New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-12-02
DOE. the Moon Influence the weather,


Among the many Influences which the moon Is
supposed, by the world IN general, % exercise up
on our globe, one OF those which have been most
universally believed. In all AGES and IN slcountries,
: that which 10 IS presumed 90 exert upon the
changes "a the weather AlthoaSh the particular
details Of this influence sre sometimes pretended
70 be described. the only general principle. or rule
which prevails with the world IN general Is. that
change OF weather may be looked for al the epochs
of new and full moon that IS 10 say II the weather
be previously fair IL will become foul and II foul
viii become fair. Similar changes are also, some.
times, though not so confidently looked tor, st the
ep0chs OF the quarters.
\ question of this kind may be regarded either
As question OF science. or question of fact.
Tit be regarded as question OF science, We are
called upon 70 explain how and by what property
Of matter. or what isw Of Nature or Attraction the
moon. az distance OF quarter OF million OF miles,
combining rs effects with the sun at four hundred
times that distance. can produce those alleged
changes To this it may be readily answered that
no known Jaw or principle has hitherto explained
any such phenomena The moon and sun must.
doubtless affect the ocean OF air which surrounds
the globe, as they affect the ocean OF water-pro.
duciDg effects analogous to tides but when the
quantity OF such an effect estimated, It IS proved
TO be utterly lnappreciablc and such as could by
no means account for the meteorological changes
here adverted %.
But Ia conducting investigatio of this kind We
proceed altogether IN the wrong direction. and
begin az the wrong end when we commence with
the investigation OF the physical cause OF the sup
posed phenomens. That method OF conducting
physical INQUIRIES which WAS bequeathed 20 US
by the illustrious Bacon aud which has led TO
such an immense extension of our know ledge Of
the universe, imperiously requires that before we
begin 81 seek for the causes Of any phenomena,
we must first prove beyond the possibility Of
doubt, the reality of these phenomena, aud ascer
tain with the utmost precision, all the circum
stances attending them. la other words, we are
required to consider all inquiries Of the kind now
adverted 20, as mere questions OF fdsf, before We
take them as questions OF science.
What, then, let Us see, IS the present question
IL IS asserted that the moon produces such an In
fuence on the weather as 10 cause t 10 change ut
the new aud iull moon, and at the quarters But
in this mode OF stating the proposition, there are
implicitly included two very distinct points, one
Of which is simple matter of fact and the other
point Of physical science.
Frst Il Is asserted that at the epochs oil
new aud fall moon, and at the quarters, there Is
generally a change OF weather. This Is mere
statement OF alleged fact
Second IL is asserted that the phases OF the
moon, or in other words the relative position OF
the moon and in regard 10 the earth is the
canse Of these changes.
Now 1t s evidently necessary to settle the first
question before We trouble ourselves with the sec.
ond for It il should So happen that the first state
meut should prove TO be destitute OF foundation the
second falls to the ground.
The question of fact, here before US, is one most
easily settled. In many meteorological observa-
tons throughout Europe, register OF the weather
in all respects has been kept for long period OF
time Thus the hight of the barometer, the cundl
tion of the thermometer, the hydrometer, and the
rain. gauge the form and character OF the clouds,
the times OF the falling OF rain. hail and snow and
L. fn.a fh.ar
has been duly registered, from day TO day, and Of
ten from hour to hour.
The period of'the lunar phases II is needless to
say has also been registered, and It is, therefore.
possible 10 compare one set OF changes with the
other.
This IN hne, has been done. We can imagine,
placed IN two parallel columns, in juxtapostion.
the series OF epochs OF the new and iull moons,
and the quarters, and the corresponding conditions
OF the weather at these times Tor hity or one hun
bred years back, So that we may be enabled 20 OK
anime as a mere matter OF fact, the conditions OF
the weather tor one thousand or twelve hundred
fall aud new moons and quarters. The result OF
such an examination has been, that no correspond
ence whatever has been found 10 exist between
the two phenomena. Thus let us suppose that
one hundred and twenty five full moons be taken
at random from the table # the condition OF the
weather az these several epOchs be examined, u
will be found, probably, that in sixty three cases
there was a change of weather, and In sixty two
there was not, so that under such circumstances
the odd moon in this division OF one hundred and
twenty five would favor the popular opinion bnt
II another random collection Of one hundred and
twenty five full moons be taken, and similarly ex-
amined il will probably be found that slxty-three
are not attended by changes Of weather, while
sixty-two are. With its Characteristic caprice,
the moon on this occasion opposes the popular
opinion in short, fall examination OF the table
shows that the condition OF the weather as 10
change, or in any other respect, has, as matter
lunar phases.
Such, then being the case, Il would be idle 10
attempt 70 seek for physical cause Of an effect
which is destitute Of proof DR.. Lardners Lect.