The Santa Fe weekly gazette. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.T. [i.e. N.M.]) 1851-1854, 1853-01-22
The Craters of the Moon.
A FRIGHTFUL CHAsM.

A FRIGHTFUL CHAsM.
Not less than three ffths of the sur
face of our satellite are studded with
vast cavernS, or rather circular pits,
penetrating into its mass, and usually
engirt at the top with a high wall of
rock, which is sometimes seriated end |
crowned by peaks. These craters vary
in diameter from fifty or sixty miles to
the smallest place visible probably 500
feet; and the numbers increase as the
diameter dimihishes, so tina, the multi
tude Of the smsller ones becomes so
great that we cannot reckon it. The
ridge which environS the crater is al
ways stopping on its external side, and
steep or rather PERCEPTIONS within, al
though it seldom dsscends to the cav
ern's base by a single cliff or leap -
Within it, there are generally concen.
tic ridges, assuming the form OF terra
ces, and making the descent to the bot
tom, as the central chasm appears, more
gradual. The bottom of the crater is
sometimes convex, low ridges Of moun-
tains being also found running through
it, while, at its center, conical peaks
frequently rise, and smaller craters,
whose height, however, seldom reaches
the base of the exterior wall. These
curious objects are 50 crowded, in some
parts Of the moon, that they seem to
have pressed on each other, and disturb
ed, and even broken down each others
edges, so that, through their mutual in
reference, the most odd shaped caverns
have arisen
The crater Tycho is th9t brilliant
spot near the top Of the moon, which,
when the moon is full, appears the cen.
ter of a system of shining streams or
rays. The country around is peculiarly
disturbed; there is no plain there, lar.
ger than common field. Now, if pas.
sing across that rugged district, one
were gradually approaching Tycho, its
first and distant aspect would seem like
an immense wall OF ridge of rock ia the
horizon, with stretch of nearly fifty
miles, and reaectiug the SUMS rays with
peculiar luslre; on approaching the
ridge its character would change; we
should then discern that it is part of an
immense circle, but perhaps neither so
lofty nor so steep, that practiced
mountalneer of the earth need shrink
from its ascent Suppose the ascent
accomplished, and that with terrestrial
ideas one stood on the summit. Trust
ing to the analogy of every disturbed
region of our own planet, we must have
thought of the opposite side, while it
was unseen, only as corresponding
slope, or at least as descent, which, il
different in steepness, would correspond
in extent; but the eye is now in pres
ence Of an appalling contrast! '
On the edge of dizzy cliff, passing
down by unbroken leap for 10000 feet,
or 1000 feet more than the summit Of
Mont Blanc rises above the level of the
sea! II is quickly perceived, too, tha,
this huge barrier encloSes vast circu-
} lar area ffty-fve miles in diameter ; SC
that if the spectator were at the chasm's
center, he would find around him or
every side, at the distance of twenty.
seven miles, gigantic and unbroker
wall-unbroken by a gap or ravne, OF
pass of any cription-r rising into the
air 1900 feet, and forbiddihg his re.
| turn 10 the external world t
How frightful that seclpsion in the
! moon--a Chasm utterly impossible, il!
walls bare, rugged, hopeless as . pris,
on's bars! 1t is a solitude too whicI
nothing alleviates verdme is nevel
> there, not the song Of bird; rainnevel
! reireshes, nor cloud shelters it; it is re,
lieved from scorching sun and flaming
J sky only BY night with its stars. No
: among those countless pits is Tycho til,
most appalling. There are some o
nearly equal depth whose diameter ma.