,
who
described
it
Forty years after this date Huygens discovered the splendid nebula
iu the sword handle of Orion,
CHAP.
I.]
by Hevelius.
Astronomer Royal),
by Halley again
in
1714.
Half a century
list of
after this
the
known
Connaissance du
Temps"
1784.
(the
French
**
But
most
brilliant results
when
severance,
In the year
1779
this
great
reflector,
feet
first cata-
came forth comprising other 500, making 2500 in all This number has been so far increased by the labours of more recent astronomers that the last complete catalogue, that of Sir John
!
At the
nebulae were
stars, so distant, so
faint,
and so thickly
and
it
them
component
But the
familiarity
him
some vapoury
or elemen-
process
of condensation, the
known
4
state of existence,
THE MOON.
he arranged them into a
series
[chap.
i.
of stages of
progressive development,
class
heing so
own
it
expression,
not so
in
much
difference existed
human
figure were
given from
he comes to be a
man
in his prime."
et seq.)
we
Class 1.
Of extensive
diffused nebulosity.
(A table of 52 patches
some
of
five or six
square degrees,
15.
17.
29.
Of
final condensation.
30. 33.
Of planetary Of
stars.
nebulae.
from the tiny sapling to the giant of the woods, and no doubt can
exist in our
latter
We
actually going on
And what
a walk through
to
an
is to
the observer of
CHAP.
I.]
The
development
it.
is so
slow that a
life-
time
is
precise evidence
or descriptions
of change be obtained
or
skill
such
drawings be made,
will
for it will
same point
which every
detail in the
There
is
abundant evidence
;
made
of this
skilful
and even of
upon comparison of
it
it
will offer
many points
of difference.
The
drawing of a man,
manship,
is
drawings of two persons cannot be expected to coincide any more than their handwritings.
to a great extent with the
The appearance
it
observed
the drawings of
inferior
telescopes of a
century or two
made
form or
purpose, and
is
made
in the
Since
we must
accept the
in a forest)
THE MOON.
" The
total dissimilitude," says
[chap.
i.
observations
we have alluded
to,
**
and of a
an idea of the conversion of the one into the other can hardly occur
to
any one who has not before him the result of the
critical
in view,
by arranging
my
such nearly
steps, as will
make
it
highly pro-
upon
it
has been
From
Where
commenced.
of its
primordial condition.
subordinate satellites.
first
The
French
physicist
who ventured
the various bodies of our solar system was Buffon, the celebrated
naturalist.
is
fully detailed
in
his
at
some period
ploughed up
it,
body
sufficient in
He
" at
first
CHAP.
I.]
parts of which were driven the farthest, and the densest parts,
having received only the like impulsion, were not so remotely removed, the force of the sun's attraction having retained them " that " the earth and planets therefore at the time of their quitting
:
'*
by
degrees they cooled, and in this state of fluidity they took their
form."
He
satellites.
The hypothesis of BufFon, however, is not sufficient to explain all the phenomena of the planetary system and it is imperfect, inas;
much
solar
as
it
whereas any theory accounting for the primary formation of the system ought necessarily to include the origination of the
thereof, the
sun
itself.
Nevertheless,
it
is
but due to Buffon to mention his ideas, for the errors of one
philosophy serve a most useful end by opening out
for
fields of
inquiry
hypothesis which bears his name, and which, in spite of its disbelievers,
bable, and, with our present knowledge, the only possible explana-
Although
*'
with
not a result
Laplace conceived the sun to have been at one period the nucleus
of a vast
nebula, the
attenuated
THE MOON.
is
[chap.
i.
now the
He
centre of gravity,
it
As
it
would be impro-
cases exist,
manner
and
and, as a
unless indeed
is
we include the
zodiacal
ing from our luminary shortly before and after sunset, and which
and which
must hence
ring,
circulate about
the sun
in
and with
such an appearance
as
presents.
it
stages of nebular
was
clearly seen, as
that
many
of the
so-called nebulae,
at first to consist of
masses of
of
with
telescopes
CHAP.
I.]
more
and as
it
power
it
was
and
if
this were
if
exist,
how,
it
One
of
the most important nebulae bearing upon this question was the
great one in the sword handle of Orion, one of the grandest and
On
seemed as though
ought
supposing
it
all
but
all
attempts to resolve
telescopes of Sir
reflector,
then
that
it
the
stronghold
of
that
theory
had
been
broken
down.
who
them
the
dogmas
science has arisen that furnishes us with fresh powers of penetration into the vast
eye, so to speak,
and
new
by
may
discern,
it
is
composed.
When Newton
upon the
wall,
two hundred years ago toyed with the prism he bought at Stourbridge
his
fair,
and projected
its
great
mind
little
phantom riband
of
10
THE MOON.
[chap.
i.
gorgeous colours would one day be called upon to give evidence upon the probable cosmical origin of worlds. Yet such in truth
some colour
means
of
some knowledge
If, for
instance, a
passed through a
all
colours or
degrees of refrangibility
if
made
to pass
through gases or
is
spectrum
dark
found to be
apparently
lines,
The
as
**
solar
spectrum
is
of this class
first
sagacious
German chemist
The
same
character,
the
lines
number from
another class
is
those of the sun, and one star from another, proving the stars to
possess varied chemical constitutions.
of spectra,
But there
is
exhibited
when
These
light
passed
consist, not of a
luminous riband of
them.
light like the solar spectrum, but of bright isolated lines of coloured
light with comparatively wide dark spaces separating
Such
and metals or chemical elements in the condition of incandescent vapour. Every gas or element in the state of luminous vapour
yields a spectrum peculiar to itself,
CHAP.
I.]
11
Now
iu the course of
of the
fixed stars
by Dr. Huggins,
his telescope,
of the nebulae, and great was his surprise to find that instead of
their light
such a spectrum
or vapour,
and of
strength of numerous
are
composed
and
it is
some
of
matter
and so
proof of
its
These observations
Secchi of the
which
College
Roman
who,
in the
**
mogony."
Confining, then, our attention to the single object of the universe
it is
the
Moon
as an
we can never hope to know otherwise than by inference and analogy, we may assume that that body once existed in the form of a vast mass of diffused or attenuated matter,
12
THE MOON.
that,
it
[chap.
i.
and
matter,
was condensed
and compact
planetary body.
of condensation or compaction
was going
which law
but
was
we
CHAPTER
II.
upon the
would result
in the formation,
We
and
we must
call to
our aid
such
at
speculations,
The "
as the subject about to engage our attention has been justly termed,
bears the
title
of
the
The
matter contained in
it, is
for ever
under-
That
we cannot
we
As
in
and what we cannot create we cannot destroy. the universe we see no new matter created, but the same
14
THE MOON.
we can
find
[chap.
ii.
another, so
no
some previous
manner
*'
of existence.
will
be
sufficient for
it
as some-
may
argue
motion.
The
all
force of gravity
on
its
motion or tendency of
bodies towards
and
particles of
We
it
than by
its effects,
or the motion
And
must be
force
we
therefore
motion
indestructible also.
But when
is
a falling
hammer
blow
upon an
motion
anvil,
or a brake
is arrested,
and
it
is
destroyed.
But
if
we say
indestructible,
what becomes of
The
that
The
is
the motion
of the
to the particles
or molecules
composing
us as heat.
particles or
or, in
other words,
applied to
set
attraction.
set
When
heat
in
the
more
violent molecular
at length they
and leap
off
CHAP.
II.]
15
form.
Thus we
phenomena
of heat are
phenomena
of
itself as
by
whom
it
up
in
and procured
*'
together,
but not
says that
generated thereby.
Novum Organum,"
heat
itself, its
we denominate the
the object
is
object hot
so
is heat,
in
and Cold,"
The Mechanical Theory of Heat and the ingenious Count Eumford made some highly
"
An
But the conceptions of these authors remained isolated and unfruitful for more than a century, and might have passed, meantime,
into the oblivion of barren speculation, but for the impulse
which
has
lately received.
The key
was found by these searching minds, but the unclasping of the lock
that
should disclose
its
Simultaneously and independently, and without even the knowledge of each other, three men, far removed from probable intercourse, conceived the
results concerning
16
THE MOON.
it
[chap.
ii.
became
The
first
who
of Heilbronn in
Germany.
it
his
medical practice
occurred to
him
that there
must be
necessary equivalent between work and heat, a necessary numerical " The variations of the diiBference of colour relation between them.
of arterial and venous blood directed his attention to the theory of
respiration.
He
will
remain
of
to the
Royal Society of
''
mind
firmly fixed
upon a
first
he persisted
the relation
which subsists between heat and ordinary mechanical (We are quoting from Professor TyndalFs valuable work
Mode
of Motion.")
"
He
placed water
both the amoimt of heat developed by the stirring of the liquid and the amount of labour expended in its production. He did the same
with mercury and sperm
oil.
He
rub against each other, and measured the heat produced by their friction, and the force expended in overcoming it. He urged water
the amount of
heat
CHAP, n.]
17
And
fixed
and invariable.
each other, produced precisely the same amount of heat as when it * * * * was applied to agitate water, mercury, or sperm oil.
The
absolute
power, was in
" In
raise
it
exactly equal to
if
pound weight,
its
after
feet,
had
moving
force
Conversely, the
amount
of
would,
if all
weight 772
*
feet high, or it
'
would
raise
foot high.
venient
The term foot-pounds has been introduced to express in way the lifting of one pound to the height of a foot.
a con-
Thus
is called
By
reasoning,
Mayer had, a few months previous to Joule, determined Such a remarkable coin-
its
enunciators to the
alluded
In linking together the labours of the two remarkable men above to, Prof. Tyndall remarks, that " Mayer's labours have in
of profound intuition, which rose however
18
THE MOON.
[chap.
ii.
Joule's labours,
Mayer thought
truth.
large and
To each belongs
not quickly fade, for the share he has had, not only in establishing
the dynamical theory of heat, but also in leading the way towards a
right appreciation of the general energies of the universe."
generalities
we must pass
is
to the application of
We
have
We
know
impeded by
against the
earth's
atmosphere,
is
heated
come into
from the
mutual
component atoms of a
like influence.
vast nebulous
mass
violently converged
under the
What would
by the
follow ?
would result in
remarkable papers (" Celestial Dynamics ") remarks that the " Newtonian theory of gravitation, whilst it enables us to determine
from
its
at the
enough
to produce
worlds
it
and to derive
the radiation of the sun and the heat in the bowels of the earth
And
the same laws that governed the formation of the earth, gov-
moon
CHAP.
II.]
19
made
the earth
made the moon also, and the means and mode of workThe geological phenomena of the earth
molten condiis
as unmistakeahly that of a
state.
The enigma
of the
By
for the
absolute
of a given
amount
with some
uncertainty)
amount
if it
into
collision
would be
from
part
was
infinitely small as
other, or as the
size.
Helmholtz,
another
of
amount
this he finds
sum
system
to
28,000,000
(twenty-eight
million)
degrees
of
the
Centigrade scale.
These examples
duce
afford
abundant evidence of
sufficient heat
having
to re-
moon
to a state of fusion,
and so
to produce,
imply combustion.
How
can a
phenomena be upheld
consistently with
fire ?
it
To
c 2
20
this
THE MOON,
we would reply that
it is
[chap.
ii.
molten condition
an atmosphere.
The
exists
quite
independently of such
of gases
**
air,"
may have
to do with their
Combustion
is
oxygen
is
and hence combustion is to be regarded rather as a phenomenon of oxygen than as a phenomenon of the matter with which that oxygen combines.
The
In support of this
argument
it
will
was thus
accumulating and forming the globe of the moon, the heat conse-
its
particles
effect of radiation.
matter was
all
accession of heat
that part of the mass which was most free to radiate its heat into
surrounding space
With
" year
will
cooling of the
mass we
CHAPTER
III.
to
show, by
how
was probably condensed into a planetary mass by the mutual gravitation of its particles, and secondly, how, the after destruction of the
gravitative force,
by the
to
consider the
and
the
or resulting therefrom.
This brief
we
shall endeavour to
which the
stituted the
moon
at the inconceivably
**
remote period when possibly a lesser light " shining with a luminosity of
state,
own, due to
it
its
then incandescent
reflector, as
is
it
If
we could conceive
solidify
mass
in the act of
first
and so
for the
its
began to
from
its centre, or if it
mass
to
super-
moon whose
22
THE MOON.
[chap. hi.
now presented
:
to our view.
So that
at this
molten
interior.
Now
molecular forces
the
first
of these
solidified
masses of previously
is
importance
it
deserves to be
it
and as we
shall
have
fre-
may
its action,
that our
reference to
hereafter
may
The broad
is this
:
phenomenon here
condition
referred to
that
cifically
same matter
after it
has passed
solid condition.
It follows as
an obvious
solid.
It is this
expansion upon
solidification that
now concerns
us.
it cools, till it
Water, as
is
in other words
its
fact of
CHAP.
III.]
23
in a frost.
Water
to
is,
it
has been so
iron-
founders, that
of molten
persistently
is
when
mass
of solid cast-iron is
iron of
so
persistently that
pot,
it
when
it
bottom of the
is
moment
amount
the
withdrawn.
As
regards the
of buoyancy
we
believe
may
to be at least
some who
phenomenon
mass
may
by a film of
metal
adhering
upon the
solid
may
tend to reduce
it
But
we
float
further that when, under the influence of the great heat of the
solid is gradually
must
necessarily
float to
the
The
inevitable inference
from this
is
iron the solid is specifically lighter than the molten, and, therefore,
that in passing from the molten to the solid condition this substance
We
of cast-iron
iron-
founders, but
24
THE MOON.
[chap. in.
When
and smooth
scoria or
it
is
by
Fig. 1.
where
it
accumulates in a patch.
is
proceeding,
if it
were covered
Our
so, to
To
it
CHAP.
III.]
25
accumulates in the
We may
is
first
as the
its
absorbing
energetic.
Fig. 2.
Now
for the
if
we
phenomenon, we
arises
is in
the ladle, which sides act as the chief agent in dispersing the heat of
the melted metal.
fluid
The motion
is
motion in question
by the arrows
A,
?6
THE MOON.
current of the metal can actually be seen
[chap. hi.
The upward
looked
when specially
for, at
it is
it
presents an elevatory
the
generally
entertained
it
idea
that
contraction universally
for the cooler to float
accompanies cooling,
would be impossible
i.e.,
The
Turning from cast-iron to other metals we find further manifestations of this expansive solidification.
Bismuth is
a notable example.
filled
and as
the metal within approached consolidation the bottle was rent open
by
its
expansion, just as would have been the case had the bottle
been
filled
Mercury
to be exposed
to Arctic temperatures
when the
from the
fluid to
we
on molten
on water
it also,
as likewise do
drawn
CHAP.
III.]
27
"With
The
whom we
"I beg
"I
filled
;
to inform
floats in
floats in
molten iron.
felag
when
it
came
to the top in
a second.
I pushed
its
it
down
to the
:
bottom
indeed
several times
and
it
always made
a small portion of
it
but we
may go
visit to
On
apertures in the sides of a central cone within the crater and form-
on the surface of this molten lake vast cakes of the same lava which
had become
solidified
were
same manner
as
The
solidified lava
of the Iron-works of James Murray, Esq., of DalAnother authority (Mr. Snelus, of the West Cumberland " I had a hole dug on the cinder-fall,' and Iron Company), writes as follows allowed the running slag to flow through it so as to form a tolerably large pool and yet keep fluid. Any crust that formed was skimmed off. A portion of the same slag was cooled, and the solid lump thrown into the pool. It floated just at the surface." Mr. Snelus adds, by the way, that he tried " Bessemer- Pig " in the same way, and that the solid pig sunk in the molten for a minute and then rose and floated just at the surface, with about one-twentieth of its bulk above the level of
* Mr. T. Heunter,
Manager
mellington, Ayrshire.
'
the
fluid.
THE MOON.
[chap. ni.
O
cr
03
CHAP.
III.]
29
into cakes,
of its
contraction
more
for it to separate,
on account
But
Reference to Fig.
Fig. 4.
endeavoured to describe.
issuing
cone,
and
it
was
floated
upwards
(See also
Plate I.)
effect
produced upon a
under
solidifi-
30
[chap. in.
of a solidified body.
its
portion of sucli a
mass
to part witli
heat being its external surface, this portion would expand, but
sing a more or
its turn,
less fluid
expand
also,
by reason
confinement within
?
its
solid
casing,
consequence
the
shell
more
many
vast
floodings
of the
phenomena.
The
sectional
diagram (Fig. 5)
convey a
matter expands
solidification,
we are justified in assuming that such a. course of volcanic phenomena has very probably occurred again and that this expansion of volume which again upon the moon
consider
;
we
accompanies the
solidification of
ejective force
manifest
structural details,
CHAP, ni.]
31
namely the
11
I
^
o o
rd
IS
a-^
2 O a -^
Ki
.9
g fl a ^ g o ^ a *^ 'ti "zi O c8 o
-g ft
S
-
S5
^
fl
bo
53
T3
"^
o o
ag
-s i
paroxysms of expansion which successively occurred as portions of its molten interior approached solidification, supply us with a
32
THE MOON.
