The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-11-09
THE MOON A DEAD STAR.
A Terrible Theory.

An exchange has translated an article
from the cosmos, in which Stanislas
Mcunicr gives some curious spcoulations
with regard to the present physical con
dition OF the tnoon.
His theory is. and ho has the support
OF eminent astronomers like Beer,
Mocdler aud Arago, that the moon ia a
dead star. He draws this inference from
Il singular appearance upon the sur
face, which is called "grooves" by the
physicists. These grooves havo parallel
sides nearly mile in width, and from
TIN to one hundred and twenty five
miles in length. There are already
ninety Of them, and it is supposed that
more are in process Of formation
Reasoning from analogy, we, must be-.
lieve that, at some period in:the distant
past, the moon had ON atmosphere and
water. and also that on account of her
inferior size, she had cooled much more
quickly than the earth The water
penetrating the crust has been absorbed
as the decrease OF internal heat ip.
creased the thickness of the crust, until
long before the cooling process had
reached the centre, the water had dis
appeared. The rocks then solidifying.
as the heat supply diminished. contract
ed ina manner resembling the appear
ance of basalt, and produced the grooves
into which the atmosphere settled -
Hence comes the chaotic appearance Of
the moon, with its immense mountains,
volcanoes and craters. Some astrono.
mcrs have detected an appearance Of
action in some of the volcanoes but the
general opinion is that every vestige Of
physical life has long since departed
from the surface ofour satellite.
These theories are all very we'll when
applied, to our distant neighbor, the
moon but we cannot shut our eyes to
the starting fact that the earth is under
going a similar process of transforma
ton. Gsolcgists place close resem
blance between the circles in the moon
and tho circles of granate and porphyry
upon the eavth. They have also discov-
cred evidences of fine qualification
among the lunar mountains; while
volcanic formations bear "A iiscernible
analogy to those of Teueriffe and Pama.
According to the new theory, the follow
ing is the process slowly, taking place
on. the carth's surface; for she, like her
subordinate, is gradually cooling. 1t is
estimated that one fiftieth of the original
ocean has been already absorbed, and
that when the crust Of the earth has
become one hundred miles in thickness,
every drop Of water will disappear. 1t
is also estimated that the earth would
easily absorb 6tty oceans like those
which now cover large portion Of the
surface. An the water at present on
the earth constitutes one twenty tour.
thousandth part Of its weight, and once
absorbed would become ipsensible to
chemical analysis. The water being
absorbed. the earth will crack open like
the moon; and form similar grooves into
which the atm osphere win settle. Long
before This era all ljfs,will have ceased
Whether there Is anytruth in the theory
or not. we have 40 Immediate cause OF
alarm forthe process will not advance
enough to givo the slightest record in
the short span Of a single life time
According to the experiments OF Bis
chof, it will take niue millions Of years
for the earth to cool down fifteen
degrees This loss is almos. impercep
tible, rs the internal heat adds only q
thirtieth of a. degree to the temperature
Of the-surfacS:-1 IF this process.is Arue
Of the earth, aud the moon, the same
cause must produce the same effects IL
the other planets and satellites Of tht
system. Even the great sun himsel
must be subjected to tho laws wbict
rule his subordinates, Therefore, th'
time must como 10 the distant ages o
the hereafter, when sub, planets ant