[chap.
III.
may
be assigned.
Many
req^uire
we
therefore venture to
recommend
this source
and cause of
ejective
When
its
FiG.
6.
Fig.
7.
traction
upon
cooling,
external shell.
this.
matter.
The consequence
itself to
accommodate
skin,
so
to
matter, becomes
shrivelled
up
In
its
t^
''"
.'Nasrryth,
""WooAburytype"
OF
SH R
N K
AGE
THE
NT
E Ri
OR
PLATE
ill,
J.Nasmyth.
'
Wo o dbucrytyp e "
SH RIVELLED
APPLE.
UNINKUSlTl
CHAP.
III.]
33
it
into
or
broken
Fig. 8, or ridges
fluid
molten matter
9, a class of action
formation.
wrinkle theory
another example
may
be observed in the
human
;i__'
c
Fig.
\_
face
flesh to shrink
and so
covering for
it.
We
illustrate
to
accommodate
it,
34
THE MOON.
The same
[chap. hi.
human
skin into
creases
A map
of a
we
to
when
in a state of transition
solidified condition,
we
we
shall be
CHAPTER
IV.
We
the
of
this
may
&c.
by which we mean
weight,
density,
data
concerning
form,
size,
body,
derived
from
observation
and calculation.
To
con-
purpose, therefore,
ourselves
to
we
will
now
fining
such
upon
the
our purpose, and touching but lightly upon such as are com-
The form
of the
lunar disc,
circle
;
when
fully illuminated,
we
perceive to be
a perfect
equal
form of the
moon
We
know
is
But
moon
is so
slow that
is
the
flattening
must
exist,
so
We
might thereD 2
moon
is
36
THE MOON.
is
[chap. iv.
its
form
is
disturbed.
fluid state, it is
and as a consesome-
moon must be an
axis of
ellipsoid, or
is
which
directed towards
is
evident
from the coincidence of the times of orbital revolution and axial " It would be against all probability," rotation of the lunar sphere.
says Laplace, "to suppose that these two motions had been at their
origin perfectly equal
difference
;
attraction
by
moon would
establish the
all
size.
moon as a sphere, and the next point to be To determine this, two data are necessary
its
**
its
distance
from the
earth.
The
" or
first
com-
prised between two lines directed from the eye to two opposite
limbs
If, for
instance,
we were
to take a
pair of compasses and, placing the joint at the eye, open out the
legs
till
moon, the two legs would be inclined at an angle which would represent the diameter of the moon, and this angle we could
measure by applying a divided arc or protractor
In practice this
to the compasses.
measurement
is
made by means
;
of telescopes
when the
its
fact
moon
is
an
she
is at
to us
is
CHAP. IV.]
37
variable
there
is
also
slight
variation
depending upon
;
the
altitude of the
moon
at the
the
mean
diameter,
mean
found to be
Sr
9''.
To convert
measurement,
this
it is
apparent angular
necessary to
know
is
moon from
parallax.
The
parallax
if it
is
called
But we cannot go
there
to the
moon
to
make
such a measurement
nevertheless
is
simple
method,
moon from
it
and by
Without
detailing
sufficient for
moon
the
we have given
distance.
represents the
mean parallax,
or the parallax at
number mean
But we have
effect
measurements
into miles.
.
To
It
this
we have only
moon
is
is
moon
seen
The diameter
of the earth
its
we know
7912
nxiles
proper place in
88
THE MOON.
it
[chap. iv.
we
get
MILES.
MILES.
:
V
And 2160
miles
54'
5"
31'
.9"
7912
2160
is
meter of a sphere to
we
moon
to
be
or half that
the area of the hemisphere at any one time presented to our view.
And
similarly,
diameter,
we
moon
to be
5276 millions
we
moon
is
g^j
the area
^^
to a numerical
comparison,
may
illustra-
To gain an
feet
moon from
mean
position.
we come
to
what
is
what
It is
important to know this, because the weight of a body taken in connection with its size furnishes us with a knowledge of its density,
or the specific gravity of the material of which
it is it is
composed. But
the
is
moon
to
measure
it,
to appeal
This law
is
directly proportional to
CHAP.
IV.]
There are
several
methods hy
is
surement
of
the
mass
of the
moon.
One
is
of the simplest
by the agency of
the Tides.
We know
produces a certain
amount
ing
of
of elevation
the
earth
sun
produces
but
to
much
by
smaller
extent,
its
reason of
greater
much
ac-
distance.
Now
of
measuring
the
solar
tides,
and
and
lunar
making
allowance
we can comdirectly
pare
the
40
THE MOON.
is
[chap. iv.
they
evident that
we have
;
of the sun
is
the sun's
mass we
can,
is
method
would
The moon
;
is
if it
were not
she
the
moon towards
:
itself
by a
is
definite
amount
in every second of
time.
moon
its
is
;
also
they are
other together
and
mass.
moreover each
is
jproportional to
Knowing, then, the mass of the earth, which we do with considerable accuracy,
is
we can
find
force
due to
it,
the proportion
mass
mass
of the
moon.
:
nomena
moon upon
the
which shows
itself in observations of
the sun.
By
each and
all
of
these methods has the lunar mass been at various times determined,
and
it
has been found, as the latest and best accepted value, that
moon
is
From
volume
the
is
known diameter
we
Now
a cubic
CHAP. IV.]
41
foot of water
The
is all
that
concerns us,
tons
:
is,
5842
trillions of
is
and
since, as
we have above
it
stated, the
moon
73
trillions of tons.
The
us
its
cubical contents of a
density.
its
weight gives
In the moon we
trillions of tons.
Now,
21J-
is to is
73 as 1
is to 3*4, it is clear
is
moon is about 0*62 as dense as the earth, or that the material of the moon is lighter, bulk for bulk, than the mean material of the
terraqueous globe in the proportion of 62 to 100,
or,
nearly 6 to 10.
may remark
:
is
the diamond
and curiously
enough
it
claimed for the theory that these bodies were originally fragments
of lunar matter, probably ejected at
some time from the lunar propel them so far within the sphere
drawn
to its
moon
we must bear
in
mind
mass or weight
of a planetary
What we call a pound on the earth, the moon for the following reason
;
:
When we
we
42
THE MOON.
mean
that
it
[chap. iv.
really
is
force
depending upon
;
own weight.
This attraction we
is
call
gravity
and the
falling of a
an example of
earth and the
is
The
weight
fall
together
are with a
or
its
held together
force
if
the weight
in con-
mass of the two, and upon the distance hetween them. Newton proved that the attraction of a sphere upon external objects is precisely as if the
whole of
its
centre.
its
So
surface
the attraction which 5842 trillions of tons exert upon one ton
situated
earth) distant.
it is
If the weight
clear that the
being pulled by only half the force, would only be equal to half a
ton
;
that
is
much muscular
to
lift it.
force (or
would be required
It is plain, there-
same mass
moon's mass
of matter on the
is -gV
moon
It
pound transported
;
moon ought
it
to
and so
would
if
moon
to its surface
its
;
were the same as the distance of the centre of the earth from
surface.
of the
moon
is
only
^^
So that the
and
attrac-
moon
the earth,
is
is
this,
is,
worked
out,
equal to J.
The
;
force of gravity
therefore, J of
it
follows as a conse-
CHAP. IV.]
43
earth.
A man
jump jump
body
It
six feet
thirty-six feet
the practice,
and uninitiated
of doubt or uncertainty.
On
this
Diameter of Moon
.2160
miles
5:^ that of
earth.
j^^
hemisphere
Solid contents
...
^^
^
0.62
i
?,
Mass
Density
= 1)
.
.
Mean
238,790 miles.
CHAPTER
ATMOSPHERE.
V.
At
more
But, in
fact, it
would in
many
cases be
more so;
at
all
no counterpart, or
at
moon.
The
and
of
is to
observations.
it is
Some
of
this
evidence
chapter.
we
and our
we
in
and
float
through
terrestrial
disc,
CHAP, v.]
like the
45
diversifying
features
moon
surface
must
is
be,
from time to
When
moon
without
of
the
least
appearance of
change or the
symptoms
general definition,
own atmosphere
for
we must
tell
the
and
far between.
Out
of
the three hundred and sixty-five nights of a year there are probably
not a dozen that an astronomer can call really fine
:
usually, even
all
common appearance
superbly brilliant,
some
the
object
of his
through
these,
owing
to
the
ever-changing
suffer in
impossible
features
all is
can be recognized.
happened that a
slight indistinctness of
some minute
detail of the
moon
whereas the real cause has been only a bad condition of our own
atmosphere.
tinctness due
It
may
all indis-
to terrestrial causes is
moon.
one
it
This
is
but
proof
against
the
existence
of
lunar
atmosphere, and,
because there
may
still
may
be not
4B
THE MOON.
aqueous to condense into clouds and not
[chap. v.
sufficiently
sufficiently
The probable
of the
existence of an
atmosphere of
from a
these
sun.
On
moon
is
invariably surrounded by a
It
it
after the
by those
who
first
observed
them
light as our
own clouds
and sunset.
But
eclipses of
for it
moon.
in addition
The occurrence
means
We
light
know
that
all
had an
atmosphere,
somewhat
solar
like that
we
have shown
and other
more minute
details of
such features.
No
CHAP, v.]
47
however been
On
somewhat
brighter
surface
the
sun has
moon
was held
to indicate
did exist, could not produce such an appearance, and that the cause
of
it
must be sought
in other directions.
solar rays
Fig.
11.
through the
see the
terrestrial
atmosphere
eclipse surrounded
we need hardly
Similarly as
itself.
we
would be obscured
moon would
for
some diminution
occasions,
many
this fading
magnitude
visible
48
THE MOON.
up
to the
[chap. v.
moment
of
if
moon
would
still
manifest
the
if
As
the
Now
this crescent
Instead of
Fig.
12.
after the
shown
in the
The
slightest
but
one
is
the
phenomenon
is
of diffused day-
produced by the
among
Were
it
not
our
CHAP, v.]
49
from proximate
direct sunlight.
light
Twilight
If,
we
light those parts of the lunar details that are not receiving the
direct solar
beams
after it
still
had
set
be partially
and the
effects
was due
very
itself as a
from each of the cusps along the circumference of the unenlightened part of the
disc,
moon
we
of
5376
This
record,
believe, of such
The
is
must
pass through
reality pass
it
so that they
must
in
that
may
And
if
Guided by
this reasoning,
60
THE MOON.
made numerous
[chap. v.
light,
Philo-
sophical Transactions " for the year 1864; and their result, quoting
the words of the report, was " that the spectrum analysis of the
light reflected from the
moon
is
Upon
**
When
an
made
the
moment
of its occultation
phenomena
which
it
is
can
upon the
is
about the moon, the red rays of the star's light would be enfeebled
in a smaller degree than the rays of higher refrangibilities."
**
moon an atmosphere
free
from vapour,
The
violet
lie
behind the red rays." " I carefully observed the disappearance of the spectrum of
Piscium
;
at its occultation of
January
4,
mena but no signs of a lunar atmosphere were detected." But perhaps the strongest evidence of the non-existence
Appreciable lunar atmosphere
is
of any
the light of a star passing behind the edge of the lunar disc.
Refraction,
we know,
is
any
object, caused
CHAP, v.]
51
we have a
There
we should, from its very simplicity, mind did it not very aptly represent
we wish
coin
to
exemplify.
A
is
the
is
just
Water
is
then poured into the basin and, without the eye being
its
moved from
turning out of their course the rays of light coming from the coin,
and
lifting
them, as
it
Now
perfectly similar
every
sunrise and
When
the sun
is really
is
nevertheless
still visible
to us because
it is
pass.
The sun
is,
therefore,
exactly
If there were
no atmosphere
about the earth, the sun would not be so brought up above the
horizon, and, as a consequence,
it
would
set earlier
and
rise later
it
really does.
all celestial
star
would
if
To apply
occulting,
we
are discussing.
is
The moon
in her
heavens
some
And when we
side
on one
we
are virtually
If,
observing the setting and rising of that star upon the moon.
B 3
52
THE MOON.
[chap. v.
then, the
it is clear,
must disappear
:
and reappear
sooner than
has no atmosphere
moon
settled
if
an atmosphere surrounded
this
that
body.
The
point
is
in
way
The
moon's
is
apparent diameter has been measured over and over again and
;
known with great accuracy the rate of her motion across the sky known with perfect accuracy hence it is easy to calculate how long the moon will take to travel across a part of the sky exactly equal in length to her own diameter. Supposing, then, that we
is also
:
moon and
out again,
it is
clear that,
it
If,
however, from
the existence of a lunar atmosphere, the star disappears too late and
we have seen
difiference, if
it
not agree
will represent
amount
of
refraction
the
star's
has
it
sustained
or
suffered,
through.
was
the
In this
the
principle,
and
it
George
that
commenting on
it
appears to
him
CHAP, v.]
53
" Either
it is
two seconds
is to
be
or
it
may
moon's atmosphere.
If the
atmospheric refraction this would imply a horizontal refraction of one second, which
refraction.
is
It is possible that an
in
any other
accuracy
way."
of the
French astronomer
Du
Sejour,
who made
a rigorous examination
concluded that the horizontal refraction produced by a possible lunar atmosphere amounted to 1"'5 a second and a half or
He
about
14*0
of that
The
deter-
more recent
upon which
it
was based.
rarer than our air can scarcely
The
contents of an air-pump
T^oc of the density of air at the earth's surface, with the best of pneumatic machines; and the lunar atmosphere, if it exist at all,
is
tomed
recognise
as
a vacuum.
phenomena
we
54
THE MOON.
[chap. v.
And
if
for if
the form of
But, as we
;
have already
and, as
said,
no such obliteration of
of aqueous vapour is
observations.
Since,
we
are forced to
absent also.
surface material
for the
telescope reveals to us
irregularities
which
unless, indeed,
we admit the
bottom of
observers
Some
have noticed features that have led them to suppose that water
was
But
if
is
it
now
One
writer, it is true,
has
air,
moon may
;
but even
water existed
thus make
Sir
its
presence known.
any moisture
exists
upon
the moon,
must be
from the
The
CHAP, v.]
55
sphere
to
the
other.
is
little
instrument
it
shown in the
annexed
One
Fig.
13.
all
air
is
her-
metically sealed, leaving nothing within but the water and the
Fio.
14.
pheric pressure.
When
is
placed in a freezing
it,
A
it
gives
off
more
is
The
abstraction
of heat
to freeze into a
mass
of ice.
Now upon
the
moon
the same
phenomenon
56
THE MOON.
to
[chap. v.
supply
it.
In the
the
Upon
if
it
hoar-
it
itself to
The
may
beams
with
up
at first
terrestrial
first,
beams
Nothing of
however,
perceptible
when the
solar
is
of obtaining,
goes to prove that neither air nor water exists upon the moon.
Two
we
inhabit
may thus be
dismissed
the
first
the veritable foundations of the earth, the second has given rise to
were these
last
its original
it
to us,
differ
CHAP, v.]
57
essentially
moon.
In considering
the causes that have given birth to the diversified features of that
surface,
we may,
and water
:
action
our
is
is
materially
CHAPTER
We
VI.
detail that
is
is
a fact that
to
the
earliest
observers.
on her face
spots
exhibiting
illumination.
it
alter-
atmospheric
character
or
peculiarities,
disposition
Fancy made
them the
earliest
indications of a
of the
human
map
moon was
the configuration of a
human
ment
PLATE
IV.
Vroodburytype"
FULL
MOON
CHAP. VI.]
59
Sanskrit
names
for the
^sa'sabhrit, a hare-bearer.
that
a
is
first
mentioned
countenance,
full
moon
to
human
very striking.
Our
moon
photograph
somewhat exaggerated
otherwise
it,
it
moon
very
and by gazing
at the plate
from a
while they
We may
the
of
image
and
reflecting
back to
terrestrial
spectators.
to his
Humboldt
*'I
He
says,
mention when I
V What we see in the map of our
*
who certainly had never read a Greek book, showed him the moon's spots in a large telescope
:
is
ourselves
it
is
moon were
it
the
* For the original photograph from which this plate was produced, and for permission to reproduce it, we owe our acknowledgments to Warren De la Kue
and Joseph Beck, Esquires. the conditions under which the moon itself f The proper distance for realising is seen will be that at which our disc is just covered by a wafer about a quarter of an inch in diameter, held at arm's length. This will subtend an angle of about half a degree, which is nearly the angular diameter of the moon.
60
THE MOON.
[chap. vi.
An
fail
notice
the
circumstance
that
of the disc
moon
presented to our
view
is
If the
moon had no
of rotation
orbital
movement
to the conclusion
one, how-
which
the
superficial observers
have some
difficulty in recognising
^that
moon has an
Since
revolution.
the
moon makes
twenty-seven days and one -third (more exactly 27d. 7h. 43m. lis.),
it
to the stars, or as
at
But
if referred
because the
moon while
around the
days'
moon by moon has completed her twenty-seven days' journey earth, the latter will have moved along twenty-seven
:
march
celestial longitude
much
distant
from a straight
line
moon must
therefore
full
move forward
phase again.
;
to overtake the
She
will take
something over
This
is
moon
the
interval
from one sunrise to another at any spot upon the equator on the earth.
same phase
to observers
The
physical cause
CHAP. VI.]
61
upon
in a previous chapter.
We
have said that the moon continuously presents to us the same This
is
hemisphere.
Galileo,
of his telescopes,
and he
moon varied
;
that
came
in sight
and
He
and
fro of the
globe of the
moon
motion.
see spots
came
what
Galileo
in referring this
phenomenon
The
is
moon
an observer on the
rising
moon
as from an
is
As the moon
becomes
the face
he loses the
view and catches another side face view as she nears the horizon
in setting.
period, is
it
known
phenomenon presents itself in another period, and from another cause. The moon rotates upon her axis at a speed But her orbital motion is not uniform, that is rigorously uniform.
But
a kindred
sometimes
rate.
it is faster,
and
than
its
average
Hence, the angle through which she moves along her orbit
in a given time,
now
exceeds, and
now
axis.
falls
Her
hemisphere
62
THE MOON.
[chap. vi.
these orbital and axial angles, and the apparent balancing thus
produced
is called
Then
there is a libra-
moon
of the
vice
the effect of
we sometimes
see a little
more
satellite,
and
The
them
all
and in com-
and
And
them, we
may
The remaining
to
must
for
the
In the
was placed
;
upon a kind
of it in one position,
the table was turned through a small angle for the taking of the second picture the two placed side by side then represented the object as it would have been seen by two eyes widely separated, or whose visual rays inclined at an angle equal to that through which the table was turned and when the pictures were viewed
;
through a stereoscope, they combined to produce the wonderful effect of solidity now familiar to every one. The moon, by its librations, imitates the turn-table movement; and, from a large number of photographs of her, taken at different
points of her orbit and at different seasons of the year, it is possible to select two which, while they exhibit the same phase of illumination, at the same time present the requisite difference in the points of view from which they are taken to give the Mr. De la Rue, the father of effect of stereoscopicity when viewed binocularly. celestial photography, has been enabled to produce several such pairs of pictures from the vast collection of lunar photographs that he has accumulated. Any one of these pairs of portraits, when stereoscopically combined, reproduces, to quote the words of Sir John Herschel, " the spTierical form just as a giant might see it whose stature were such that the interval between his eyes should equal the dis-
tance between the place where the earth stood when one view was taken, and that to which it would have to be removed (our moon being fixed) to get. the other. Nothing can surpass the impression of real corporeal form thus conveyed by some of these pictures as taken by Mr. De la Rue with his powerful reflector, the production of which (as a step in some sort taken by man outside of the planet he
inhabits)
is
scientific art."
CHAP. VI.]
68
be
given to the
moon different from that which it at present possesses. Some highly fanciful theorists have speculated upon the possible
moon
is
hollow, or that
moon
is
it
is
mere
or
shell
less
half
that
more
is
covered
with water,
and
others again,
There
call
is,
however, no good
we may
moon
So
far as
course with different details) prevail over the whole lunar surface.
The
light
pre-tele-
and shade upon the moon, received their coup de grace from
Our
satellite
continents and islands, and (as might then have been thought) the
seas of our globe.
He
of hills
that were
brightly
plains,
and
He
moon was
would
be
if
asserted,
into
an irregular outline.
From
these
observations
the Florentine
astronomer concluded that the lunar world was covered not only with mountains like our globe, but with mountains whose heights
64
far surpassed those existing
THE MOON.
upon the
earth,
[chap. vi.
some
and
the views which he thus obtained, must have been similar to those
moon produced in late the scientific public. familiar to now Rue and years by Mr. De la Of course there is in the natural moon as viewed with a small teleexhibited by the smaller photographs of the
of
moon do
Some
portions,
upon a photograph,
relative brightness of
might be ren-
dered lighter, but in that case the more strongly illuminated portions,
which
would be
**
lost
by the
effect
solarization."
mind
The same
details
would
The
superior illumination of
the image in the former case would bring into view minute details'
that could not be perceived with the smaller aperture.
He who
object, as
would
for curiosity
it,
Galileo saw
must use a
same
size
and character
it
will not
With
and low
CHAP. VI.]
65
a blinding
vent the passage of the whole of the pencil of rays coming through the eye-piece.
inconvenience,
Although
it is
may be
and
productive of no
points to a rule
is
it
that which
In observing faint
it is
objects
this
point assumes
more
should
importance, since
enter the pupil.
itself that
an
artificial
comets
who pursue
In the
first
place
to show us the more salient feawe cannot help being struck with the
immense preponderance
nearly
all
apparent in
for
known as the " seas " and the smaller patches of the same character seem to repeat in their outlines the round form of the craters. It
is at
and
relief.
They vary
greatly
some
finest conditions of
atmosphere to
ever been" seen, for there is no reason to doubt that there exist
countless
of our
finest telescopes.
66
THE MOON.
[chap. vi.
From
tlie
great
number and
vallations,
con-
struction.
He
habitants of the
moon
to shelter themselves
Had he known
them more
nevertheless
too, so
own
globe.
by a low telescopic
power upon the moon, are the seemingly smooth plains that have
the appearance of dusky spots, and that collectively cover a considerable
portion
about
two-thirds
of
The
name
given
to be watery expanses,
and having
change of name,
disproved.
moon was
We
by ramparts
immense mountain
chains.
in form
plains thus exhibit to the circular craters of large size, would lead
us to suppose that the two classes of objects had the same formative
origin,
we
have been
at about the
time of
full
and extend
CHAP. VI.]
for
67
No
upon them. As we now only glancing at the moon, we do not enter upon explanations concerning them or any other class of details all such will
deal of fanciful theorizing has been bestowed
are
;
receive
chapters.
We
moon
number
they
may be summed up
as craters
streaks.
to
study with
This
A higher
telescopic
power shows us
that not only do these craters exist of all magnitudes within a limit
of largeness, but seemingly with no limit of smallness, but that in
their structure
points of difference.
Some
some
are merely
with
flat
some
are isolated
upon the
and
peaks or cones in their centres, and some are without these central
cones, while the plateaux of others again contain several minute
craters instead
;
some have
and
perfect, others
divided
on their inner
sides.
68
area, here
declivities,
THE MOON.
[chap. vi.
with
these
The
same
in all cases
one
large sea has a dingy greenish tinge, others are merely grey,
and
The cause
of this diver-
mysterious
it
existence of vegetation of
that
some
diversity of formation as
of combinations.
Sometimes they
connected into
it
into
are
stupendous chains.
has
The
we
" to
offer
for
an
for
want of a
on earth, we
may well
call
unearthly.
But we
are debarred
CHAP. VI.]
69
and
hills are
compare the
different views of a
town seen from the car of a balloon with the more interesting
prospects by a progress through the streets."
liarities
Some
of the pecu-
we
A high
power gives us
the nature of
more evidence than a low one upon the long bright streaks that radiate from some of the
little
more conspicuous
craters,
but
it
that
of
present any sloping sides to catch more sunlight, and thus shine
brighter, than the general surface.
them
is
that they
is
them
is at full,
or setting.
We
brightness to
effect
all
objects
producing no other
upon them.
To employ
a commonplace
moon
had assumed
its
whitish pigment had been drawn over the globe in straight lines
radiating from a central point, leaving its trail
upon everything
it
this brightness of
parts of the
moon without
reference to configuration of
and
Upon some
of the plains
with the high sun, and invisibility when the solar rays
70
THE MOON.
upon tliem
liorizontally.
[chap. vi.
fall
Some
moon was
raised
some years
spot
ago.
This
ill- defined
of the
character
a low
With
is visible
by
its
shadow
all
but
and then
the moon.
reasonably
might
be
may
come
But
this
would be an
When we come
power and
size
no standards of
telescopic
Assuming the
instrument to be of
good
and high
and
Upon
is
magnified,
till
all
minute
details are
And
CHAP. VI.]
71
state of
of
small avail.
The eye
is
;
ment
mere
casual
gazer what
This fact
is
not generally
no
man would
like
an adept, or of
Yet do
uneducated
and expect
their
astro-
nomical books.
dissatisfaction
We
powerful
telescope.
They
anticipate
immediately
beholding
they can
how
little
and how
which
it
is
easy to see
is
not really
felt,
This
fit
for the
work
which
the
to look for, or
moment imposed upon them they know not what how to look for it. The first essay at telescopic
essays
generally, serves but
to
gazing, like
incapability.
first
teach
us our
To
far
as
may
With
a power so small as
visible
delicate details
an eye that
is
familiar with
them under higher powers. With every ordinary detail will come out under but when minute points of structure, mere
72
THE MOON.
it
[chap. vi.
may be
Unless the air be not merely fine, but superthe details become " clothy " and tremulous the extra points
;
momentary glimpses,
of
We may
set
down 250
as
the most useful, and 350 the utmost effective power that can be
But
it
may
is
in bringing the
moon
?
apparently
is
A
;
linear
moon
near
approached.
half a minute
that
is
to
we must magnify a spot a second in diameter upon the moon thirty times before we can see it and since a second represents rather more than a mile, really about 2000
follows that
;
yards, on the moon, as seen from the earth, the smallest object
visible with a
power of 30
will
or breadth.
to
To
it
see an object
200 yards
across,
we should require
it
magnify
* This
this
into view as a
Dr. Young stated (Lectures Vol. II. is a point of some uncertainty. 575) that " a minute is perhaps nearly the smallest interval at which two objects can be distinguished, although a line subtending only a tenth of a minute in breadth
p.
may sometimes be
CHAP. VI.]
73
point
to effect the
practicable
terrestrial
same
thing.
Since, as
we have
said, the
highest
ordinary
it
at
say 400,
is
we can
form
it
to see the
be round or square,
;
size
for it
may be
safely
Arago put
shape
The
moon
is
magnifying power of a
if
Mont Blanc
of about
is visible to
;
100 miles
is
moon
as
Mont Blanc
seen from
power of 2500.
CHAPTER
It
is
VII.
which prompted
map
the
moon.
They may have considered it desirupon her disc, for the puror they
in lunar eclipses
actu-
he worked
Better
maps
^the
best of the
men.
moon
in various phases,
letter-press.
He
which
another seleno-
map was
CHAP. VII.]
75
self to the
Cassini
it
prepared a large
map from
his
own
observations,
and
was
It appears to
it
Temps
(the
Nautical Almanack
" of France)
some time
:
we
are told
ment Printing- Office, who thought proper stores of that establishment, by ridding them
lumber
!
to
of
what he considered
La
Hire,
At
commencement
of the present
earnestly taken
moon
show him
Some
many
A bad
it
artist is
cannot be
surprising
if
It is
much
;
to
be
Lohr-
man
of Dresden,
1824
text,
accompanied by sectional
we owe
MM.
Beer and
76
THE MOON.
[chap. vii.
work
their their
publication.
highest praise which those conversant with the subject can bestow,
and
it
it
reprelibra-
moon
mean
The The
details
disc
was
were charted by a careful process of triangulafirst divided into " triangles of the first order,*'
down
by reference
tion of the hemisphere, formed the reliable basis for their charting " work. From these a great number of " points of the second order
established.
The
skeleton
map thus
:
up by drawings made
at the telescope
the
diameters of
micrometer.
the resulting
their
map.
which the object casts under a known elevation of the sun above
point of the mountain
its
in the following
manner.
the
moon and m
upon
it
let s
moon
at
a and
be darkness between
it
and the
mountain summit m.
:
The
is
measured
the distance a b
is
known,
moon's radius.
And
is
CHAP. VII.]
77
is
a right angle.
We
know
known
Fm.
15.
hypothenuse bm
and since bm
is
made up
mountain height, we have only to subtract the moon's radius from the ascertained whole length of the hypothenuse and we have the
Beer and Maedler exhibited their we shall have occasion to quote, these have been turned into English feet, upon the assumpheight of the mountain.
MM.
:
in the heights
The nomencla-
duced by Riccioli
78
Biccioli's system,
THE MOON.
and occasionally
[chap. vii.
Some
by
name
Greek or Roman
letters.
The The
excellent
is
map
astronomers
simply a
map
it
asperities
made
to exhibit objects as
on the
map
identify or recognize
moon itself would them except where the features are very
:
conspicuous.
it
is
But such a
map
be identified upon
rather
by
notable features
map
it
in
what,
if
imperfectly, as
actually appears at
lunation.
and
task
filling
To do
Upon
a circle
original.
observa-
tions
objects should be
itself,
how the
some one
or other part of a
SM.iFom'^b^
CHAP. VII.]
TOPOGRAPRT OF
TUil MOON,
79
80
THE MOON.
The
[chap. VII.
work
it
available for
as we we have prepared a skeleton map (p. 79) which includes the more conspicuous objects of that The progressive numbers in the annexed list refer to the nature.
may have
skeleton
map on page
100.
No.
71.
72.
Name.
No.
36. 37.
Newton.
Short.
Name, Metius.
Fernelius.
Name.
Campanus.
Kies.
Simpelius.
38.
39.
Heinsius,
Purbach.
4.
5. 6.
7.
Manzinus.
Moretus.
Hainzel.
La
Caille.
40.
41.
Bouvard.
Piazzi.
Playfair.
Gruemberger.
Casatus.
Azophi.
Sacrobosco.
Fracastorius.
42.
43.
Ramsden.
Capuanus.
Cichus.
8.
Klaproth.
Wilson.
Kircher.
Bettinus.
9.
44.
45.
79.
80.
Santbech.
Petavius.
10.
11.
Wurzelbauer.
Gauricus.
Hell.
46.
81
82.
Wilhelm Humboldt.
Polybius.
Blancanus.
Clavius.
47.
48.
Walter.
83.
84. 85. 86.
Geber.
Arzachael.
Thebit.
Bullialdus.
Scheiner.
49.
50.
Nonius.
Eiccius.
Zuchius.
Segner.
51.
52. 53. 54. 55.
56.
Rheita.
17.
18.
19.
20. 21.
22.
Furnerius.
Stevinus.
87.
88.
Hippalus.
Cavendish.
Mersenius.
Gassendi. Lubiniezky.
Alpetragius,
Airy.
Hase.
Snell.
89.
Hommel,
Licetus.
90. 91.
92.
Borda.
23.
24.
25.
Maginus. Longomontanus.
Schiller.
57. 58.
59. 60.
Neander.
Piccolomini.
Pontanus.
Poisson.
Aliacensis.
Almanon.
Catharina.
Cyrillus.
Phocylides.
26. 27.
Wargentin.
Inghirami.
Schickard.
61.
62.
63.
Werner.
Pitatus.
97.
98. 99.
Theophilus.
28.
29. 30.
31. 32. 33.
Colombo.
Vendelinus. Langreen.
Goclenius.
Wilhelm
Tycho.
Saussure.
Stoefler.
I.
64. 65.
66.
Hesiodus.
Mercator.
Vitello.
100.
101. 102.
67.
Fourier.
Guttemberg.
Isidorus.
Maurolycus.
Barocius.
Fabricius.
68.
69.
Lagrange.
Vieta.
103.
104. 105.
34.
Capella.
35.
70.
Doppelmajer,
Kant.
CHAP. VII.]
No.
81
Name. Autolycus.
Aristillus.
Name.
Descartes.
106.
107.
148. 149.
150.
Stadius.
Pallas.
189.
190. 191. 192. 193. 194. 195.
Abulfeda.
Parrot.
108.
109. 110. 111.
Triesnecker.
Archimedes.
Timocharis.
Albategnius.
151.
152.
Agrippa.
Arago.
Taruntius.
Alphons. Ptolemy.
Herschel.
153.
154.
Lambert. Diophantus.
Delisle.
112. 113.
Apollonius.
Davy.
Guerik^.
155.
Schubert.
196. 197.
199.
Briggs.
114.
116.
156. 157.
158. 159. 160.
Firmicus.
Silberschlag.
Lichtenberg.
Calippus.
Cassini.
117.
118.
Bonpland. Lalande.
Hyginus.
Ukert.
Boscovicli.
200.
Reaumur.
Letronne.
Billy.
201.
202.
203.
Gauss.
120.
121. 122. 123. 124.
Messala.
Struve.
161.
162. 163. 164. 165.
167. 168. 169.
Ross.
Proclus.
204.
205.
Mason.
Plana.
Picard.
Condorcet.
206.
Burg.
Baily.
125.
126. 127. 128.
129. 130.
Pliny or Menelaus.
Manilius.
207.
208.
209.
Flamsteed.
Eudoxus.
Aristotle.
Erastothenes.
Gay
Lussac.
210.
Plato.
170.
171.
172. 173.
Tobias Mayer.
Marius.
Gibers.
211.
212.
Pico.
Helicon.
131. 132.
213. 214.
215.
Maupertuis.
Maskelyne.
Sabine.
Ritter.
Vasco de Gama.
Seleucus.
Condamine.
Bianchini.
Sharp.
133.
134. 135.
174.
175. 176. 177.
178.
Herodotus.
Aristarchus.
Godin.
Mairan.
Gerard.
Repsold.
136.
Soemmering.
Schroeter.
La
Hire.
137.
138. 139.
140.
Pytheas.
Bessel.
Gambart..
179.
180.
220.
221.
Pythagoras.
Fontenelle.
Timaeus. Epigenes.
Reinhold.
Vitruvius.
Encke.
Hevelius.
Riccioli.
181.
182.
Maraldi.
222.
223. 224. 225. 226. 227.
228.
141. 142.
143.
Macrobius.
Cleomides.
Gartner.
Thalee.
Strabo.
Lohrman.
Cavalerius.
Eoemer.
Littrow.
Posidonius.
144.
145. 146. 147.
Eeiner.
Endymion.
Atlas.
Kepler.
187.
188.
Geminus.
Linnseus.
Copernicus.
229.
Hercules.
moon
unnecessary that we
We
that a few remarks upon the salient features of a few of the most
82
THE MOON.
[chap. vii.
important
plates
;
may be
illustrative
may be taken
as repre-
sentative of the
many.
COPEKNICUS,
147.
Plate
VIII.
craters.
Although
its vast
it
diameter (46
forms one of
Its situa-
its class.
all
its
wonderful
conspicuous as to establish
it
Its vast
rampart
rises to
upwards of 12,000
group
of cones, three of
feet.
them
2400
The rampart
is
down
in vast segments
plateau.
may
be observed
The same
may
to establish in his
its
details as well
those of the largest terrestrial volcanic craters, require that our ideas
as to magnitude of such objects should be, so to speak, educated
upon a
reader,
special standard.
we
CHAP. VII.]
83
appended to
Copernicus
is
and the
dis-
around
it,
side, will
by a wonderfully complex
common
on our
plate,
moon
They show conspicuously, however, by their united on the full moon, Plate IV. Every one of those bright
streaks,
we
conceive, is a record of
what was
site of
originally a crack or
chasm
Copernicus stands.
The cracking
this,
has
left
have
Many somewhat
away from the
to
may
be observed leading
exterior
These appear
be due to the more free egress which the extruded matter would
The
spur-ridges
may
be traced
fining
away
for fully
100 miles on
delicate
objects
as
to approach invisibility.
exterior of the
ram-
They appear
to be
84
THE MOON.
[chap. vii.
itself,
Under circumstances
upwards of 70 miles on
sides
may be
rich
observed.
in
The
district
is
specially
these
moon
for the
At the
tively
may be
;
the surface
extruded matter which, not having been ejected with sufficient energy to cause the erupted material to assume the crater form
around the vent of ejection, have simply assumed the mound form
so well
known
Were we
we
all
respects
such instructive
its
immediate surroundings.
GASSENDI,
90.
Frontispiece.
An
the height of
the most elevated portion of the surrounding wall from the plateau
CHAP. VII.]
85
The
7000
As
in other
the expiring effort of the eruption which had formed the great
circular wall of the crater.
The plateau
is
traversed by several
Both the
interior
remark-
bank
is to
it
is
and cannot
fail to
may be
seen a crater
great crater,
itself.
The neighbourhood of Gassendi is diversified by a vast number of mounds and long ridges of exudated matter, and also traversed by
enormous chasms and cracks,
and are
fully
several of
100 miles
traverse plain
and mountain
Numbers
EUDOXUS,
208,
and ARISTOTLE,
209.
Plate X.
Two
in
gigantic craters,
Eudoxus being
about 48 miles
summit
degree.
The
86
THE MOON.
[chap. vii.
ing walls or banks display on the grandest scale the landslip feature,
the result of the over-piling of the ejected material, and the conse-
The
little
were once the vents from whence the ejected matter of the craters
was discharged.
On
may be
seen myriads of
*'
comparatively
So
them is totally out of the question ; in our original notes we have termed them " Froth craters " as the most characteristic description
of their aspect.
The
by radial ridges
or spurs
down
some
To the
may
district of smaller
to present a
On
may be
About 40 miles
plain,
lofty
to the east of
Eudoxus there
is
a fine example of
30
miles through a
mountains.
inasmuch as
it
disregards
all
alike.
There are several other features in and around these two mag-
CHAP. VII.]
87
all
of
them
TKIESNECKER,
150.
Plate XI.
crater,
A fine
having
all
the
Its diameter is
it
and
feature,
as a subject for
may
Several of
these great cracks obviously diverge from a small crater near the
west external bank of the great one, and they subdivide or branch
out, as they extend
broad at the widest part, and after extending to fully 100 miles,
taper away
till
test
them with
some
perfection and
When
many details
among
which are certain portions of the edges of these cracks or chasms which have fallen in and caused interruptions to their continuity.
THEOPHILUS,
97
(5yRILLUS, 96
CATHARINA,
95.
Plate XII.
central cone
5200
feet high.
88
Cyrillus,
THE MOON.
60 miles diameter
;
;
[chap. vii.
central cone,
;
5800
feet high.
Each
the attention
of
the moon's
wonderful surface,
some incon-
Theophilus by
a very striking
its
manner that
is
more recent
and
marked a
character.
The
of
are,
by comparison, they
would
to a beholder close to
them appear
we
really large
objects.
we
to
We
may
in
the tranquil
worlds,
namely, volcanic
force.
is this
So
rich
in
magnificent
filled
group and
its
might be
CHAP. VII.]
89
full
PTO]LEMY,
111
ALPHONS,
110;
ARZACHAEL,
84,
ETC. Plate
XIII.
The
disc,
moon's
They
consist
rampart
is eighty- six
them
at the
extreme
situated
remarkable degree, of
the distinctive
characteristic
lofty
ragged
fine group,
has
its
plateau specially distinguished by several cracks or chasms fully one mile wide, the direction or ** strike " of which coincide in a very
among
the
most notable
an enormous straight
cliff
This great
;
clifi"
is sixty
2000
feet
high
it is
straightness as
seen under
its
sunrise aspect.
The
although
90
THE MOON.
when minutely
while on
[chap. vii.
scrutinized, to be someits
what serrated
detected
in its outline,
upper edge
may be
The
perfectly
formed
craters.
extends.
To the right-hand
through in
to the
parallel
its
two small
craters,
from
may
be detected passing
is parallel
cliff,
general strike or
direction
On
the
*'
left
hand
of this great
cliff is
named
may be
miles
fact,
observed two
is
2*75
this
We
specially
remark
most probably
fail
to reveal themselves.
PLATO,
210.
Plate XIV.
its
This
crater, besides
many interesting
The diameter
is
and around
it
requir-
them
;
of the crater is
70 miles
the
8000
feet,
and
Reference to our
illustration will
CHAP. VII.]
91
On
may be
mass
The
landslip nature
fact of
by the
the
features
may
number
of exceedingly
minute
craters
may be
The plateau
it
itself is
remarkable for
to
when
its
The
is
The
sur-
them demand
special description.
Plate XIV.
to the west of
it
lies
somewhat diagonally
It
When
seen to be a vast
some of which
upwards of 10,000
feet
8000
This
form
forces as its
one of the
abounds.
many structural enigmas with which the lunar surface To the north-west of the valley a vast number of isolated
92
THE MOON.
[chap. vii.
mounds or small mountains of exudation may be seen so numerous are they as to defy all attempts to count them with anything like exactness and among them, a power of 200 to 300 will
; ;
craters.
Plate XIV.
This
is
favourable circumstances.
it is
upwards
it is
8000
feet,
and
broad.
The summit
is cleft into
it
may
be ascertained
on the
plain.
Five or six
to the
iso-
same
30 or 40 miles
is
of
it
the
for realizing
effort of
we can only by an
imagination conceive
its
by which
it is
TYCHO,
This magnificent
crater,
is
30.
PLATE XVI.
the plateau, whence rises a grand central cone 5000 feet high.
is
all
much
on account of
dimensions as from
of disruption from
CHAP. VII.]
93
interposing ohstacles.
is
There
is
solid crust
moon
into radiating
common
centre of divergence.
moon by
the unassisted
The
and
illustrated in
Chapter XI.
The
examples of the
Somewhat
;
may
some
ram-
what we conceive
On
to hazard
what appears
to us a rational
may
be considered to have
caused, in the
first
moon's crust
up through these
on finding a comparatively
by the
him
as
and so
left
94
THE MOON.
subject,
[chap. vii.
came up simultaneously
we now
behold.
"
WAKGENTIN,"
26.
Plate 5is
This object
is
a crater about
53 miles
that has
been
left
to consolidate.
The general
unaptly compared
thin cheese."
The
The
marked by a
together with
some other
slight elevations
and depressions
fall
only be detected
when the
sun's rays
To
is
usual type,
we
by
AKISTARCHUS,
These two
ously
situated
fine
176,
and HERODOTUS,
175.
Plate
^
disc.
in
the moon's
summit
of which is about
7500
feet
CHAP. VII.]
95
while
its
moon
is
2600
feet.
its
and
inside,
have
fine
the
cracks or chasms
may
They
to encounter
Some
miles,
parts of these
chasms gape
two to three
and when
and there
partly filled
We
;
to
draw
attention
in the
to
the
parallelism
or general
"strike"
this appearance
is
has special
and
Aristarchus
bility
is
specially remarkable for the extraordinary capaits interior and rampart banks Although there are many portions of the
lunar surface which possess the same property, yet few so remarkably as in the case of Aristarchus, which shines with such brightness, as
compared with
of
its
immediate surroundings, as
observer.
to attract
the
attention
Some have
still
and Tycho
also, as well as
other
spots,
are
nearly as
highly
reflective
that
of
Aristarchus.
But
the
96
light-reflecting
THE MOON.
property
of
its
[chap. vii.
material,
it
renders
it
especially
noticeable, so
much
so as to
make
earth-light,
when but
a slender crescent
moon
is
is
speciality as
its
appearance owes
its
existence to
some
WALTER,
48,
and adjacent
Intrusfv^e Craters.
Plate XXII.
It includes
may be
is
is
The number
rampart
is
20, exclusive of
we have observed within the those on the rampart itself. The entire
many
the more so
the objects
mind the vast proportions of which they comprise, upon which point we may remark
if
we keep
in
is
considerably
ARCHIMEDES,
191
190,
AND the
craters,
CHAP. VII.]
97
If the
should
and
it
and
if
objects
and
duly appreciate
magnificence of the
Were we
itself, fill
would, of
a goodly volume
represented every variety of feature which so interestingly characterizes the lunar surface.
All the
more prominent
of their class
and depths below the average surface of the moon most distinctly
and impressively cognizable.
Archimedes
is
it
has a diameter
summit
to
summit
of its
is
it
rise
a low angle.
intercepted by
them
at
Two
in-
may
98
TEE MOON.
[chap. vii.
formation.
Two
may be
these cracks,
Their course
partially filled
fallen
their sides,
which have
of these
The depths
which there
owe
is
their
every
as to altitude, which would have been the case had the upheaving
action been at a moderate depth beneath.
We would venture
most moderate
to
esti-
mate
would
them,
let
him
for a
moment imagine
himself a
on the surface of the moon coming upon one of them, and finding his onward progress arrested by the sudden appearance of
black yawning depths
;
its vast
for
profound a chasm would break upon his sight until he came comparatively close to its fearful edge.
traveller
interruption to
his
progress.
reader will
only
terrific
grandeur of a
portions of
its
rugged sides
fallen in wild
confusion into the jaws of the tortuous abyss, and catching here
darkness of
will,
profundity
he
by so
many
CHAP. VII.]
99
efforts
careful observer,
The contemplation
of these
silence
These digressions
are, in
some
and so
respects, a forestalment of
far
what
;
we have
to say by-and-by,
but
with the illustration to which the above remarks refer placed before
the reader, they may, in some respects, enhance the interest of examination.
its
The upper
cent range
is
of volcanic
mountains named
our Apennines,
This mountain
moun-
form one of the most terribly grand and romantic scenes which
imagination
can
conceive.
The
north-east face of
the range
some
of
which
90 miles,
till
they lose
mountains,
at one
many
The most
is
it is
first
then
member
seen
100
THE MOON.
among
[chap. vii.
interspersed
of lunar
volcanic
phe-
nomena.
We
XXV.
to give
some
idea of a
Plate
"'."
'c o db urytyp e
VESUVIUS.
AND NEIGHBOURHOOD OF
i\APL.ES.
OF
N A P
I,
E S.
CHAPTER
As we
stated in our
VIII.
ON LUNAR CRATERS.
brief general description of
the visible
at our
map and
By
general acceptation the term " crater " has been used to
all
represent nearly
is so far
aptly applied.
But among
it
may
be
materially
to
its
earth
for while, as
we have
a hollow on a mountain top with its flat bottom high above the
level of the
moon have
their
more or
less
102
THE MOON.
[chap. viii.
craters
as Sir
they
offer
the true
We
moon
some
terrestrial volcanic
we
see
satellite.
by a certain
about Naples,
Phlegrceij or
known from classic times as the Campi burning fields, a name given to them in early days,
showed traces of ancient
earth-fire, or
because
concerning hot-
if
The resemblance
of which
we
Professor Phillips, in his work on Vesuvius, which by the way contains a historical description of the district in question, calls the
moon
this
a grand Phlegreian
field.
How
famous spot resemble the generality of those upon the moon may
by
Naples, and the lunar a portion of the surface about the crater
Theophilus.
circles together,
we
are however
craters.
This
is
the difference
of
magnitude.
None
known upon the earth. Yet when we turn to the moon, and measure some of the larger craters there, we are astonished to find them ranging from an almost The same disproinvisible minuteness to 74 miles in diameter.
larger volcanic vents than these are
CHAP. VIII.]
LUNAR CRATERS.
108
To
we would
refer to
our
illustration
Copernicus* and
craters.
its
hundreds of comparatively
Vesuvius would be
minute surrounding
Our
last,
terrestrial
And
this dispro-
more
forcibly
when we
it is
lunar globe has an area only one- thirteenth of that of the earth.
many
should have
been
incredulous
as
to
the
true
volcanic
them by some
*'
and
is
expiring
effort
of the
eruptive force,
which
Upon
the
moon we have
all scales,
we have
it
upon
up to craters of 74 miles
in diameter, as
line ?
we have
shown on
p. 106.
Where
Somma,
where
no break in the
moon anywhere
?
We
have,
104
true,
THE MOON.
[chap. viii.
it is
many examples
sizes,
down
to tlie smallest,
of these
we
we
will confine
all
And
in the first
place let
take a passing
hypothesis of
to be untenable,
mountains
to the elevation
beneath,
we
pyramid of ejected
the external solid
orifice in
by commotions engendered
source
in its
molten nucleus.
What
is
of
we may conceive
steam,
is
in
all
probability
its
primary cause.
may have
or,
upon the
may have
forced its
it
The vent once formed, the building of the volcanic mountain commenced by the out-belching of the lava, ashes, and scoriae, and
the dispersion of these around the vent at distances depending
projected.
As the
action
maintained with the source of the ejected materials and the seat of
The height
to
:
which the
pile
would
rise
several conditions
CHAP. VIII.]
LUNAR CRATERS.
105
Supposing the action to subside gradually, the tapering form will be continued upwards by the comparatively gentle deposition of material around the orifice, and a perfect cone will result of some
such form as that represented below, which
is
Fig.
16.
full integrity in
Fig. 17.
which shows
its
condition, according
to
Now
If,
this
its
decapitation to a
violence carried
by the
it
But
is
summit
indicated
The
106
THE MOON.
,<<*
[chap. VIII.
'i<'-/,,.
CoMeMiaMToTllBlT
Small CiuTefc
1iiibi*Waijej"
#
t^HPANIOH TO PABpr
llJIile3PfamT
THE0P1<ILUS.
ClilfilcallSain''
,v.^->
Heriscuel
ERATOSTHNES.
Sa Mies Item?
A6RIPPA.
SOMJles'lJlan?
Petavius.
DIAGRAM OP LUNAR CRATERS, FORMING A SERIES RANGING FROM If MILES TO 78 MILKS IN DIAMETER, ALL CONTAINING CENTRAL CONES.
CHAP. VIII.]
LUNAR CRATERS.
of
107
crater-opening
our
second
figure
one
:
paroxysmal phase
sudden
cessation
the
eruptive
orifice
force
at
greatest
intensity,
was
its
matters in an opposite condition to that suggested as the result instead of the peak we should of a slow dying out of the action
:
It
is
of
was formed
;
Fia. 18.
for
such as those
though the
first
We may
We
and 1631 to see how the old crater was enlarged by the
Pompeian eruption
crater
Here we have a
its original
diameter of a mile
increased to
cliff
range that
" basal
air
wrecks
" of volcanic
108
THE MOON.
by some eruption
;
[chap. viii.
each
of
peculiar
paroxysmal
violence
and
persistence
which they
When
volcanic mountain-top
more
the vent
keep
itself
open, and
manner
of its
Fig.
19.
This
last
still
may
its
summit,
and a
smaller cone
may form
As
dies away, the molten lava, no longer seething and boiling, and
spirting forth with the rest of the ejected matter, wells
slowly, and cooling rapidly as
it
upwards
atmo-
comes
flat
bottom or
the crater.
may happen
inner
the principal
tion of
1631 the great cone which we now call Vesuvius was thrown
now
distinguished as
appearance was that shown in Fig. 19, and which does not
The summit
;
of
it
has
it
has rebuilt
nearly upon
its
former model.
CHAP. VIII.]
LUNAR CRATERS.
transfer our attention to the volcanoes of the
109
When we
moon, we
studying
means
for
up of
man
The
it
now
be, of
which we are
upon our
satellite,
and
left
us only
If
its effects as
a clue to the
means
we
have seen
as
it is
we
We
Where
The
may
reasonably be ascribed to
the projection
effect of
the
moon
In the
upon our
subject
satellite is
upon the
earth.
mag-
nitude of the
ratio to its
moon and
much
larger surface in
its
parted with
cosmical
of the heat-conserving
;
power of an atmosphere of
water vapour
operating, too, as
it is
much
reduced in weight as
most favourable
110
THE MOON.
Moreover, as the ejected material in
[chap. VIII.
degree of violence.
its
passage
was
left free to
its
and thus to
deposit itself at distances from its source vastly greater than those
of which
earth.
We
moon's volcanic
had
difficulty in assign-
whose
how vastly more must be the inquiry into the primary source of the power that has been at work upon the moon, which cannot be virtually
watch, and w^hose material they can analyze,
difficult
we cannot handle
to see if
is
it
be
Steam
the agent
for explanation
'^
of terrestrial volcanoes
is
up and
But we
globe.
We
;
existed
we
we should be compelled
had existed
;
nearly in as great quantity, area for area, there as upon our globe
Aqueous vapour being denied us, we must look in other direcOf the nature of the lunar materials tions for an ejective force. we can know nothing, and we might therefore assume anything
some have had recourse to the supposition of expansive vapours given off by some volatile component of the said material while in
PLATIY
\^'!
/-
.\
'
y/fer-?^:
fV,v
:v\^\v :Ov^:^.-
J.Kai-.myt.K.
P E
2p
Pv
N
f-0
C U
50
S.
Cp
7,0
/p5
^^''^^
'
rC
30
<3p
Scale
LVWAM CEATEBS.
Ul
PrafieflBor
dement
in the
onr
meteors that
have ecme
hy heat in the
reaching the
sabstnita of the
edd smroonding
spaee,
Maedler has
snch as the hright streams that radiate from some of the ciaten^
fiir
But in
suppoi^taoaDS fiks
these
we must remember
ei^anslTe
Ts^urs could hsTe lain dormant till the moon assumed a solid crust, as aQ such would douhtiess make tiidr escape before asj shell was fimned, and at an epodi idien there was ample fiidlity far tbdr expansion. While we are not insensible of ibe Talne of an eipansJve Tiponr eai^kiiation, if it could be based on anything beyond mere eonjeeture, we are disposed to attadi greater weig^ to that afforded hy the princ^le sketched in our third chapter, Tix., of eipansion i^on solidification. We ga^e, as we think, ample proof tiiat moiten matter of Tdcanie nature, when about passing to the solid states increases its bulk to a considerable degree, and we suggested that the lunar globe at one period of its histoiy must hafe been, wbat
our earth is now, a sotid shell encon^assing a
dear how
mdten
nucleus
and
confining crust.
At
first
si^t
it
may seem
that
we
fiiroe
giadud in thdr
112
THE MOON.
[chap. viii.
when we
displace.
expansion
it
had to
as a
at a
mountains on the
moon
covering
many
;
much
but what
is
this
compared
the
moon
itself?
feet in
mountains
model of our
satellite
Turn
for
moment
to
our
as
map
to
(Plate
V.),
shadows
give
information
the heights
the
various
irregularities,
and suppose
it
some
suppose
it
to have been a
that this has expanded, cracked its shell, oozed out in the process
of solidification, and solidified
:
the
map under
30
but
miles,
we
when we
in
diameter
is
less
we need have no
rise to
it.
We have
final result
most extensive
We
allude to
CHAP. VIII.]
LUNAR CRATERS.
Our map
will will exhibit
113
many
An
of
southern
hemisphere
abundant
more
them
is
them
concerned.
These
and escaping
Such an extent of
it is
compatible
reasonable
it is
would manifest
its
turbing the superimposed crust either in one long crack, out of the
its
and
The
would
would be formed
We
can
(of volcanic
mounto the
great
and whose
first
some
later period.
among the
terrestrial
114
THE MOON.
tlie
[chap. VIII.
size,
we have no
It is
against probability,
supposing every
lunar crater to have once been a mountain, that in every case the
and we are
were formed by one continuous outburst, and that their " eviscera-
Fia.
20.
tion "
We
:
do not,
that
may
Under these
by a
circumstances we conceive
the
upcasting and
a mere " star " or crack in and through the outermost and solid
crust.
As we
more complicated
also as a
features,
we
commencement
of the
^^>/i:^
AP CH
\^
E D E S,
&c, &c.
CHAP. VIII.]
LUNAR CRATERS.
115
crater.
From
all
escape,
probability in a
itself
on our globe.
The
if
first
than a mere
the ejective force were small this might increase to the magnitude
Fig. 21.
But
first
if
moment
of the
much
of
it
deposited
as in falling was not caught by the funnel) being around the hollow and forming an embryo circular
mountain.
The continuance
by an enlargement of the
by the
outward rush of the violently discharged material, but also by the " sweating " or grinding action of such of it as in descending fell
I
116
THE MOON.
[chap. VIII.
And
at the
crater enit
circumference, for
would
Upon
we hase the
Fio. 22.
period of
its
development.
its
prede-
and widening of
its
mouth and
or
mound would
piling
he extended.
up of matter
obvious that when the ejective force could no longer exert itself to a
great distance
it
lifted its
in the
immediate neighbourhood.
Even
if
the
was
insufficient to
CHAP. VIII.]
LUNAR CRATERS.
crater,
;
117
would be to
pile
for
slope and
it
bottom.
And
by little
Fio. 23.
orifice,
marked one
moon.
We
have
it
this
copiously
it
represented
is
presumable that
has in general
118
THE MOON,
its
[chap. VIII.
analogous to
We
may
conceive
that the fluid matter was either spirted forth with the solid or semisolid constituents of the cone, in
which case
or
it
and
fill
issued
or that, as
we
upon the
earth,
it
found
its
FiQ. 24.
forcing its
basal parts.
indi-
moon
in Fig. 25
and the
parallel
phenomena
in Fig.
26 and on Plate
and red-hot
of Vesuvius as
authors in 1864, when the principal cone was vomiting forth ashes,
stones,
lava, while
fluid lava
down and forming the plateau. Although we cannot, obviously, see upon the moon evidence
which was
settling
of
by
CHAP. VIII.]
LUNAB CRATERS.
119
many
we observe
craters
From
shewn
27
is easily,
and to
We
are in a
manner
led
up
to
Fig. 25.
this idea
Tycho
or Theophilus,
For instance, in such examples we have cones high above the lava floor
as
in
Eudoxus among
others,
we
Why
should
it
some cones
We
explana-
120
THE MOON.
some coneless
craters
:
[chap. VIII.
tion of
it is
it
there
craters,
^N'>
1^ /)V^^
duced, though the welling forth of lava occurred from the vent,
left fully
as to stay the egress of solid ejecta and yet allow the fluid material
it,
on consolidation
As most
of the examples of
may
suppose that
'
PLA T E
X.
Mmmm
JKasirlyth.
"Vvbodiiurjrtype
ARISTOTLE
ro
&
20
30
EUDOXUS
40
SO
7p
MILES
^ Scale.
CHAP. VIII.]
LUNAR CRATERS.
121
We
offered
we
give
(Plate XVIII.)
It appears to
be really a crater
to
This
on
we may, under
in our illustration.
Fig. 27.
Upon
is
no such feature
an actual
overflow of lava took place at this part of the crater, but from the
it is
impossible to
There
is
con-
dition
but, unique as
it is, it is
sufficient to justify
our conclusion
a flowing-
up
which has
filled
122
THE MOON.
surface.
[chap. VIII.
up an even
have been
The
filled
empty
its
Fig. 28.
crater al
rampart in the
first instance.
We
that at
some period of
was a
other craters
may
We
know
is
common phenomenon
in the
many examples
CHAP. VIII.]
LUNAR CRATERS.
123
moon.
(See Frontispiece.)
But the
we ought
form of a bulky or
Fia. 29.
extent that
we do not find anything of the we should expect from the mass of matter that would
It is true that if the escaping fluid
it
had might have spread over a large area and have formed a stratum too thin to be detected. Such a degree of
been very limpid
limpidity as would be required to
fulfil
constitute a craterfull.
this condition
we
are hardly,
124
THE MOON.
to the subject of central cones.
[chap.
Vtll.
To return
the majority
we
Copernicus
offers
an example
light, indicating as
many peaks
seen
when the
Eratosthenes,
Bulialdus,
Maurolicus,
Petavius,
Langreen,
and
among many
more than a
the
moon
in
1864 (Plate
I.
and Fig. 26) shews the double cone and the probable
coming material.
first
instance
PLATE
J.Nasmyth
""Woodtiirytype'
TRIESNECKER.
fO
CHAP. VIII.]
LUNAR GRATMRS.
125
would
to find a less resisting thoroughfare into open space, and the process
new
orifice,
perhaps
Fig. 31.
till,
itself,
may
have been that this action has taken place after the formation
manner indicated by
Fig.
30
a spasmodic
let it pass,
is
many
small
126
THE MOON.
This
is
[chap. viii.
craters.
many
were produced
by an
may
it
In the
has been the channel for an up-cast of material, but that at some
depth below the surface this material met with some obstruction or
cause of diversion, and that
far
it
it
out
It
it
might
is
no
uncommon thing
when they appear at such a distance from the primary vent, it seems more reasonable to suppose that they do not belong to it,
but have arisen from a subsequent and an independent action.
We
find scarcely
in
is
the centre of a large one, or taking the place of the cone. a curious circumstance. a great crater that feature
central feature in
a cone.
The tendency
by very weak
of this fact is
efforts of this
expiring force, for had there been any strength in the last paroxysm
it is
presumable that
it
left
a crater.
No
very violent eruptions have therefore taken place from the vents
moon, nothing more powerful than could produce a cone of exudation or a cinderthat were connected with the great craters of the
heap.
And
it
is
two
to
have
been
independent,
supposition
is
CHAP. VIII.]
LUNAR CBATEB8.
127
The
power
in
diminished force
may
well be considered
which would
the concentricity suggests that there have been two eruptions from
and
a second rather less powerful which has formed the interior circle.
It is not, however, evident that this duplication of the
ring has
In
many
cases there is
part of the circular range, sometimes upon the outside and some-
likely to
have been
formed by any freak of the eruption, and we are led to ascribe them
in general to landslip
phenomena.
When,
in the
course of a
continued
upper, or
till
has lost
cohesiveness,
down the
Vast segments of
many
of
down the
Nearly every
detached.
lie
slid
down and
exhibit
in segmental
the rampart.
Aristarchus,
subject to them.
They
are
128
TH:E
moon.
[chap. viii.
tem-
exposed.
;
We
at present it
must
suffice
the lunar
soil
varies,
are,
to be on the one
to be
range
must work
materials as
we may
must engender,
and which must tend to enlarge existing fissures and create new
ones, to grind contiguous surfaces
and
it
is to
be remarked,
one which
is
still
we
down the
evidence of a
downward streaming
"We cannot doubt that these ruts have from that which existed in the cases
is
found.
masses of
for a
time and
fluid,
upon
sand
The
solid
grains in such a heap sustain its general mass-form, but the liquid
I"
J.ITafiTT/tb
"
WooAburytype"
THEOPHiLUS,CYRiLLUS,& CATHARINA
6
20
30
'K}
SO
60
TO
80
CHAP.
VIII.]
LUNAR CRATERS.
away cuts the surface into
it
129
in passing
fissures
into a
the inference that the material which originally formed such a crater-
is
this
rutted character, and appears in Plate IX., side by side with a crater
its
damp
behoves us to say a
few words upon the curious manner in which these formations are
complicated by intermingling and superposition.
point,
in the
way
possible
by words.
In particular we
would
named Theophilus,
Cyrillus,
and Catharina.
in this plate is by no
about Tycho wherein the craters so crowd and elbow each other that,
in their intricate combinations, they almost defy accurate depiction.
some idea
all
of them.
This
were not simultaneously produced, but that after one had been formed,
an eruption occurred in
portion of
it
its
away
or
it
same deep-seated
more
or less diverted
We
craters
visible
it is
the ring
mountains are linked into a chain slightly curved, and upon the
map, Plate V., the nearly central craters Ptolemy and Alphons,
the latter of which overlaps the former, are seen to form part of a
130
line of craters
THE MOON.
[chap. viii.
An
extensive crack suggests itself as a favourable cause for the production of this overlaying of craters, for
**
it
sort of
forth,
sometimes weak or
when the
result
would be
lines
of isolated craters,
the consequence would be the intrusion of one upon the other, and
The
linear
The
fable of the
Phlegreian fields
Typhon lying under Sicily and the and disturbing the earth by its writhings, is a
manner
in
The
capricious
is
very
curious.
Stoefiler presents us
Maurolycus with a third, and these are but a few cases of many.
like
an example
itself for a
time
that
it
number
ward
in the
same
line,
;
when
its
expended.
community of
origin.
For
it
seems
feasible that as
CHAP. VIII.]
LUNAR CRATERS.
131
This
may
but
it
will hold
for if
we assume the
it is
surface-areas in proportion as
acts
depths.
for the source of action, the greater or less surface disturbance will
craters,
is
So
are favourable,
and so
closely
they crowded
together,
name with
a cause.
The
craters
so
Humboldt
Jurillo,
chief
must be grand
Vesuvius.
objects,
since, as
For
we have shown
* Cosmos,"
132
THE MOON.
[chap. VIII.
moon
a mile diameter.
This comparison
may
for it is a
diameter.
We
These
facts give
But
it is
what that
and
for
fifty-mile crater
would look
like
itself
want of a
our
to
picture,
We may
try to realize
the
its
PLATE
XIII.
PTOLEMY, ALPHONS,ARZACHAEL&c
1
so
'p
'iO
jp
so
6p
7p
sp
> 9f
SCALF.
TJNIVEiiSITj:))
CHAPTER
IX.
for regarding as
Between the
we can
companion
If mile diameter,
cause ceased, and on the other side some other causative action
began.
But
there are
numerous
its peers,
and
are, therefore,
Our map
show many
striking examples
We may
Ptolemy near the centre of the moon, to Grimaldi (No. 125), Schickard (No. 28), Schiller (No. 24), and Clavius (No. 13), ail of
which
exceed
Even the
great
Mare
These present
;
and they
certainly, as
Hooke suggested,
134
THE MOON,
;
[chap. IX.
And
if it
sustain themselves,
debrisy
^-5^
-/--
Fig. 32.
of which, however,
we can
find
no
trace.
Moreover, we might
fairly
expect that some of the smaller domes would have remained stand-
ing
we need hardly say that nothing of the kind exists. The true circularity of these objects appears at first view a remarkable feature. But it ceases to be so if we suppose them to
:
if
only
of the
moon's
heaving
crust.
For
if
beneath
effects at
equal distances
from
the source
will obviously
CHAP. IX.]
135
ance for
a circle.
and they
will
supposed to act at
s s s s.
will
be equal at
The
F/, F/,
and as
sphere of force.
This sphere
is
s s,
Fia.
33.
V^:\-;t-f-r/.= /"^
Fig. 34.
(shown in perspective as an
Thus we
see
its surface,
If this be not
homo-
to circularity if
it offers
may
possibly be the
We
and, granting
its
occurrence,
we
circular disturbance.
We
136
THE MOON.
[chap. ix.
its
matter would occur around the line or zone of rupture as in Fig. 34.
This supposition, however, implies such a peculiarly cohesive condition of the matter of the uplifted cake, that
it it is
doubtful whether
We
and
when the
the centre than at the edge, as, according to the above hypothesis,
it
would be
some traces of
disturbance
moon
such dislocations.
or tumescent surface in
which
give
We
showing what
is
the production
;
and
would be a
circle.
In this draw-
we
moon
m their conjec-
M. Bozet, who communicated a paper on selenology to the He French Academy in 1846, put forth the following theory.
argued that during the formation of the solid scoriaceous pelicules
of the
moon,
circular or tourbillonic
movements were
set
up
and
<|s^
CHAP. IX,]
137
these,
by throwing the
He
phenomenon continued during the whole probut that the amplitude of the whirlpool
solidification,
when many
and
"
"
Fig. 35.
A.
Fissures gaping
beneath,
to drop
b b
b.
below the level of the intervening masses, g c. Wedges forced upwards by horizontal compression, e p. Neutral plane or pivot axis, above and below which the directions of the tearing strain and horizontal the larger compression are severally indicated by the smaller arrows
;
the distances of their centres, taken two and two, were less than
and when
for
sum
We
this, that
we
ments,, and
M. Kozet
is silent
on the point.
appears to
138
THE MOON.
[chap. ix.
US more feasible to consider that wherever we see one of them there has been, at the centre of the ring, a great outflow of lava that has
flooded the surrounding surface.
is
Then,
if
it
not
difficult
became intermittent,
or
be propagated over the pool and would throw up the scoria or the
solidifying lava in a circular
bank
difi'er
He
exemplified on
This
longer
its
its circuit,
340
feet
This bottom
is
with safety
own
statement
written in 1846,
to the present
time)
over
is
it
and one
There are
also
The
largest
The
Now Dana
and
its
contained lava-
lakes to " the fact that the action at Kilauea is simply boiling,
The gases
or vapours
commotion,
water
while
Vesuvius and
immense bubbles
CHAP. IX.]
139
way through
with so
much
feet
many thousand
and
around in cinders.
Dana
continues,
is
we may
;
may
arise
from a deficiency of
The
is
size
of the
lunar craters
is
therefore
;
no mystery.
for a boiling
Neither
pool necessarily, by
its
own
around
centre.
The combination
of
many
circles,
it
we have
set forth,
and which
was
As
we
refuse their compliance with the supposition that they were formed as our crater-bearing volcanoes were formed
:
which the eruptive action could not be said to hold good, so long as
the central cone
is present.
to ring-mountains
them
to ejective action,
we
are obliged to
failing
face
And,
an
explanation of our
own
we have
alluded to the
In citing
*
it,
American Journal of
Second
CHAPTER
The
ranges,
X.
and
hill- chains,
a class of eminences
more
in
common with
terrestrial formations
its
richness in respect
of
crateral
and a
field of speculation is
moon thus
rule,
and
are
*'
fewest
and
the
termed
The
is
finest
range
is
that
named
No. IX.
to contain
It extends for
the Apennines, and, although a far less imposing group than the
last
lofty peaks,
Mount Huyghens
others
Another consider-
PLATE XV
J.Naarayth.
'"WbocLbTirytype"
MERCATOR
'lO
&
30
1
CAMPANUS
fC
J
S
'
m
1
20
1
50
'
60
1
70
>
Scale
CHAP. X.]
141
able range
crater Plato,
It contains
some
five
with seemingly
its
straightness
and
that,
were
it
moon
at
an enormous
There are
;
but
those
we have
specified will
sufiice to illustrate
our suggestions
We
is
constituents
in abrupt
terminal lines, facing nearly the same direction, the reverse of that
and as
line,
tail
exhibit.
numbers upon the moon there them nevertheless, and these are
;
to.
Several
are seen to the east (right hand) of the Alpine range depicted on
Plate
XIV.
The
best
known
of these is Pico,
which
rises abruptly
feet.
It
may be
Above
it,
at
is
hill-ridge to Plato, is a
142
THE MOON.
[chap. X.
Pico and its compeers, and thus to consider that the formation of a mountain chain has been a multiplication of the process that formed
the single pyramid- shaped eminences.
At
first
thought
it
might
moon by some subsurface convulBut such an explanation could hardly hold in relation to
it is difficult, if
Fio. 36.
On
the contrary,
it
up by a slow process
somewhat analogous
to that to
We
believe they
may
be regarded as true mountains of exudation, produced by the comparatively gentle oozing of lava from a small orifice and its solidification around
it
;
summit
CHAP. X.]
143
This process
a severe frost
the water as
it falls
around the
lips of
the orifice
As
mound
it is
piled higher
Fia. 37.
till
at length a
mined by the
water, and
fairly
massive cone is formed whose height will be deterforce or " head " of the water. Substitute lava for
at once a formative process
we have
We
by Dana
at
we
also repro-
latter,
144
THE MOON.
[chap. x.
Fig.
38.
Fig. 39.
fountain
volcanic mountains.
PLATE XV
J.asrayth
"Wbodbiirytype.'
TYCHO AND
TO
ITS
30
SURROUNDINGS
iW
SO
JO
-20
60
70
SO
Scale
CHAP. X.]
145
" On examining," says Mr. Scrope,* " the structure of the mountain (Etna)
we
it is
exposed to view
cavity, the
Yal de
composed of beds
more
by the volcano
at
known
historical
period.
Hence we
are fully
And
eruptions
may not be
mode
of pro-
to all mountains
rocks, even
composed
most
part, of volcanic
time."
To these
illustrations
we add
one of
many
we have been
scale.
considering,
Professor
Smyth
still
yawning,
fires
Reverting
now
to the
moon, we remark
should hold
them which we
There occur
146
THE MOON.
[chap. X.
them leading by
suc-
what may
be called chains of
mountains
like
many
Fig.
40.
system.
And, in view of
formed by
the comparatively slow escape of lava through multitudinous openings in a weak part of the moon's crust, rather than to suppose
that the crust itself has been bodily upheaved and retained in its
disturbed position.
that
many mountains
in such
CHAP. X.]
147
a chain exhibit accord better with the former than the latter
explanation
;
for it is difficult to
lofty
eminences
that the
we must remember
which are
at
work upon
otherwise
little
and crater-forming
action,
processes,
although
difierent,
and
it
is
reasonable to
;
so that
pile
up a mountain.
In
* In reference to such prominences on the lunar surface as cast steeple-like shadows, it is well to remark that we must not in all cases infer, from the acute spire-like form of the shadow, that the object which casts the shadow is of a
which the first impression would naturally lead us comparatively blunt or rounded eminence will project a long and pointed shadow when the rays of light fall on the object at a low angle, and especially so when the shadow is projected on a convex surface. We illustrate this with a copy of an actual photograph of the shadow cast by half a pea, Fig. 41.
Fia. 41.
L 2
148
THE MOON.
[chap. x.
We
ascribe
We
may
suddenness of
fluidity of the
action
or
it
may be
lava have
qualities
had modifying
of
or on the other
;
hand
different
the
crust-material
or
yet
again
differences of period
the
There
far to
is
an
show some
that
there
been
no
radical
difference
in
their
origins.
in
had been
linear
formed along a
crust
;
line
of disruption or of least
resistance of the
arrangement.
in
Then we
Thus Coperrequires no
nicus (No. 147), Erastothenes (No. 168), and the Apennines appear
to belong to
;
and
it
Eudoxus
(No. 208), and Aristotle (No. 209) form a continuation of the same
line.
Serenetatis
we
see
mountainous ridges
and craters alternating one with the other as though the exuding
action there, normally sufficient to produce the ridges,
had
at
some
the
points
become
forcible
enough
to
produce a crater.
Again, upon
among
We
many
'*
of ridges here
XX.,
CHAP.x.]
149
allied.
We
ridge
the exudation
is
is
mountain chain
(if
the
exudation
But the
subject of cracks
important
enough
We
phenomena
of
wrinkhng
or
we pointed out
and a
terrestrial
mountain
region.
We
decided coincidence of
and in
some cases
it is difficult
to decide
The
doubtful character
and a similar
There
are,
however, abundant
examples of
less
more
of
action
they are found over nearly the whole lunar surface, some
in
considerable
elevation,
relief,
showing
of
or
giving
an
undulating appearance.
numerous examples,
especially in the
32),
appear to indicate a
CHAPTER
XI.
We
now pass
to the consideration
in part
from other
comparatively
are those bright streaks that are seen, under certain conditions of
moon
Menelaus,
Generally these
focal
craters
have
moon
At
or nearly full
moon
the streaks are seen to traverse over plains, mountains, craters, and
all
asperities;
object that
that diverging
PLATE XVH
'
^^)c J.'b-orytypc
GLASS
CRACKED
GLOBE
BY INTERNAL PRESSURE' ILLUSTRATING THE CAUSE OF THE BRIGHT STREAKS RADIATING FROM TYCHO.
PLATE
X!X.
-i^
''VVbodburytype"
FULL
EXHIBIT!
r:G
MOON
CHAP. XI.]
151
The
easily
may
Those around
many
respects well
renders
hopeless.
any endeavour to
delineate
their
arrangement equally
The
found diverg-
ing from
community
no
between
the
two phenomena
they are
It is
many
of the
With
we we have
filled it
have plunged
it
into a
warm
latter,
rent by a vast
number
of
The
we
that
it is
impossible to resist
moon being
that
to
152
THE MOON,
present a photograph from one of
in the
[chap. xi.
On Plate XVITE. we
glohes which
many glass
:
we have cracked
manner described
a careful
FiQ. 42.
ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE RADIATING CRACKS WHICH PRECEDE THE FORMATION OF THE BRIGHT STREAKS.
-will,
we
trust, justify
us in
which have
CHAP. XI.]
153
The accompanying
upon
action
The primary
a system of radiating
Fia.
43.
matter heneath
to
make
its
We
154
THE MOON.
[chap. xi.
it
much made
greater
its
way
may
refer to
we
which, on being fractured by some concentrated pressure, or by a blow, is well known to " star " into radiating or diverging cracks,
up
through which
making
its
much
itself.
it
we doubt not
actions
surface.
on the moon's
streaks
from the
surface,
first
miles long, up
hills,
us beyond
It
all
rational probability.
may
means
we
to detect
as
might be expected
exit in the
manner
described.
Were
cliff-like or
craggy
we might
just be able at
low angles of illumination and under the most favourable circumstances of vision, to detect
so far as
some
slight appearance of
shadows
but
we
We
them
is
due not
PLATE
XX.
^i;
''
43
0,:^v*>M;r^v.
)
'.IJasmyth.
'
Woodburytype
'.'
Vv'ARGENTIN
JO
lA
1
10
20
30
40
SO
60
70
SO
LES
Scale
(l
XJKIVEBSITY
CHAP. XI.]
155
margin of 10 or 15
able circumstances,
feet
fail
high would, under even the most favourto render such visible to us.
our ideal section of one of these bright streaks (Fig. 45), will shew
how
may
The absence of cognizable shadows from the bright streaks has led some observers to conclude that they have no elevation above
the surface over which they traverse, and
it
is
question
reflective
properties.
That
metallic or mineral substances of some kinds do deposit on condensation very white powders, or sublimates,
we
divergence
brightness.
by no means improbable, so
mere
the
But
as
we
all
features
and
which
establish
their true
we cannot
crater,
are not
only of a
common
more
wider of the bright streaks of their being the result of the outflow
of lava through systems of cracks running parallel to each other,
166
THE MOON.
[chap. xi.
the confluence of the lava issuing from which would naturally yield
the appearance of one
diverging from Tycho
might be
cited,
Some of those many other examples among which we may name the wide streaks
streak of great width.
of this
class
;
are
proceeding from the crater Menelaus and also those from Proclus.
to
Some of these occupy widths upwards of 25 miles amply sufficient admit of many concurrent cracks with confluent lava outflows.
We
long and narrow chasms that have been sometimes called " canals"
or
'*
rills,"
name should be
applied to
them
many
As
a few of the
more con-
we may
refer to the
members
and their
focal craters.
Less
also.
There
and
and
one
long specimen,
and several
shorter
in
the immediate
neighbourhood of Mercator
and Campanus
mountains
(Plate
XV.)
connection
with
the
Aristarchus
excrescences
about
Copernicus
(Plate
VIII.).
craters,
have more
Some
of these
to be seen with
maximum
degree of
CHAP. XI.]
157
highest optical powers and the best circumstances for their detection.
The
Schroeter
noted only 11
55 to the
to 425, of
it
list,
Lohrman recorded 75 more Beer and Maedler added while Schmidt of Athens raised the known number
We take
progressive
to increased
is
much
is
regarded by
owner as an and
inferior
one for
its size.
We
doubt
not that there are hundreds more of these cracks which more
perfect instruments
in the future.
still
all
is
about the extent of those near Triesnecker) down to a few miles, they
appear to have a less variable breadth, since we do not find
that at their
many
maximum
is
about a
mile or less
their length,
and terminate
at a crater
is,
Of
their
w^ may
depth
is
very great
we have
In a few
One
is
the other,
We
158
THE MOON.
[chap. XI.
causes have been at work, one perhaps enhancing the other. Where,
as in the cases
we have pointed
which are so
may
conclude
matter has given rise to the cracks, and that the central craters
from
its
confining crust.
The nature
of the
J.N.
Fig.
44.
extent of
force.
And
of comparative lateness
by the
many
;
commenced and
is
the expansion-cracking
It
supported by absolute
may
when
it
chasms
it
produced.
But we consider
it
some
cases, as a consequence
of the expansion
CHAP. XI.]
159
may have
;
and by
open
and
is
that
Fig.
45.
surface,
it
and produced
some
sort of elevation along the line of the crack, like that repre-
It is probable that
some
of the
produced.
We
cracks.
are distinguished
by
focal craters,
though
it
may
by so to speak weakening
it,
may have
160
THE MOON.
[chap. xi.
virtually increased
action.
We
see,
however, no reason
why
upon
when
all
internal reactions
other cause.
Some
of the
more minute
w^e yet
clefts,
of,
exist in greater
numbers than
know
latest
may
doubtless be
that produced
them
is still at
work
whether
:
is
all
arrived at
present,
and apparently
final,
condition ages
p.
up through which matter has been extruded, there are numerous ridges of greater or less extent, which we conceive are of the
nature of wrinkles, and have been produced by tangential compression
due
to
the
collapse
of the moon's
crust
in
upon the
Chap. III.
shrunken
interior, as
explained
and
illustrated
The
phenomena we
consider to
wrinkling" action
PLATE
XXI.
J.lSIasirLytlx
'
WoocLbiiry-cype"
ARISTARCHUS
70
&
20
HERODOTUS
30
*0
SO
10
Scale
CHAPTER
XII.
:
CHRONOLOGY OF
seem
to
us
of ordinary sensitiveness
:
the
moon
more
critical
when
moon was
at
setting behind
it,
;
was
colour
is
also implied
two
objects would have precluded the use of the words " scarcely dis-
tinguishable
prevails
over
seas.
all
Humorum
tints are,
These
however, extremely
faint,
and
it
162
THE MOON.
[chap. xii.
they
may be mere
since all the " seas " are not alike affected; those that are slightly
coloured are, as
we have
said,
red,
and con-
our view
still
more untenable,
that
life
we
shall presently
existing
^^It appears
more
due to actual
fluid mineral
some once
and
it
may
well be con-
from
different depths
below
the lunar
and we may
substances
occur in the rougher regions of the lunar surface, but that they
exist there in patches too small to be recognized
**
by
us,
or are
rise.
most
the
order
justifies
us
in concluding
questionably volcanic portions of the earth, but also that the tints
terrestrial
volcanic
and Plutonian
dimming
influences,
colours of the
upon
them.
If,
then,
analogy
is
CHAP. XII.]
CHRONOLOGY OF FORMATIONS.
163
invisible
which we have seen, we may justly conclude that were the moon
brought
sufficiently near to
of its surface,
in
and around
;
we should behold the same bright and varied colours its craters that we behold in and about those of the
all
earth
and
in
materials of lunar
volcanoes w^ould be more fresh and vivid than those of the earth
we
it
are,
we have no chance
masses
;
but
is
that the faint tints exhibited by the great plains are due to broad
But
if
we
fail
surface,
we
and
details.
This will be tolerably obvious to those casual obof the moon's physio-
servers
human
moon
exhibits,
and which
is
due to the
material which
have
for
less
of the
light-reflecting
property than
other portions
may be
clear that
must be produced by
differences
When we
full disc
of the
amount
meagre
the
impression as to
of
degree
of
brightness
which
by shades of
brilliancy
and dulness M 2
164
THE MOON.
:
[chap. xii.
rendered
much more
striking
a dusky glass from the excessive glare, which drowns the details in a flood of light.
varieties of light
and shade become almost bewildering, and defy the power of brush
or pencil to reproduce
We
full
may, however,
realize
portrait of the
from the
is,
enlarged
to
render
are
and
small
regions
that
what may in
this place
be
As an example
is
of a wide
very remarkable.
We may refer
So
moon.
Still
its interior
is
to
hemisphere
light reflected
At these times
it
appears so bright
that
it
small
amount
moon
a misconception that
still
clings to the
mind
of
many.
The
We may
which
cite,
however, as an
for its
dingy
OHAP. XII.]
CHRONOLOGY OF FORMATIONS.
to
165
moon
visible
us.
For
facilitating
reference
to
shades of
Lohrman
Grades 1 to 3
;
6 and
and 8
to
10
brilliant
white.
The
;
came under
The "
the brightest
;
the crater
peaks, which
fell
The maximum
it,
brightness,
is
many
their
make
full
moon.
itself there is
The dusky
much
assisted or not
by
optical appliances.
is
It
degrees
of brightness
not
estimating
them
at their proper
it
On
due to
upon
it.
The study
of
different regions
for
it is
some
We
cannot, in the
first place,
166
THE MOON.
;
[chap. xii.
formed
becomes more
clearly so
on pvimd facie grounds but it when we remark that the bright formaThe elevated parts of the duller features.
;
**
and
it
is
pretty clear that the former are newer than the latter,
upon which
have extruded.*
The
more
last
is
and minute
craters,
and these
One
and the brightest spots and craters the newest features, though, in
the absence of an atmosphere competent to impair the reflective
by suggesting a cause
for
such a deterioration by
As we have
lunar features,
we may remark
we may
say, fresh-
ness of material.
small ones.
As
is
This
Those
though
same source
at different points.
This
is
is clearly
The
be
phenomena
*
it will
we have
difficulty in reconciling this idea with the partial craters of which a conspicuous example in Fracastorius, No. 78, of our Map, which seem to be partially sunk below the contiguous surface. This looks as though the craterrim belonged to an older epoch than the plain from which it rises.
We
meet a
OVERLAPPING CRATERS
so
10
20
50
60
70
CHAP. XII.]
CHRONOLOGY OF FORMATIONS.
is
167
the
upon which
it
intrudes or impinges.
its
There are
inter-
rampart
rupted by a lesser one, and this again has been broken into by one
still
smaller
smaller than
has intruded
itself
The
craters
:
that
and
the
smallest
are
the results
of
expiring
efforts
possibly
ejective source.
of
this
chronological
to intrude
order
is
that the
We
we do
This
allied
mountain chains
is
Upon
is
that which
brightest,
among
whose apparently
radiating streaks
of
we have endeavoured
We
are
indeed
all
;
disposed to
consider
them
as the
the evidence in
support of this consideration being the fact that they are sometimes
found intersecting small craters that, from the way in which they
are cut through by the cracks,
168
THE MOON.
[chap. xii.
whether
still left
a spark of
its
We
observational
This
much may
be affirmed indis-
putably
that
no object or
may be
When we
we
;
pass from
find ourselves at
the only
map
is, is
pre-
among
not
mapped
itself if a
rather than
it
never
is
moon
itself.
This
difficulty
would present
question of
change were ever raised upon the evidence of Beer and Maedler's
map
it
may
raised,,
for certainly no one has hitherto been bold enough to assert that
any portion or
of the
detail of the
map
fails to
moon
on this
may
say
CHAP. XII.]
CHRONOLOGY OF FORMATIONS.
a
169
20-inch
been
detected by others.
were long ago rejected by Beer and Maedler, who explained them,
variais
not
deception occurred a few years ago in the case of the minute bright
crater Linnet
which was
upon
induced by combinations
upon the
This
moon.
it.
directed to
it
by
moon
and minuteness as
consideration.*
most respectful
He
:
had
that whereas
it
earlier
epoch
Schmidt
is
one
moon
by a friend, who has lately visited Athens, that Schmidt's Moon, comprising the work of forty years, form a small library in themselves. The map embodying them is so large (6 ft. 6 in. in diameter) and so full of detail that there is small hope of its complete publication, unless there should be such a wide extension of interest in the minute study of our satellite
are informed
detail drawings of the
We
it.
170
entitles
THE MOON,
him
to speak with confidence
[chap. XII.
before us
upon the
own experience
is
and this
brought forward.
He
is,
however,
still
Fig.
46.
some
It should
be
W. Webb,
all
due allowance
for
"residuum of minute
its
which seem to indicate that eruptive action in the moon has not
yet entirely died out, though
limited in extent.
manifestation at present
is
very
It appears to
us that,
if
evidence of continuing
for it
CHAP. XII.}
CHRONOLOGY OF FORMATIONS,
disc,
171
is
marginal
haziness,
would manifest
itself in
somewhat
The
consider, has led us, however, to the strong belief that no vestige
moon
that
it
assumed
condition an inconceivable
number
the high interest which would attach to the close scrutiny of our
satellite if it ivere
still
hoped
the
for.
If
it
form
at nearly the
same
justifies the
may
institute a
dition of the two bodies as respects their volcanic age, using the
We
its
have reason to believe that the earth's crust has nearly assumed
final
state
so far
upon
its
we may
occurred
Now
in the earth
it
we perceive
its
several conditions
wherefrom we may
infer that
parted with
We
its
heat dis-
volume determines
its
heat retaining
power.
material but of
body
will cool
larger,
by
sphere bears to
its
to its
172
THE MOON.
[chap. xii.
volume
this
geometrical
ratio
The volume
its
moon, hut
surface
is
cosmical heat
;
moon
in other
words, the
moon and
same temperature.
But the
earth's cosmical
its
vaporous
atmosphere, and
form.
still
Yet notwithstanding
its
it
assumed
cerned
:
final
has so
What
its
tionate area, parted with its heat at the above comparatively rapid
rate ?
The matter
and
it
of
moon
is,
too,
less
this
cause
cooling
its
radiating heat.
We
so rapid as to have
surface to
assume
it
is
going on.
We
conceive
it
volcanic character
may
is
The
CHAP. XII.]
CHRONOLOGY OF FORMATIONS.
insolation the surface
173
becomes heated
which
is
is entirely
radiated away during the equally long lunar night, and, as Sir
John
been
this has
Now
lavas that are found about our volcanoes, such as obsidian for instance, they are doubtless cracked
transitions of temperature
we may suppose,
and
is,
some parts
matter
of the surface
at length
selenographic
is
contour.
It
however,
surface
and porous lavas, and these might withstand the fierce extremes like the " fire-brick " of mundane manufacture, to which
in molecular structure they
may
be considered comparable.
Lavas
as a rule are (upon the earth) of this unvitreous nature, and if they
are of like constitution on the
moon, there
will
be
little
reason to
we
are considering.
Where, howmore or
less
its
nature, is piled in
alternate expansions
might considerably
affect
* It
is
may have
we
are
been caused by a
here contemplating.
174
THE MOON.
[chap. xii.
of minute configurations.
And
it
Speaking
reasoning,
by our
own
lights,
we
it
CHAPTER
A WIDE
interest, if not a
XII
ITS SURFACE.
The
all
ages,
mical knowledge
has given
this
rise to
some new
and in
somewhat extensive
literature ex-
plurality.
It will readily
be under-
wanderers in this
speculation
moon
as a world
to
This, how-
we
feel there is
no occasion to do,
the possibility of
our
satellite.
We
earth
;
well
know what are the requisite conditions of life on the and we can go no further for grounds of inference for if w^e
;
were to
start
by assuming forms of
life
1^6
THE MOON.
[chap. XIII.
we could
is
their extravagance.
The only
:
can entertain
of
this
can
to
we
there be on
the
any kind of
living things
the earth?
negative
And
this
question,
we
think,
admits only of
cannot
answer.
air,
The
lowest
forms
of
vitality
exist
It
without
may
germs
first,
and with
;
and
life
may
be present on the
moon.*
But
We have,
more
air
we know
is
process of exhaustion.
And
with regard to
moisture,
we amount of vapour can be discovered by any observation (and some of them are crucial enough) that we are
it
knew
that no appreciable
capable of making.
possibility that
We may
suppose
it
of vegetation
might
exist
upon the
moon with
we
are
diifficulty
for it
first to
is
inconceivable
a degree of cold
life
and have been located upon every planetary body therein ? Sir William Thomson's suggestion that life came to the earth upon a seed-bearing meteor was weak, in so far that it shifted the locus of life-generation from one planetary body to another. Is it not more philosophical, more consistent with our conception of Creative omnipotence and impartiality, to suppose that the protogerms of life have been sown broadcast over all space, and that they have fallen here upon a planet under conditions favourable to their development, and have sprung into vitality when the fit circumstances have arrived, and there upon a planet that is, and that may be for
ever, unfitted for their vivification.
< o
cc:
or
13
O
22:
CHAP. XIII.]
Ill
metals
the
total
to perhaps
And
in
any
more
We
know of no animal that could live in what may be considered a vacuum and under such thermal conditions as we have indicated. As to man, aeronautic experiences teaches us that human life is endangered when the atmosphere is still sufficiently dense to support
12 inches of mercury in the barometer tube
his condition in a
;
medium
delicate
We
have evidence
from
the most
tests
that
no atmosphere or vapour
moon's surface.
Taking
all
we
are in
no possibility of
satellite
animal or vegetable
must
*******
life
existing on the
it
may
appear
somewhat inconsistent
of the
tator,
But we can
offer
the sufficient
moon
affords
work
of this character,
on consecutive and
have
178
THE MOON.
It
[chap. xiii.
gone before.
may
moon from
Still
we have
this justification
;
that we
and that
we
in
mere
flights of fancy.
is
yet
watching the
moon night
sun
rise
upon a
sets
that follow
till it
it is
come
from
terrestrial influences,
and
globe, viewing
some
an
irresistible
visible,
and to
fill
what
it
knows must
features and
phenomena that
by distance
is
Where
which
the aspect
is
it
a long one.
sets,
From
course double this interval passes between one sunrise and the
The consequences
of this slow
to
* Our remarks have general reference to a region of the moon near her equator j near the poles some of the conditions we shall describe would be somewhat
modified.
CHAP. XIII.]
179
Dawn,
as
we have
is
it
No
atmosphere
beams
glimmer
From
the black
horizon the sun suddenly darts his bright untempered beams upon
the mountain tops, crowning
them with
dazzling brilliance
Vv^hile
There
is
no
early
there
is
a growth of
called a twilight,
and
which
is
Upon
the earth, in
from the
is
first glint
till
is in sight,
Upon
time
during the
visible
and this
an observer of a
re -appearing sun.
dawn that
;
And
it
must be
of short duration
of half an hour, the solar disc has risen half into view the lighting
to the eye as
when the
however, there
is
phenomenon
on earth so gorgeous.
solar
beams
are intercepted
lope of vapour, and only the red portions are free to pass
while on
is
not occur.
If
it
did,
180
THE MOON.
moon upon which
the sun
is
[chap. xiii.
regions of the
This, however,
the faintest lunar features just catching the sun are seen simply
Only upon
shall presently
have to describe,
earth's atmos-
moon
is
element in
an
is
scenery as
compared with
its
the earth.
We
are
dazzling brightness
overpowering
Upon
and
sun's
intrinsic
though
the
it
be subdued
there
is
moon
no such modification.
The
gleams out in
fierce
imperfectly,
few feet
from the
eye.
And
the brightness
is
no atmo-
which even in our tropical skies scatters some of the sun's light
and gives a certain degree of opacity or blueness, deep though
to the heavens
it
be,
by day.
Upon
must be
of moonless nights.
And
this blackness prevails in the full blaze of the lunar noon-day sun.
to
be
it
could by intervening
we know
solar pro-
tuberances
CHAP. XIII.]
181
sun above the horizon they would certainly be seen in glorious perfection
it
had
set.
And, notwithstanding the sun's presence, the planets and stars would be seen to shine more brilliantly than we see them on the
clearest of nights
rations,
;
the constellations would have the same configudifferently situated with respect to
the celestial pole about which they would appear to turn, for the
axis of rotation of the
stellation Draco.
moon
stars
is
The
to us
as they appear
to do, for
or
twinkling
is
phenomenon
brightness,
of atmospheric origin,
full
down even
would be no haze
stars at
The
planets,
to the
sun.
terrestrial gazers,
would be almost constantly in view during the lunar day, manifesting his close attendance on the central luminary by making only
short excursions of about two (lunar) days' length,
first
on one side
as continuously
side.
though her wanderings would be more extensive on either The zodiacal light also, which in our English latitude and
is
climate
only
as a constant
accompaniment
to the
luminary
The other
among
One
which
hemisphere
must
present.
(that
;
We
which
To
moon
visible
we never
see) this
but to the
182
THE MOON.
[chap. xiii.
fixed
From
regions
little
out of what
little
is to
moon were
approached,
till
at the actual
edge
it
visible at all
To an
observer, however,
upon the
(to
it
would
^being visible in
in
its
make
From
the
lunar hemisphere beyond this marginal line the earth can never be seen at
all.
him to view the earth would see it as a moon and a glorious moon indeed it must be. Its diameter would be four times as great as that of the moon
spectator whose situation enabled
;
The lunar
itself as
13 times as great.
It
its
satellite,
all
the features of
in
its
surface
succession.
But the
for
when it At lunar
morning
fully illuminated
as
nears, the earth-moon wanes, its disc slowly passing through the
it
CHAP. XIII.]
183
at
is
apparently above or
by
lunar midnight.
The sun
Obviously
some-
behind
it,
far
for whereas,
when we
see the
moon
at
most 7 minutes
a lunar
spectator,
him
refrac-
sunbeams would
of
suffer in passing
tangentially through
those parts
;
our atmospheric
envelope
which
lie
in their course
earth, as seen
the
beautiful
line
of golden
red and orange rays of the sun's light by the vapours of our
atmosphere.
As
not
all,
184
THE MOON.
[chap. xiii.
far distance,
alike all
earth's periphery.
The
circle of light
it
would
We know that
rise
the sun, even in clear sky, does not always set and
may
be determined by
merely
earth.
earth,
and
Now
would
d'oeil,
every point
and
upon the
other.
To
upon the
it
And
at all parts
ditions obtain, the lunar eclipse-observer would see the ring of light
would have other shades of red and yellow, and the whole
and rubies.
distributed,
later stages it
We
describing
an
eclipse of the
moon (when
the event
we
are
The
may be the innocent and oft-repeated moon being " turned into blood."
z < S O u T. Ui r- X
a:
ui >- -
ll;
CHAP. XIII.]
185
We
phenomenon and
eclipse
fall
XXIV.)
And now
for a
time
let
Let
our stand high upon the eastern side of the rampart of one of the
great craters.
Height,
it
must he remarked,
is
more
essential
on
the
moon
to
command
Such height, however, would he attained without great exercise of muscular power, since equal amounts of
the horizon
is
very rapid.
man
six times as
Let us choose,
for instance,
sudden transition.
The
faint
emerges
The
summits
a rate of
to,
by
seem
At
the
in the course of
about twelve hours the whole of the circular rampart of the great
crater below us,
side,
to be seen.
As
com-
after
peak of the
plete
like a
silver-margined abyss
darkness.
186
THE MOON.
[chap. xiii.
an
From
Craters from
so that the surface, as far as the eye can reach, looks veritably
we
stand, extensive
and to south,
casting long
several gi'eat
depth.
precipice
Nearer
upon
precipice,
pits,
and volcanic
debris.
life.
:
But we behold no
No
life
no
tints of
The whole
a realization of a fearful a
lifelessness
not
life,
dream
of death, for
Looking again,
some hours'
amphitheatre, we see that the rays of the morning sun have crept
down the
seeming
we
up
its
hill-circles
with
terrestrial
desolate grandeur.
The plateau
with
its
its
of the crater
is
half in
shadow
10,000
feet below,
sight, rising
from
centre.
Although these
last
are twenty
miles away and the base of the opposite rampart fully double that
distance,
we have no means
CHAP. XIII.]
187
which are
colours
also
;
of the distant
for
intensity
colour
we may
fairly
be.
must be
all
the more
common
fiery influence.
glow with their greater or less intrinsic lustres, since they have not
far
no
aerial
medium
them
no means
And
with no
air there
As
a con-
do not receive the direct solar rays, save the feeble amount reflected
blackness.
As we
a region
is
many
and
miles in
it
no object within
;
discernible
all
around
is
starlit
The
must be
in
The
188
THE MOON.
and pitchy shadows
;
[chap. xiii.
light
the absence of
;
all
its
brightness
all
these
conspire to
is
make up
scene
of
dreary,
desolate
grandeur that
scarcely conceivable
A legitimate extension
of lunar conditions
upon other senses than that of sight, to which we have hitherto confined our fancy. We are met at the outset
with a difficulty in this extension
;
functions.
If
we would
we must
air,
we can
exist without
and attempt
some
are the
down
as
ferocity
till
upon a
soil
never
we have shown,
;
lead
remain intensely
in shade with
cold,
Among
the
is
less
expansions
and
contractions
of
the
surface
material,
CHAP. XIII.]
189
We
phenomena
remark that
if
an
atmospheric
medium
manifestations. fThere
abundant
causes
for
grating
and
upon the
is
no
life to
raise a
hum, no wind
to
murmur,
Yet even
by the
felt
without
air there
Dead
fired
silence reigns
on the moon
and a thousand
drums beaten upon that airless world, but no sound could come from them lips might quiver and tongues essay to speak, but no
:
action of theirs could break the utter silence of the lunar scene.
At a
shorten
upon
earth, the
shadows
the sun attains his meridian height, and then, from the
tropical region
is to
be seen on any
light.
The
relief of afternoon
its
tardily,
and the
darkness drags
slow
length
in a
This phenomenon
but daybreak
tints
that
The sun
shines
declines towards the dark horizon without losing one jot of its
brilliancy,
full intensity of its
heat upon
all it
on to the
dips
last.
half-way beneath
*
its
intrinsic
brightness
remaining unchanged.
the morning,
The
when only
the long shadows now sharpen as the area of light that casts them
decreases.
earth-moon
190
THE MOON.
;
[chap. xiii.
At
this sunset time the earth, nearly in the zenith of us, will be
it
will
As
the
will be
"
full,"
will
be seen
It will
twenty-fourfull,
appears quite
and the
whole of
its
spectator's eye.
will
be turned towards
and
its
marking
its axis
of rotation.
surrounding
it.
The
and the
ever
undergoing
Of the nature
of
these
variations meteorological
science is not
as yet in a position to
speak
it
we
obtained.
It
might happen
at
"
moon passed
exactly between
the
CHAP. XIII.]
191
upon the
terrestrial disc.
We
need
when an
eclipse of the
sun
is
The
other features of the sky during the long lunar night would
its
day aspects.
The
stars
visible,
from
The
might be
The
now be
seen,
and a comet might appear to vary the monotony of the long lunar
night.
though
And
these
would
fall
initial velocity
is
added
to that of the
moon's
attraction.
frictional
As
there
no atmosphere to
its
heat or break by
resistance
moon with
is feeble
a force
indeed.
moon would
little
description
it
would
by the earth-moon
at a distance, to
moon
{i.e.
the earth)
But the
and again to
half-full,
between sunset
The
apparent
fixity of
slight degree of
192
THE MOON.
[chap. xiii.
warmth might
it
but
would be
of the prevailing
cold.
three
all
warmth having
parched
space
soil
itself,
its
night-side would be
bound
But
since
lunar
scenery
remains unmodified by
changing temperature.
effects that
would manifest
moon.
The
;
picture
is
but
be,
it is
instructive
imperfect though
it
may
of view different
from those
CHAPTER
THE MOON AS A SATELLITE:
ITS
XIV.
RELATION TO THE EARTH
AND MAN.
Apart from the recondite functions
it
of the
moon
considered as
by which
subserves
human
them
interests
it
of civilized
man
to
which we deem
of
especially as
some
The most
uses of the
moon
is
that of a luminary.
its
Popular regard
for it is
usually confined to
service
in
that character,
and in that
And
is,
obviously this
service
as
*'
lesser
light "
is
sufficiently
admiration.
But
moonlight
its
production, of such a
and imperfect an
importance.
alleviation of night's
darkness, that
we
are fain
moon
as one of secondary
in general, so estim-
to
mankind
moon performs
sanitary agent.
We
but
it
if
194
THE MOON.
moon
ceased to produce the tides of the ocean.
[chap. xiv.
the
Motion and
activity in the
among
the
moon performs an
for
we must not
in
influences,
though
much
but for
its aid
as
would
speak
become
in a
tidal
stagnant
deltas
of
fatal
corruption.
Twice
(to
decomposing
state at their
embouchures
is
wave
pestilence
is
videntially cleansed
and
it
seems to be
also in the
its
must become
do\\Ti
main sewer.
stream in
its
The
foul
additions
may
be carried
by the
near the
mouth
or
where
removed,
and
its
inconceivable
evils
are
the moon.
We
obvious degree
is
but, considering
merely
human
the
interests,
conviction that
this purifying
man
is
office of
moon
There
is
the work of
CHAP. XIV.]
195
tidal transport to
Upon
tidal rivers
and on certain
coasts, notwithstanding
and a similar
for
moon
is
done by
rafts
and
of
its
banks;
had
to
artificial
money
to be
For
to feel
gratitude that
we ought
Our
**
light of other
days"
for coal
to be "bottled sun-
shine "
upon
all
possible
we
many
other
fall
them that
outrivalled
bilities
;
But
it
must be
remembered that
we
being paid.
We
may
are
consuming an
be needful
it will
around in quest of
**
powers that
be."
Then an imo 2
196
THE MOON.
[chap. xiv.
petus
may
number
The source
There
of
is
motion that
offers itself is of
amount
matters
little to
the mecha-
mass
lifted to a
mass
There
is
The
sea-side
millions of tons of water lifted several feet twice daily on our shores
to furnish
movement of thousands of factories. And we must not how completely modern science has demonstrated the interand thus opened the way
for the
we
moment
mense
tricity;
benefit.
and
electricity gives
at one end,
What we do
with the
amount
tide-mill
might convert
its
by
tidal mills at
London
Bridge.
CHAP. XIV.]
197
to
hand
power
is
is
by compressed
good service
Sir
another
Armstrong, of transmitting water-power through the agency " of an accumulator," now so generally used at our Docks and else-
W.
where
for
And
as the whole
moon
to his
is
him
to track his
first is
easily found,
inasmuch as
it
is
celestial pole at
of
the longitude has always been a difficult problem, and one upon
When
all
it
was
attacked
it
things
We
is
must premise
in
eff'ect
that the
the difference
between the
a place or a ship
we mean
or at any place
at
Green-
Of course
this could be
most
easily
its
done
if
we could
set a
keeping
feasible
that our Government long ago offered a prize of ^620, 000 for a time-
198
THE MOON.
[chap. xiv.
a timekeeper,
:
and
chronometers are now largely used for longitude, their construction having been brought to great perfection, especially in England,
owing to a continuance
(in
less
liberal
degree, however) of
are not entirely to be
Government inducement.
relied
But chronometers
the case
on,
Government ships
as
recourse
must be had
to the
is,
And
the
moon
we have
said, the
problem.
amounts
practically to this.
The
;
the sun and planets with very slow rates of apparent motion, the
moon with
If,
then,
it
be predicted that at a
will
certain instant of
be a certain
dis-
moon has
at
as
the hand of a timepiece, whereof the stars are the hour and minute
it
The
predictions
of the
centre) of the
moon from
whose
calculated
places
are
so
may
for this
for
for a
moon cannot be
seen)
* The sun and planets are comparatively useless for this object, because of their slow movement among the stars ; the change of their positions from hour to hour is so small as to render uncertain the Greenwich times deducible therefrom. Their use would be comparable to taking the time from the hour-hand of a clock.
CHAP. XIV.]
199
can,
by a simple process of
Greenwich time
may have
observed.*
Then
is
of this
from observations.
The motions
is
The powers
efforts to
them by
servations of the moon's place night after night have, from the
dawn
of this lunar
method
for longitude,
mathematicians
for the
was
solely to pro-
and mainly
for their
is
sus-
tained.
Nautical
Almanac"
(those formed
by
Prof.
Hansen) depend
still
The work
not what
is
and
which were
left
is
the grandest of
all in
respect of
has
led.
* Certain corrections are necessary to clear his observed distance of the effects pf upon these, however, we cannot enter here,
;
200
THE MOON.
[chap. xiv.
^which
is
is
and
revolution.
our religious services, we, in our time and country, scarcely need
a moon to mark our months but we must not forget many ancient people the moon was, and with some is
;
that with
still,
the
and
all
by " moons."
To
by
moon
fix
is of
enabling us to
dates to
many
*'
lives of
emperors,"
clears
up a mystery,
or decides a
and secured
some
of a
total
eclipse, of
so-and-so's
reign,
or
by some
found that
battle
other
historical
occurrence.
The
tallies
tions in other respects (such as the time of day and the place of
observation), its indisputable date
Medes
which
is
year of Cyrus
all
Scripture chronology.
CHAP. XIV.]
201
ance from the accurate dates which the moon, by having caused
eclipses of the sun, enables the astronomer to fix
beyond
cavil or
doubt.
The mention of eclipses reminds us, too, of the use which the moon has been in increasing, through them, our knowledge of the physical condition of the sun. If the moon had never intervened to cut off the blinding glare of the solar disc, we should have been
.
is
all-contained by the
we ordinarily see. But, thanks to the moon's we now know that the sun is by no means the mere
Eclipses have taught us
it
glowing atmosphere,
With
these discoveries
still
in their
is
fruit,
and
much
human
the
deter-
mination of the source and maintaining power of the light and heat
reflec-
moon
be
we must not
forget that,
should
there
inhabitants
upon
our
neighbouring
worlds.
satellites, they,
the
can
gain no
such
On
the other
Saturn
would,
in
through
the
intervention
of
their
especially, far
more
us, author
and
It
202
totally different
air,
THE MOON.
from our own
;
[chap. xiv.
life
;
conditions for
destruction
for
we cannot
fully
know
as
it
with
with
all
and
its
rough-cast surface in
to our view.
marks exposed
From
these
we have essayed
some
the cosmical agencies that are called forth in the purely igneous
era of a planet's history.
We
denuding elements have eroded and obliterated the earthly impression, the superscriptions
and bright as
serves no
when
it
left
The moon
when
it
of creative design in the worlds of our system, and exalts our esti-
all
the
Keflections
thoughts to
upon the uses of the moon not unnaturally lead our some matters that may be regarded as abuses. These
beliefs
in the
terrestrial
conditions,
and occasionally of
The
and
ft
moon
influences
human
sanity
CHAP. XIV.]
203
decomposing
the hours of
that the
moon determines
human
death, which is supposed to occur with the All such, having no foundation on fact,
change of the
tide, etc.
The
third matter
tioned
ideas
may
who do not
at
moon upon
lunar circumstances.
no uncommon thing to
see, in a picture
moon introduced which can only waning moon instead of a waxing one
;
and astronomical
as to put a
caught artists so
far tripping
moon in a picture representing some event that occurred upon a date when the moon was new, and therefore invisible.
Writers take the same liberties very frequently.
newspaper
moon when
was no moon
to be seen.
One
of the
most flagrant
The death
it is
But the interment when the moon was out of sight. We mention these abuses of the moon in the hope of promoting a better observance of the moon's luminary office. They who wish to bring the moon upon a scene, not knowing ipso facto that it was there,
the struggling moonbeam's misty light."
actually took place at a time
By
should
first
Midsummer
make sure
almanac.
The second
refers to its
is
subject
to
which
it
errors.
That there
204
THE MOON.
will
[chap. xiv.
is
of a character
believed.
different
from
The popular error is shown in its most absurd form when the mere aspect of the moon, the mere
what
is
commonly
change of weather
as
if
from
itself
first
or as if the
conjunction of the
moon with
down
rains.
A moment's
reason-
ing ought to show that the supposed cause and the observed effect
may
be
moon changes
:
term
every seven
changes
is
it
days
occurs, the
moon
is
when But a
same
is
must always be
morrow
indiscriminately, is to
make
our
satellite
existed between the state of the air and the aspect of the moon,
must
upon the
attention of
meteorologists.
given, show-
set
moon.
quarter of a century.
to reveal at a glance
done so had
But no constant relation between the moon it existed. columns and those containing the instrument readings has ever
been traced.
Our meteorological
CHAP. XIV.]
205
these afford
still
for
The
collation
has
frequently been
made
and certainly
but so
to obtain
moon
in her orbit
small are the effects traceable to lunar influence, that they are
The lunar
influences
likely to be
detected are those of a tidal character, and those due to the radiation
of the heat which the
moon
The
first
would
Some
Edward Sabine
instituted
The greatest differences were found to occur between the times when the moon was on the meridian, and when it was six hours
away from the meridian
high tide and low
tide.
;
of
these differences
amounted only
no perceptible
effect
on weather changes.
is
:
The
distance of the
moon from
produce an
variation
ought also to
;
but Colonel
;
was next
to insensible
the
mean
from that
at perigee
Schubler, a
German
had arrived
Hence
it
not
sensibly affected
by the
state of the
moon
the conclusion to be
to the
weather
itself is
obvious enough.
As
206
THE MOON.
[chap. xiv.
we know, from the recent experiments of Lord Rosse in England, and Marie Davy in France, elsewhere alluded to, that a degree of warmth appreciable to the
regards the lieat received from the moon,
is
exerted by the
moon upon
the earth
And
it is
moon
we must
amount
The
its
effect of this
is to
the radiation of
And
shown
to be a
that the
moon's
last quarter
than at
first
being what
The tendency
moon
been remarked
by several distinguished
Humboldt, and Arago
has been negatived.
;
authorities, to wit,
Sir
John Herschel,
as a meteorological fact,
it
It cannot be
moon some-
moon be
called cloudy.
When
positions
and records of
feeble consequences
where an
one
effect
it
insignifi-
and another.
Certainly there
is
CHAP. XIV.]
207
nothing that
conviction
that
this
belief as at
is so
present maintained
general,
an absurd delusion.
Yet
its
acceptance
society, that
have
done.
felt it
we we have
CHAPTER
Having
XV.
CONCLUDING SUMMARY.
arrived at the conclusion of our subject,
it
appears to us
desirable that
we should
object
by a rapid review,
Our main
rational
explanation
surface
details
of the
moon which
the
nebular hypothesis as
first
Herschel and
systemised
by Laplace.
to
deavoured
become
common
centre of gravity
cases, the
of satellitic systems;
satellitic
to wit, the
our study.
as evolved
we
effect of
By
mechanical
being destructible,
CHAP. XV.]
CONCLUDING SUM3IABY.
209
became elevated to an intense degree of heat as they assumed the form of spheres
under the influence of gravitation.
attained its
maximum
degree of
it
how
there
dispersion
And
here
we
when the
crust
was
solid
may be
pre-solidifying expansion.
We
as furnish-
ing the key to the mystery of volcanic action upon the moon, since,
matter of the
of
moon through
of that
also
the dislocations
unattended
by actual
formative history.
it
needful to
Accordingly
weight, and
:
and
the more soundly to fix these data in the mind, we devoted a few
lines to explanation of the
methods whereby each has been ascerquestion (so important to our sub-
tained.
210
THE MOON.
[chap. xv.
atmosphere, giving
may he
absence of both
air
general coup
attention,
it
is
viewed
this
From
we passed
to the
this subit
within
names and
positions of detailed
and typical spots and regions were given in some few cases where
such appeared to be called
for.
of,
we proceeded
to
discuss
first
demanded our
attention.
We
pointed
out the reasons for regarding the great majority of the circular
formations of the
moon
phenomena
of terrestial volcanoes,
we showed how the explanations which have been offered to account and thus, driven to for them scarcely apply to those of the moon demonstrate the probability of other hypotheses, we endeavoured to
:
The
precise cause of
phenomena which
cone, were
And
after
CHAP. XV.]
CONCLUDING SUMMARY.
211
some
From
we passed
to the consideration
by a volcanic hypothesis.
and
a possible key to the
constitute, without
We
summarized
several
proffered
we considered might be
our suggestion.
The
less
and mountain ranges were then discussed to the extent that we considered requisite, viewing their comparatively simple character and
At
allied
greater length
we
phenomena
out with regard to these latter the strikingly beautiful correspondence in effect (and therefore presumably in cause) between them
starred "
*'
by an expanding
medium. The more notable objects and features of the lunar surface being disposed of, we had next to say a few words upon some residual
phenomena,
chiefly
upon their various degrees of brightness or reflective power. And, inasmuch as varying brightness seemed to us to be related to
varying antiquity, we were thence led to the question of the
moon
in recent years.
We
regarded this question from the observational and the inferpoints of view, and were led to the conclusion that the
its
ential
212
THE MOON.
far
[chap. xv.
Thus
merely.
moon
we
as a planetary
body
It
by beings
the
like ourselves.
The arguments
fitted
bility of
for
human
enforcing.
upon the
month
power
to
such a
We
therefore
attempted a description of an
imaginary sojourn upon the moon, and pointed out some of the
more
striking aspects
We
modest
efforts in the
may
may be
in a greater
moon from
is
available to us.
In our
final
moon
as a satellite,
and
but
performs
for
We
showed
that, not-
the shores of our seas and rivers through the agency of the tides.
We
down our
an amount
value pei'
if
that, to
London
alone, represents a
money
annum
may be
tideless
our river
was
manual or
CHAP. XV.]
CONCLUDING SUMMARY.
213
steam power.
We
tidal
may
be
feel
to the chronologist
and historian, as
other
means
to the astronomer
the
phenomena
of eclipses caused
would never
functions that
lastly,
have
these
were
;
other
and,
we dwelt upon,
of the
we spoke
moon
as a
it
instructive suggestions,
which
And from
uses
we passed
to
things terrestrial.
moon has been a misunderSome justice we trust we have done to stood and misjudged body. her we have brought her face to the fireside we have analysed
siderably expanded, for, in truth, the
:
her features, and told of virtues that few of her admiring beholders
conceived her to possess.
fraught
and
all
commend
the
moon
and
all
still
we more intimate
attentions, be they
addressed to her as
OO., I'KINTKRS,
WHITKFRIARS.
1 '
CO
UJ Q-
<c \
< z O SD
,
O S
o 2 <
cc
CO
u_
cc <:
ID
< z
:3
O
a-
-J
<
UJ
ZD
a _
or
/m.. ^
UBRA^-
X>^Vi E
CALIF
^F
T ^ -r
'CRN
kr/
>1^
YD 0bG29
-^7W^ J
^\